I Am Bryce

Bryce s greatest appeal has perhaps always been that its fanciful formations unlock our imaginations. Here, as elsewhere in the West, the romantic notions, historical associations, and varied personalities of more than a century of visitors are revealed in the names they attached to landforms that were unlike anything they had ever seen before: Wall Street, The Queen s Garden, Queen Victoria, Thor s Hammer, the Hat Shop, Fairyland, Boat Mesa some of the monikers are as unlikely as the landscape. Others reflect the Paiute Indian heritage of the area, with such names as Yovimpa, Paunsaugunt, and Markagunt. Still others, such as Sunset, Sunrise, and Rainbow points, need little explanation; their simplicity mirrors the ineffable beauty of the place.