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Trip Report: Canyons of Utah: Zion and Bryce - April 2023
Published June 15, 2023
Just Add Water...
During the mid-80’s to early 90’s I was fortunate enough to visit both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks on a regular basis, as I was living in nearby Flagstaff, AZ. Since then, a lot has changed in these National Parks, and in the West overall.
Most notably the Parks were much less popular back then, compared to the over 5 million visitors that experienced the wonders of Zion last year and the approximately 2 million visitors to Bryce.
There were also some exceptional snow years in Utah and the rest of the Southwest, during that stretch of time. These snowy winters translated into a few things for the high desert on the Colorado Plateau, including replenishing the water in both Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs in the country. One could also experience water flowing in places one would never expect it to flow, as well as lingering snow in the upper extremes of the “Grand Staircase” late into the Spring.
Then came the drought, both literally and figuratively. I moved away from my proximity of the Colorado Plateau to the Pacific Northwest, which severely limited my visits to these Parks and much of the West plunged into a mega drought the worst, scientist believe, to occur in the last 1,200 years.
This lack of water, or in most cases, water in the form of snow melt, has wreaked havoc not only to the Ecosystems of the desert Southwest and the West as a whole, but also the large number of people that not only rely on this water for daily life, but also for agricultural and power.
During the mid-80’s to early 90’s I was fortunate enough to visit both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks on a regular basis, as I was living in nearby Flagstaff, AZ. Since then, a lot has changed in these National Parks, and in the West overall.
Most notably the Parks were much less popular back then, compared to the over 5 million visitors that experienced the wonders of Zion last year and the approximately 2 million visitors to Bryce.
There were also some exceptional snow years in Utah and the rest of the Southwest, during that stretch of time. These snowy winters translated into a few things for the high desert on the Colorado Plateau, including replenishing the water in both Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs in the country. One could also experience water flowing in places one would never expect it to flow, as well as lingering snow in the upper extremes of the “Grand Staircase” late into the Spring.
Then came the drought, both literally and figuratively. I moved away from my proximity of the Colorado Plateau to the Pacific Northwest, which severely limited my visits to these Parks and much of the West plunged into a mega drought the worst, scientist believe, to occur in the last 1,200 years.
This lack of water, or in most cases, water in the form of snow melt, has wreaked havoc not only to the Ecosystems of the desert Southwest and the West as a whole, but also the large number of people that not only rely on this water for daily life, but also for agricultural and power.
The Winter of 2022-2023 brought some well needed relief from this dry spell, with one of the largest snowfall amounts recorded in both Utah and Arizona and other Western states. Despite these historic snowfalls, hydrology experts are predicting that this will only relieve the shrinking levels of both Lake Powell and Lake Mead, by marginal amounts.
These record snowfalls did, however, bring additional perks to BCJ’s Spring trips to Zion and Bryce, as we were recipients of watching, observing, and documenting through our photographs, the historic runoff and residual snow still present in the Parks.
These record snowfalls did, however, bring additional perks to BCJ’s Spring trips to Zion and Bryce, as we were recipients of watching, observing, and documenting through our photographs, the historic runoff and residual snow still present in the Parks.
In Zion, as the snow melts high in the mountains and plateaus above the canyon, the water seeps down into the Navajo Sandstone until it reaches a less permeable layer of rock and forms Springs eventually finding its way out of cracks of the Sandstone to form incredible waterfalls that appear to shoot straight out of the canyon walls. These are amazing sights, that for much of the year, do not exist, or are merely trickles of water that are entirely less dramatic. This Spring’s water show was truly grand!
With the addition of this added moisture, wildflowers, like the Slickrock Paintbrush and the Desert Marigold begin to bloom in places that would seem inhospitable for any plant to try and grow and appear to sprout straight out of the rocks. Drought resistant plants, like Beavertail cacti, and Yuccas, common to the desert, soak up the precious liquid and become a rich green. Those species that require large amounts of water, such as Cottonwood trees along the now brimming creeks, streams, and rivers, burst into an electric green as they bud out from their Winter slumber.
These scenes are vastly different than those seen by the participants of our Fall trips to these areas and seemed exceptionally prevalent during this year’s Spring trips. With the increased amount of runoff, hikes that BCJ normally offers to guests in the Fall, like the Narrows, are closed to hiking for obvious reasons, but it clears the way for hikes like the Emerald Pools, which affords beautiful waterfalls for those that make the trek. Areas where one could wade along the clear running Virgin River in the Fall, were raging torrents of silty, milky, water rushing through the canyon, requiring much space and respect granted to its strong current.
At Bryce the unusually high levels of snowfall this year allowed patches of snow to linger in the shady nooks of the hoodoos and the North facing slopes of the amphitheater, offering beautiful contrast to the Pink and White Limestone and Orange and Tan Sandstone rock that make up Bryce’s unique and stunning landscapes. Paired with some particularly beautiful sunrises and sunsets, this was an extraordinary time to be at Bryce.
Both trips were amazing experiences with the guests melding together and bringing nothing but positive attitudes and “never quit” determination and grit. All the guests seemed to have a willingness and openness to try new things and experiment with their photography, which made their experiences that much more rewarding. With a few repeat guests, I was able to re-connect with them and those guests that were new to me being their BCJ guide, we were able to form newly discovered and remarkable relations, which gave the feeling of family throughout each trip.
With an addition of a BCJ staff member on the first trip, not only did it bring great laughs and storytelling, but also created a greater understanding and respect of how each of our roles play an intricate part in the entire picture of the BCJ process, and what makes BCJ such a special experience for our guests. I certainly look forward in sharing other adventures with these awesome people!
Both trips were amazing experiences with the guests melding together and bringing nothing but positive attitudes and “never quit” determination and grit. All the guests seemed to have a willingness and openness to try new things and experiment with their photography, which made their experiences that much more rewarding. With a few repeat guests, I was able to re-connect with them and those guests that were new to me being their BCJ guide, we were able to form newly discovered and remarkable relations, which gave the feeling of family throughout each trip.
With an addition of a BCJ staff member on the first trip, not only did it bring great laughs and storytelling, but also created a greater understanding and respect of how each of our roles play an intricate part in the entire picture of the BCJ process, and what makes BCJ such a special experience for our guests. I certainly look forward in sharing other adventures with these awesome people!
It was a phenomenal feeling, getting back to the desert Southwest, and particularly the Grand Staircase area to observe and photograph this delicate and fragile ecosystem. What made it even more exceptional was to witness and refresh my memory of just how much the desert comes alive when nature just adds water.
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experiences around the world.
Each tour is bundled with lodging, meals, and transportation between workshops included, allowing you to focus on photography instead of the stress of traveling.
experiences around the world.
Each tour is bundled with lodging, meals, and transportation between workshops included, allowing you to focus on photography instead of the stress of traveling.
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- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
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All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2025
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2025
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.