Road Trip Oregon to Bryce

Morning One: We Survived

The next morning, we woke up alive—and surprisingly warm and well-rested. We were grateful we hadn’t needed to retreat to the heated cab of the truck.

LESSON 1 | Check the weather—and the expected temperatures.
While I had planned the trip carefully, I assumed May would be warm, maybe chilly at night—not 32 degrees. Lesson learned. Luckily, we had the right gear and the flexibility to adapt if needed.

After breakfast, we packed up camp—rolling sleeping bags, removing pillows, collapsing the tent, and securing everything for transport. Then we drove to the overlook at Bryce Canyon. I had grown up visiting places like Lake Powell, but my husband had rarely traveled outside the Pacific Northwest—a landscape of deep greens, ferns, and towering cedars. This new terrain felt completely foreign. Deep reds. Bright oranges. Pale whites. Stretching endlessly across the horizon. It truly felt like stepping onto another planet.

The scenery shifted from desert sagebrush and grasslands to towering hoodoos—vast columns of sandstone rising from the valley floor as far as the eye could see.

The Hike Down

We walked to the edge of the canyon. As is tradition for me, I wanted to share the moment in a memorable way. I led my husband to the observation deck with his eyes closed. When he opened them, he gasped. Wouldn’t you?

We decided to hike down to the canyon floor—and it was absolutely worth the journey. By midday, the temperature had warmed to a comfortable 65 degrees, making the hike incredibly pleasant. But don’t be fooled—the descent (and especially the climb back up) is steep and tough on your knees. I brought my trusty hiking poles, which made a huge difference, and my CamelBak to stay hydrated. The loop took about three hours. We completed one of the mid-length hikes, but there are longer routes available—so choose wisely based on your time and energy level.

Walking through the winding sandstone cliffs is both breathtaking and humbling. The scale of the landscape makes you feel small in the best possible way. It truly feels like wandering through another world.

LESSON 2 | Always bring water, blister care, and snacks.
A simple granola bar can be the difference between quitting early and powering through one more hill climb back to the parking lot.

Was One Day Enough?

We stayed just one day and one night at Bryce before continuing on to Zion National Park. For us, one day was the perfect amount of time to explore and hike. That said, you could easily spend two to three days here if hiking is your thing. We’re casual hikers—not hardcore backpackers—so our pace was relaxed and realistic. If you're chasing longer trails and bigger adventures…carry on, my friend.

Bryce Canyon

In May of 2021, my husband and I set out on a road trip from Oregon to Idaho and down to Utah—a nearly 14-hour journey with the two of us crammed to the gills in my husband’s beloved 2001 Toyota Tacoma. A very small double cab… and let’s just say the backseat isn’t big enough to comfortably fit a child, let alone road trip gear.

We packed the truck to the brim with a week’s worth of supplies, secured our brand-new rooftop tent, and drove east across Oregon into Idaho before heading south through Utah. It was our first long-distance road trip together, so naturally, a few quirks surfaced along the way.

By the time we finally rolled into Bryce Canyon Campground on night two, we were eager to escape the cab and stretch our legs. It was around 6:30 or 7:00 PM—and it was freezing. I’m used to the rusty red desert landscape feeling hot—almost Mars-like—but this was unexpectedly cold. Cold for May. Cold for the desert. Just plain cold.

We layered up and quietly calculated the odds of needing to sleep in the truck if our new rooftop tent wasn’t up to the challenge. Our sleeping bags were rated for low temperatures, but we were still nervous. Dinner was hastily prepared while numb fingers debated whether washing dishes that night was worth it—or if we should simply deal with them in the morning.

We crawled into the tent—complete with a queen-size pad (I am never sleeping on the ground again). We zipped our sleeping bags together, piled on extra blankets, pulled on hats and wool socks, and—exhausted from the long drive—settled in for the night.

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