We vetoed the 110 mile HDT detour to visit Bryce Canyon just because it is a national park (Sections 8 & 9). Too many "commuter miles" just to visit a corner of Bryce Canyon. Besides we had previously been to Willis Creek Slot, which I imagine has to be the highlight of all that otherwise generic wash and valley walking. Although we had cached enough supplies to hike from Kodachrome Road to Hwy 89 via Round Valley and Hackberry Canyon, we took a fortuitous hitch down Cottonwood Road instead to put us back on schedule for our Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness permits (also we had been to the good part of Round Valley slot canyon and Lower Hackberry up to Stone Donkey on previous hiking trips). This route connects the HDT to Hwy 89 via either the Paria River or Cottonwood Rd (faster). If walking follow the Paria River the last 3 miles to Hwy 89. The Paria Ranger station nearby has an outside water faucet (and can sort you out for Paria camping permits). This route leaves the HDT at Section 8 Mile 23.1 and joins the Long Canyon Road alternate at Hwy 89, about 15 road miles southeast of where the HDT crosses Hwy 89. From the Cottonwood/Paria confluence, the Cottonwood Road route is 8.9 miles long.