Cottonwood Canyon Rd.

I had seen that there was a "shortcut" from Powell Lake up to Bryce Canyon National Park. Cottonwood Canyon Road wasn't on most of the maps that i'd seen, but there was supposed to be good hiking off of it and it was direct. the morning that i wanted to head to Bryce, i stopped at the visitor's center and the woman said that they she didn't know if it was passable because no one had come down the road yet that day. She said that any car could go through if the road were dry. so i decided to take it and turn around if it got too slippery.Soooooooooo.......... it turned out to be a beautiful road. 40 miles worth of sand, dirt, rocks, and BUMPS!!!! the road wouldn't have been that bad, but it felt like they used a bulldozer to make the road and left the bumps from the tracks in the road. it felt like driving on rumble strips and my little golf, whatever her name is, shook like mad!!!! so i could either drive 10 or 40 mph, anything between the two was unbearable.But despite that, i had a great time driving the parts that weren't bumpy and stopping to hike a number of the trails along the road. my car made it all right, but now it makes some funny noises when i turn really hard...... i have to say that i'm a little worried.
the hiking was incredible though. i hiked an hour back a narrow canyon, following the stream that flowed through it. climbed over rocks and followed backcountry roads where ever they led me.

i made it through in time to check out the town before Bryce Canyon and hide my car before sleeping in it for the night.