A Winter Wonderland in Bryce Canyon National Park

We both had dreamt of experiencing a snow storm in Bryce Canyon for different reasons. Grant envisioned photographing the hoodoos covered in snow and I imagined the perfect Christmas Day. I had my Christmas movies, music, and even decorated the van with Christmas cheer.

With crystal clear weather the first day, we hiked along the valley floor and to the view points in search of the best photo. The weather had predicted 1-3 inches of snow but with warmer temperatures, significant snowfall seemed unlikely. As the sun began to set, the snow flurries began and we drove down a bumpy dirt road and hunkered down for the evening.

Christmas magic was in full swing in the van. The Christmas lights were glowing, snowflakes were falling, and we were cuddled up watching Love Actually. I couldn’t help but beam with Christmas cheer. Grant could barely keep from rolling his eyes. After almost a three hour movie,  Grant opened the door and discovered that 5-6 inches of snow had fallen. Lhotse could hardly contain his excitement as he pranced through the snow. Grant, on the other hand, began to wonder about the capabilities of our rear-wheel drive van.

With apprehension of missing sunrise, we left our home in the woods and began our first winter drive in the Sprinter. We headed towards the parks campground in hopes of an easier commute in the morning. As the snow continued to fall, Grant maneuvered through the snowy roads with caution and grace. With only one small slide, we arrived safely to the campground.

The alarm sounded early to ensure we would arrive in time for sunrise. Slow and steady, we headed to the rim of the canyon. The canyon was covered in a blanket of snow as we made the first tracks along the rim. Grant hurried to the spot he scouted, while I cleaned up Lhotse’s IBS from his excitement. While Grant photographed for the next couple of hours, Lhotse and I walked along the rim in awe of the views and soaking in the Christmas joy.

Thankfully all three of us experienced the snow storm we had envisioned. Grant captured beautiful photos that will always remind us of the time we spent in Bryce Canyon in a winter wonderland and I filled my heart with Christmas spirit