FROM THE INTRODUCTION

The southern half of the state of Utah harbors some of the most phenomenal scenery in the United States. Of this celebrated scenery, Utah’s “Big Five” National Parks—Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches—stand out as the “best of the best” where scenic splendor is concerned. And of those five parks, perhaps Zion and Bryce Canyon, closely connected due to their geographic proximity, draw some of the highest praise.

In anthropomorphic terms, Zion is the stern, serious older brother given to a life of devotion. Bryce Canyon is the freewheeling younger brother, given to frivolity and mirth. Taken together, the two parks create one of the most fascinating and unique outdoor experiences in the United States, offering world-class beauty on a scale and scope ranging from quiet intimacy to peculiar amusement to incomprehensible grandeur.

- Scott Turner, author