Highway 12 - Kodachrome Basin & Capitol Reef

We got an early start since we had planned a LONG day trip.   We debated for a long time about how to do this route since it’s a long one, but we couldn’t figure out another way to do it.  Later in our travels, we will be camping east of here, but it’s much more economical to take this loop while we’re where we are.  As it turned out, I didn’t get tired driving those 330 miles since I hopped out of the car so many times to take a picture!

It was nice to see blue skies again!  I got some much better pictures of Red Canyon with the red rocks against the blue sky.  We talked about going back into Bryce on our way out, but we would have been looking into the sun since all the views are facing east.  I did get some nice pictures of the backside of Bryce with a blue sky.

We drove east on the scenic highway 12 and stopped at Kodachrome Basin State Park, Grand Staircase  - Escalante National Monument, and all the way to Capitol Reef.  Our loop continued up to Torrey, through Loa and Burrville, and back down on highway 62 to the entrance of Bryce and then back to our campground at Hatch.

Most of the middle of our loop is in the Dixie National Forest.  Many of the things to see in that and in Escalante require an off-road vehicle.  We did go down a couple of dirt roads in Kodachrome Basin, but decided that was enough!  There are lots of ruts, and they warn everyone to stay off them when it has rained.

Highway 12 is incredibly scenic.  There are mountains and cliffs and plateaus; red rocks and white rocks.  The "Hogback" is a place in the highway where there's a two-lane road with steep drop-offs on either side and amazing views.

At the eastern end of our loop, we drove a little way out highway 24 and through Capitol Reef.  There were concrete sections in the road with washes on either side to handle heavy rain.      
On our way back, we stayed on highway 62 back to the entrance of Bryce, hoping for some blue skies, but storms were approaching, so we headed back to the campground.

Red Canyon on a sunny day!

Backside of the hoodoos at Bryce

Jackrabbit running across the road

Chimney Rock in Kodachrome Basin

Heading east on highway 12 past Kodachrome Basin

Looking down at the road we'll be on

My little car enjoying the view!

Entering Capitol Reef National Park

"The Castle"

We think this one looks like a cobra!

These look like dinosaur heads!

Wild flowers

These guys were so cute!
Too bad we didn't get the window open, so there's some reflection.

Petroglyphs on the wall

More wildflowers by the road

Free-range cattle.