5 April

Today is all about Bryce Canyon. There are still patches of snow in places, the sky is a brilliant blue and the wind is blowing quite fiercely. The Bryce Canyon overlooks sit at over 8,000 feet elevation, so dress warmly. Our first stop is the Visitor Center. We start by driving the full Scenic Drive (18 miles) all the way to Rainbow & Yovimpa Point. As a rule, you can drive directly to each viewing point, or walk just a short distance. The standout viewpoints are Bryce, Inspiration, Sunset and Sunrise Point. Today, however, we also want to hike down into the canyon. Following the ranger's suggestion, we tackle the loop trail: Navajo/Queens at 4.6 km (2–3 hours). We enter at Sunset Point and hike through the amphitheatre, among other highlights. Detailed trail maps are available at the park entrance or Visitor Center. If you have more time, other trails are well worth exploring — but this one is widely considered one of the most beautiful in the world!

Keep your eyes open and you'll spot plenty of wildlife, such as the pronghorn, the golden-mantled ground squirrel and the Uinta chipmunk. We discovered our favourite animal of the entire trip: the prairie dog.