This was a good time to be at Bryce - both late enough in the year to avoid the summer vacation crowds, and also in mid-week, to avoid the weekend visitors. I think this made the mule deer happy, too. Look closely at this guy - he's smiling!

As I traveled to the far end of the park, once again I moved into high altitude. As such, I was again above the snow line, and it was cold. When I got to the end of the road, the altitude was 9011 feet.

I stayed in the area until just before sundown driving from one point to the next, getting out to walk some trails along the rim, taking pictures, talking with other visitors, and just looking -. I watched as shadows crept across towers of rock, their brilliant colors dimming to a muted darkness, as if an internal flame had just died down.

Hey Lieutenant Pete - recognize the hat?

I thought about camping - as a matter of fact, one campsite had teepee's - but at $25 for a big chunk of canvas wrapped around a pile of poles (they weren't even remotely authentic looking), I figured I might as well spend a little extra and get a room with running water, electric light, and above all else, heat. So, once again, I wimped out and spent the night in a motel, downloading and editing pictures - I think I might have even watched a little TV - then slept very well.