But I should add a word about the elevation. I began trudging up a trail to a summit weighted down by two cameras, two bags, a fanny pack and a tripod. About a quarter the way up, I paused to catch my breath. I think that was a mistake. I immediately began gulping huge quantities of air and could not stop, so I continued to the top in real agony, gasping desperately for breath. At the summit it was fully five minutes before I stopped trembling enough to set up my tripod. I just assumed I was terribly out of shape, but the 9100 foot elevation no doubt contributed to knocking this sea-level dweller back on her pins.

A friend, urging me to visit Zion as well as Bryce, said he preferred looking up at Zion to  down at Bryce.  True enough, that aptly describes the points of view.   Zion also has a creamier texture -- rock piled like pudding that hardened.   And the Sevier River runs through Zion offering cool, inviting nooks to tempt the overheated hiker.  The colors are similar, but these two national treasures are different and  equally gorgeous.  Southern Utah  is Canyon Country -- Red Canyon and Escalante Staircase are very close and Grand Canyon is an easy drive from Bryce.

Returning to Salt Lake City, I drove out to see the Great Salt Lake, which is a lovely foam green color. A Camelot-style palace on the beach marks the Salt Air resort.   There were a few sailboats in the distance, but otherwise the beach and lake were deserted mid-afternoon on a Sunday in May.

Please view the images on these and succeeding pages -- they speak for themselves. Then plan your own trip before the throngs arrive.

(Right: Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks)