Although day 3 was originally planned as a rest day after Angels Landing and to prepare for the Narrows the next day, we chose to add Bryce Canyon National Park to our plans. Passing up another National Park just wasn’t an option for us!

As we drove east out of Zion, we stopped at the Checkerboard Mesa overlook to scan the cliffs for bighorn sheep. We had hoped to see some during our last national park trip to Joshua Tree, so spotting them had become a bit of a goal for this trip. Bighorn sheep tend to favor steep, open terrain like this because it allows them to better spot predators, so we carefully searched the rock faces and ledges.

We didn’t have any luck with sheep, but Jordan somehow managed to spot an impressive bird perched far off in the distance. I still don’t know how he saw it without binoculars. Even once we looked through them, all we could make out was a small white belly against the cliffside. It was one of those sightings that felt almost impossible.

The drive to Bryce Canyon took about two hours, and it went by quickly as we listened to a John Mulaney stand-up special. Before we knew it, we were pulling into the park and stopping for the classic photo in front of the Bryce Canyon National Park sign.

We parked at Bryce Canyon Lodge, since the trailhead for our hike started there. The trail we planned to do was the Navajo Loop combined with the Queen’s Garden Trail, which was listed as the top-rated hike on AllTrails. The lodge itself was beautiful, and it immediately made me wish we had more time to stay overnight.

Once we started hiking, we were greeted almost immediately by Bryce’s famous hoodoos. These tall, spire-like rock formations are created by erosion and somehow look as though they could topple over at any moment. The overlook views were incredible, and we spent some time just standing there taking it all in.

As we continued on, we reached the Wall Street section of the trail. This area is often closed in winter due to snow, so we were happy to find it open. The switchbacks here were steep and tight, and I was very glad we were heading downhill.

Going up them definitely would not have felt like much of a rest day. The trail dropped us into a narrow canyon with towering walls.

It was surprising how different Bryce felt from Zion, despite how close the two parks are. This hike was about 3.2 miles total, which felt manageable for a rest day, especially since we kept a slow pace.

We stopped often to take photos, admire the views, and pause whenever I heard a new bird call.

The hike ended at Sunrise Point, where we were rewarded with another wide, panoramic view of the canyon filled with hoodoos stretching in every direction. It was a really fitting way to end the hike.

By the time we finished, everyone was getting hungry, so we headed back to the lodge for lunch. We had heard good things about the buffet, especially the elk chili, and it lived up to expectations. The lodge had such cozy cabin vibes, and the buffet spread was excellent. They ran out of cookies, but the chef brought us a sampler of different desserts, which was incredibly thoughtful and a nice surprise.

After lunch, we spent some time browsing the gift shop before heading back toward Zion. As soon as we reentered sheep territory, Caroline and I rolled down our windows and kept watching the cliffs. We stopped again at Checkerboard Mesa with no luck, and then decided to check out the East Rim trailhead just a couple minutes away.

The trail was beautiful, and although it stretches about twelve miles total, we only walked a short section before turning back.

We had to pick up our Narrows hiking gear from Zion Guru Rentals by 8 PM, otherwise we probably would have stayed out longer. On the drive back through the park, we kept scanning for sheep, but instead saw people rock climbing up the cliffs, which was honestly just as impressive.

Even though the weather was fairly warm, the Virgin River sits around forty degrees, so we rented dry bibs to stay insulated from the cold water. The staff at Zion Guru walked us through the details of the hike and what to expect.

Jordan and I had done the Narrows before during our 2021 visit, but we were still really excited. We didn’t finish it the first time, and since we went during monsoon season, the river was muddy and the water was so cloudy that you couldn’t see where you were stepping. The risk of flash flooding also meant we had to turn around earlier than planned.

This time of year is much drier though, and since there hadn’t been any rain in the weeks leading up to our hike, the river was low and clear with a much lower flash flood risk. That alone made us feel far more confident going into the next day.

After our briefing, we stopped at Sol Foods for dinner and to stock up on snacks for the Narrows. By this point, most of us were definitely hungry, and once we got back to the hotel lobby, we wasted no time eating. We turned in early that night, knowing we had another early morning ahead of us for the last big hike of the trip.