Exploring Bryce Canyon National Park’s distinctive hoodoo formations — PHOTOS

One of the best things about Southern Nevada is that it’s surrounded by abundant natural beauty, with sweeping landscapes and majestic vistas accessible within a four- or five-hour drive in any direction.

Great Basin National Park is Nevada’s only officially designated national park, but Southern Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park — a 262-mile drive — is actually closer to Las Vegas.

Despite its name, this park is not a canyon but primarily a collection of large natural amphitheaters that feature distinctive crimson-hued rock formations called hoodoos.

Descending into the Bryce Amphitheater is an exhilarating and otherworldly experience, and walking among the colorful hoodoos and trees can can seem like exploring the terrain of an alien planet.

Sunset Point is not to be missed. The final rays of sunlight sink below the hoodoos and other rock formations, creating an ethereal glow. Shortly after sundown, the sky becomes a canvas of colors, blending shades of blue, purple and peach together until they disappear into each other and fade into darkness.