You do that hoodoo that you do so well…
That line’s not from a love song — or maybe it is, because I’m head over hiking boots in love with Bryce Canyon National Park. Before this trip, I didn’t even know what a hoodoo was. I thought the tour group kept saying “woodoos,” and I figured we were off to meet a legendary bird or a forgotten tribe with a fun nickname.
But no. Hoodoos are the rock stars of southern Utah — literally. These tall, spindly spires of sandstone shoot up from the canyon floor like nature’s own sculptures, each one shaped by centuries of ice, water, and sheer stubbornness. According to the wise folks at the U.S. Geological Survey, hoodoos form when harder rock layers protect the softer stone beneath from erosion. The result? A surreal army of stone sentinels standing guard over the ages.
And let me tell you, when you’re standing among them — surrounded by silence, wind, and the soft rustle of ancient time — your imagination can’t help but wander. I swear one cluster looked like a solemn procession of monks. I stared so long, I almost expected one to bow.
Trying to photograph Bryce Canyon is like trying to bottle a thunderstorm. Sure, you can capture the colors, the shapes, maybe even the mood — but the majesty? That’s something you feel in your bones. These lands aren’t just national treasures; they’re borrowed wonders — lent to us by future generations who haven’t yet had the chance to be awed.
So let’s do right by them. Let’s treat these places with reverence and a bit of playful joy. Let’s protect the hoodoos, the trails, the creatures that flutter between the cliffs. Because someday, someone else will stand in this same spot, look out over that wild horizon, and feel the exact same thrill we did.
And when they do, I hope they also say, “You do that hoodoo that you do so well.”
Subscribe below and get my daily (okay, most days—let’s not get crazy) post delivered straight to your inbox. Like magic. But with fewer rabbits. 🐇✉️
Browse my complete art portfolio and shop prints at imagesbygacioe.shop
Leave a Reply