Continued from the previous page.

As you're walking past all those rocks in the photos at the end of the previous page, you can also see the China Wall formation to the south.

If you look over there several times while you're across from the wall you can see different "windows" from different points along the trail. The holes are easy to spot from this location with blue sky behind them:

 

Continuing up to the rim, with interesting and colorful views in every direction:

Pretty colors to the north along the rim

The trail ahead; white isn't snow, just the color of the rocks and sand.

Above and below:  looking back to the passage through the rocks; Boat Mesa in distance

 

View NE to the rim, where we'll continue hiking to complete the loop

Colorful spires below the rim

Unusual rocks and a window to the east

I took the next two photos at the Bryce Canyon Wilderness sign, looking back down the Fairyland Trail. The trail connects to the Rim Trail near Sunrise Point a couple hundred feet above this point.

 Boat Mesa and Aquarius Plateau are in the near and far distance.

Bristlecone Point, to the right in the near distance, is a little to the south of Boat Mesa.

RIM TRAIL TO FAIRYLAND POINT

The Fairyland Trail intersects with the Rim Trail a little north of Sunrise Point at 6.3 miles from the start. It's another 2.7 miles, per my GPS, going north along the rim to Fairyland Point to close the loop.

Here's the map one last time. I marked the Rim Trail portion of the loop in blue. The remaining photos continue to show scenes going clockwise (north along the rim).

Elevations in this section are the highest on the entire loop (about 7,760 to 8,125 feet) but there are no steep slopes and the trail is wider than Fairyland, which is almost entirely in the Bryce Canyon Wilderness.

In some places the Rim Trail gets quite close to the edge. If that bothers you, just walk on the far side of the trail:

Although I prefer hiking the rim at the beginning of this loop (starting and ending near Sunrise Point instead of Fairyland Point), it's interesting to hike the rim section last because you can look down into the canyon and see parts of the Fairyland Loop where you've been hiking.

 

Above and below:  It's fun to climb up to this rock formation, which is about 50 feet off the trail.

 

 

Looking back at the trail

High point on the rim between Sunrise Point and Fairyland Point

 

View down to part of the Fairyland loop trail; "China Wall" is in the center of the photo
but it's harder to see from up here than when you're down at the same level.

 

 

Boat Mesa

The next four photos are from the Rim Trail at or near Fairyland Point:

 

 

Visitors at the Fairyland Point overlook

 

 

See why I think this is a great hike? Hope these photos give you a good "picture" of my favorite Bryce Canyon hike.

Next entry:  scenes from the Bryce Point Trail

Happy trails,

Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil, Cody the ultra Lab, and Casey-pup

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© 2015 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil