May 25, 2013 Scenic Byway 12 and Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Backway

Today’s adventure took us on Scenic Byway 12 to Cannonville and then south to Kodachrome Basin State Park on Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Backway.

Scenic Byway 12 has been rated as one of the most scenic highways in the United States. It is 124 miles long and stretches from Panguitch to Torrey.  We only went as far as Henrieville (MM30) and the scenery - WOW!

The first little town we came through was Tropic. It is one of the three towns in Bryce Valley along Scenic Byway 12. 

It’s unusual name originated with the claim made by the town’s first settlers that the climate here was much more temperate than that in the nearby settlements.

Ebenezer and Mary Ann Bryce settled here in 1876.  At the direction of their church officials (Mormon), they became serial homesteaders - moving from place to place helping to establish communities.  Once here, Bryce built a road into the amphitheater to harvest timber and the locals began calling it “ Bryce’s Canyon.”

Here is his cabin in Tropic:

Bryce Valley - many farms:

The next town was Cannonville.  This town was settled in 1876 and named after early Mormon leader George Q. Cannon.  We came here specifically to visit the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center.  The monument is one of the nation’s newest conservation initiatives managed by the BLM. 

I have seen some incredible pictures of the topography of this monument and I had lots of questions on hiking, camping and road trips within the monument.  We hope to spend some time next year visiting so it was wonderful to get all my questions answered.

We did find out about two easy slot canyons to hike about 15 miles away on the Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Backway so we decided to head down that way to check out the area.  The Backway is paved for the first 9 miles and then becomes dirt.

This is off the Backway on one of the dirt roads:

Back on the Backway - see the white cow on the left side of the road:

MOOOOOOOO.....

At the end of the paved road is Kodachrome Basin State Park.  HMMMM - do we visit the state park or continue on down the dirt road?  The state park won!  We arrived at the gate and they let us go in and check it out without paying a fee - VERY NICE.

This is on my list for next season.

On our way back to Route 12 - the cow is now on the other side of the hill - .

More scenes from the Backway as we headed back to Cannonville:

Back on Route 12, we headed west to Henrieville:

That took a lot of effort to get that flag up there!

At Henrieville, we decided to head back home.  Our last stop was at a grocery store in Tropic to pick up a few items.  (I am going thru Wal-Mart withdrawal - )

And back home, we enjoyed a great fire, steak, salad and baked potato for supper (potato and steak cooked over the fire - YUM) and a nice relaxing evening.

We truly are blessed.

Enjoy today.