The Ultimate Guide To Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park , a small but fascinating National Park in the US!
The several thousand thin and tall rock spires of distinct shapes, magically stacked on top of each other, painted in red and orange, defines the landscape at Bryce Canyon National Park!
Located in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is small in size compared to other National Parks in the US. However, the unique rock formations, including several thousand thin rock spires rising from the valley floor known as hoodoos, delicate fins, natural bridges, arch formations, a natural amphitheater, and distinctive rock columns, have created one of the most surreal landscapes in the US!
The geology behind the unique shapes and rock formations in Bryce Canyon is equally fascinating! Several million years ago, the Bryce valley was a lake, several streams dumping water and soils into the basin. Then came the geological upheaval caused by the collisions of the earth’s tectonic plates that lifted up the lake’s basin and exposed it to the atmosphere. Since then, water and air erosion, and freezing and thawing of water in the area have shaped the landscape at Bryce Canyon.
The hoodoos are composed of different rock types, and each rock has a different erosion rate, which creates such unique shape formations!
Though small in size, there are many things to see and do in Bryce Canyon National Park, including a scenic drive with several viewing areas, several hiking trails, a couple of campgrounds for campers, and in winter, it’s a popular snowshoeing and skiing destination.
Here is my ultimate guide to Bryce Canyon National Park, featuring must-see places, attractions map, suggested itinerary, hiking trails, campgrounds, hotels, and restaurants in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Planning Your Trip To Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is open year-round, summer being the peak season!
Best Time To Visit Bryce Canyon National Park: Bryce Canyon National Park is open year-round, summer being the peak season for sightseeing, hiking, and camping in the park. The park stays open in the winter, with a few roads and viewing areas regularly plowed and made accessible to visitors. The scenery is quite unique in the winter months, with snow-capped hoodoos, just that the weather and trail conditions are not the best for hiking or camping in the park.
Bryce Canyon National Park Operating Hours & Seasons: The park is open all year-round and 24 hours a day. However, the park’s visitor center remains closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Summer is undoubtedly the best time for sightseeing, hiking, and camping in Bryce Canyon National Park, drawing a lot of visitors. Winter is also quite scenic and busy in Bryce Canyon due to several snowshoeing and skiing opportunities in the park.
Transportation & Parking Inside Bryce Canyon National Park: There’re parking lots at all major viewing platforms and trailheads in Bryce Canyon National Park. However, during the summer months, the park gets quite crowded, and it might be very challenging to find parking near the popular spots in the park. So, National Park Service offers two excellent shuttle services in Bryce Canyon:
- Park Shuttle Service: The seasonal park shuttle service, April through October, is the best way to explore Bryce Canyon if you’re visiting during the summer months. The Bryce Canyon shuttles not only connect all major vista points and trailheads in the park, but also makes a few stops outside the park at the major hotels in the city of Bryce Canyon.
- Rainbow Point Park Shuttle Tours: This is an excellent way to explore some of Bryce Canyon National Park’s remote southern sections. The seasonal Rainbow Point Tours, 3.5 hours roundtrip bus tours, are offered during the summer months and require reservations that can be made up to 7 days in advance by calling 435-834-5290 or in person at boarding areas and shuttle offices.
Time Required At Bryce Canyon National Park: The park is small in size and has well-planned roads and viewing areas, due to which the significant attractions in Bryce Canyon can be covered in just half a day. However, I recommend spending at least a full day leisurely visiting every vista point in the park, even if you’re not planning to hike. But, if you have time, you could even spend 2-3 days hiking the several trails and visiting some of the remote and pristine sections of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Lodging Near Bryce Canyon National Park: The lodging choices in Bryce Canyon National Park include camping in the two campgrounds, North Campground (open year-round) and Sunset Campground (seasonal), located inside the park, and a few hotels and bread and breakfasts located in the town of Bryce Canyon. Bryce Canyon is situated remotely, and there aren’t many close-by lodging options, so I highly recommend planning ahead and making your lodging reservations in advance. You will find my recommendations on lodging and dining options near Bryce Canyon National Park in the later section of the post.
Getting To Bryce Canyon National Park
The best way to get to Bryce Canyon is by flying into Cedar City Airport in Utah and then driving to the park!
Airports Near Bryce Canyon National Park: Bryce Canyon is remotely located in southern Utah, with all international airports situated more than a couple of hundred miles from the park. The nearest international airports to Bryce Canyon are McCarran International Airport (LAS), Las Vegas, Nevada, about 270 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park, and The Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, Utah, located approximately 280 miles from Bryce Canyon.
However, a better option is flying directly into or taking a connecting flight to the Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC), Cedar City, Utah, located about 90 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park. The Cedar City Regional Airport is served by a couple of major airlines and has car rental facilities from where you could rent a car and drive to Bryce Canyon.
Train Services To Bryce Canyon National Park: There’re no direct train services to Bryce Canyon National Park, but you could take an Amtrak train to the closest possible Amtrack station to the park. From there, you can hire a taxi, use a ride-hailing service to get to Bryce Canyon National Park or to a Car Rental company.
- Green River Amtrak Station: Located about 200 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park, Green Rivers, Utha, is the closest Amtrak station to the park. However, Green Rivers is a small town, and you may not find many services; your best option is to hire a taxi or use a ride-hailing service to get to a Car Rental company, and then renting a car and driving to Bryce Canyon.
- Grand Junction Amtrak Station: Located in Colorado, about 300 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park, Gand Junction Amtrak station has better services than Green River, with Car Rental companies offering pick-up services from the station. The drive to Bryce Canyon National Park from Grand Junction, Colorado, is very scenic.
If you’re driving to Bryce Canyon from Green River or Grand Junction, I recommend visiting Arches and Canyonland National Park on your way to Bryce Canyon.
Bus Services To Bryce Canyon National Park: Like Amtrak train services, Greyhound also connects several US cities to many Utah cities. The nearest Greyhound bus stops being Cedar City, located about 75 miles from Bryce Canyon, and St. George, located approximately 140 miles from Bryce Canyon. From here, you could hire a cab to get to a Car Rental company and then drive to Bryce Canyon National Park.
Things To Do In Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park Attractions Map
Bryce Canyon Brief Overview
The Bryce Canyon entrance is located on Highway 63 in the town of Bryce and has Fee Booths where you could pay the entrance fee or can buy digital entry passes online on recreation.gov. Bryce Canyon National Park Address: Highway 63, Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce, UT 84764.
Located right past the park entrance, the Bryce Canyon National Park Visitor Center has an information desk, several exhibits, a theater playing a short video about the park, restrooms, and water fountains. It’s a good idea to briefly stop at the Visitor Center to learn about the current conditions of the roads and hiking trails in the park. If you’re planning for backcountry backpacking in Bryce Canyon, you would need to obtain your permits from the Visitor Center.
There’s only 1-hour parking available at the visitor center, so if you’re planning to park your car and use the park shuttle service, you could park at the shuttle station located outside the park.
Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Drive
The several vista points and hiking trails in Bryce Canyon National Park are all located along the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive!
The Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive is an 18 miles one-way drive stretching from the Bryce Canyon National Park entrance station to the Yovimpa Point, located south of the Park. The Bryce Canyon drive is a well-paved two-lane road with pullouts, viewing areas, and parking lots at all significant park attractions.
The Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive and viewing areas are very well-planned and organized, with most rock formations visible from the viewing platforms without having to walk long distances. However, the Bryce Canyon scenic drive is heavily trafficked, and finding parking might get difficult in the peak seasons.
Only a few sections of the road are regularly plowed in winter, providing access to only a few viewing areas. Summer gets very busy, and I highly recommend using the Park’s shuttle service to avoid long wait times at the parking lots near the viewing areas.
You can spend as little as half a day and still be able to see all the major attractions just by driving the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive!
Whether you have just a few hours or a couple of days, you can tailor your Bryce Canyon trip accordingly. If you’re short on time, the best option is to drive the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, making brief stops at all significant viewing points. But if you more time, you could spend 2-3 days leisurely exploring all the vista points and hiking the trails along the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive.
Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive is 36 miles roundtrip and takes about 4 hours if stopped briefly at all vista points without hiking any trails. There’re 14 viewpoints along the scenic drive, which are also the starting point of all hiking trails in the park.
Sunrise Point: Located close to the park’s visitor center, Sunrise Point is the first viewpoint on Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive and home to some of the most popular rock formations and hiking trails in the park.
- Rock Formations: Boat Mesa, Sinking Ship, and Queen Victoria hoodoo.
- Hiking Trails: Queen’s Garden Trail, Queen’s-Navajo Combination Loop
Sunset Point: Home to one of the most renowned and photographed rock formations in the park, the Thor’s Hammer, Sunset point is also known to be the best place to experience the rich and vivid colors of Bryce Canyon.
- Rock Formations: Thor’s Hammer, Silent City
- Hiking Trails: Sunset to Sunrise Trail, Navajo Loop, Navajo / Peekaboo Combination Loop
Inspiration Point: Offers the best views of the Bryce Canyon National Park’s amphitheater, but there’re hikes from the Inspiration Point.
- Rock Formations: Bryce Amphitheater, Silent City
- Hiking Trails: None
Bryce Point: Located at an altitude higher than the Inspiration Point, Bryce Point offers expansive views of the Bryce Amphitheater.
- Rock Formations: Birds-eye view of Bryce Amphitheater
- Hiking Trails: Hat Shop, Peekaboo Loop, Bryce Amphitheater Traverse
Paria View: The Paria Viewpoint is located in a hilly region of the park and is popularly known for its castle-like rock formation.
- Rock Formations: Castle Rock
- Hiking Trails: None
Swamp Canyon Overlook: Overlooking a lush valley, the Swamp Canyon Overlook offers great valley views and is the starting point of the Swamp Canyon Trail.
- Rock Formations: Mud and Noon Canyon Buttes
- Hiking Trails: Sheep Creek/ Swamp Canyon
Piracy Point: This viewpoint is located close to Farview Point and shares the same parking lot. Piracy Point is accessible via a short 0.3 miles hike from Farview Point.
- Rock Formations: Large Buttes Resembling Sailing Ships
- Hiking Trails: None
Farview Point: The Farview Point offers distant views of some distinct features in the park and access to nearby Piracy Point vista point.
- Rock Formations: Several rock caps and fins structures rising from the valley, and views of Aquarius Plateau, Kaiparowits Plateau, and Kaibab Plateau
- Hiking Trails: Piracy Point
Natural Bridge: The Natural Bridge is one of the most photographed and famous arch formations in Bryce Canyon. The Natural Bridge is located just off the road and easily accessible.
- Rock Formations: Natural Bridge
- Hiking Trails: None
Agua Canyon Overlook: The Agua Canyon Overlook is home to a couple of popular hoodoos in Bryce Canyon, including “The Hunter” and the “Rabbit.”
- Rock Formations: The Hunter (Left), Rabbit/Backpacker (Right)
- Hiking Trails: None
Ponderosa Canyon: The Ponderosa Canyon vista point, named after the massive Ponderosa pines found in the valley, offers expansive valley views with lush valley floors.
- Rock Formations: Valley Views
- Hiking Trails: None
Black Birch Canyon: A less popular viewpoint in Bryce Canyon offers views of the lush valley floor, hoodoos, and a distant view of the Rainbow Point.
- Rock Formations: Paria Valley, Navajo Mountain
- Hiking Trails: None
Rainbow Point: The Rainbow Point and the adjacent Yovimpa Point are the best places to see the Grand Staircase. The Grand Staircase is a geologic wonder, a large stretch of layered rock exposed by erosion over several million years, stretching from Bryce Canyon to Grand Canyon National Park.
- Rock Formations: Northern View of the Grand Staircase
- Hiking Trails: Bristlecone Loop
Yovimpa Point: The last viewpoint on the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, the Yovimpa Point is located adjacent to Rainbow Point and shares the same parking lot. The Yovimpa Point offers expansive southern views of the Grand Staircase.
- Rock Formations: Southern Views of the Grand Staircase
- Hiking Trails: Bristlecone Loop
Hiking In Bryce Canyon National Park
With several day hikes and backcountry hiking opportunities, Bryce Canyon is also a popular hiking destination in the US!
There’re many short day-hiking trails in Bryce Canyon National Park, and very often, hikers combine a couple of hiking trails and hike them at once. The Queen’s – Navajo Loop is an example of a combination loop and happens to be the most popular hikes in Bryce Cayon. The most difficult being the 23 miles long Under-the-Rim backcountry hiking trail stretching from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point.
I have organized all the hiking trails in Bryce Canyon National Park by their difficulty levels – Easy, Moderately Strenuous & Highly Strenuous. You will also find my recommendations on hiking trails based on the time you’re planning to spend in the park in my suggested itinerary for Bryce Canyon National Park.
Rim Trail: The Rim Trail is an easy but long walk along the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater’s rim, starting at the Fairyland Point and ending at the Bryce Point. The trail offers some of the best views of the area’s several hoodoos, and you could also customize the hike by just walking a portion of the Rim Trail based on the time you wish to spend hiking in the park. You could also hike one-way and then take the park shuttle back to your car, which will cut the hiking distance in half.
- Trailhead: Fairyland Point/Bryce Point
- Distance: 11 Miles Roundtrip
- Time: 7-8 Hours
Sunset to Sunrise Trail: This is just the Rim Trail’s paved portion, Starting from the Sunset Trail leading to the Sunrise Trail.
- Trailhead: Sunset Point
- Distance: 1 Mile
- Time: 45 Minutes – 1 Hour
Bristlecone Loop: This loop winds through the lush woods atop the park’s highest section, offering expansive views of the Grand Staircase.
- Trailhead: Rainbow Point/Yovimpa Point
- Distance: 1 Mile
- Time: 45 Minutes – 1 Hour
Mossy Cave: The northernmost hike in the park with the trailhead located 7.5 miles from the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center, leads to a cavern filled with mosses in summer and icicles in winter.
- Trailhead: Mossy Cave Trailhead
- Distance: 0.8 Mile
- Time: 45 Minutes – 1 Hour
Queen’s Garden: The moderately strenuous Queen’s Garden trail descends down the canyon passing through several hoodoos leading to an area that looks like a garden along with the famous Queen Victoria hoodoo formation. The Queen’s Garden trail is often combined with other trails and hike together as a loop, which we will discuss in the following sections.
- Trailhead: Sunrise Point
- Distance: 1.8 Miles Roundtrip
- Time: 1.5 – 2 Hours
Navajo Loop: The short but steep hike leads you to several impressive rock formations in Bryce Canyon, including Thor’s Hammer, Two Bridges, and Wall Street. This loop is often combined with the Queen’s Garden, which we will review next.
- Trailhead: Sunset Point
- Distance: 1.4 Miles Roundtrip
- Time: 1.5 – 2 Hours
Queen’s – Navajo Combination Loop: This is the most popular hike in Bryce Canyon National Park. You hike down the Queen’s Garden Trail and then take the Navajo trail up the canyon to Sunset Point or the other way round.
- Trailhead: Sunrise Point/Sunset Point
- Distance: 3 Miles Loop
- Time: 2.5 – 3 Hours
Sheep Creek / Swamp Canyon: This is a backcountry hike through the lush valley floors.
- Trailhead: Swamp Canyon
- Distance: 4 Miles
- Time: 3.5 – 4 Hours
Hat Shop: This is a quite challenging hike with rewarding views of distinct hoodoos with grey hats.
- Trailhead: Bryce Point
- Distance: 4 Miles Roundtrip
- Time: 3.5 – 4 Hours
Fairyland Loop: This is one of the less-trafficked trails in Bryce Canyon, traversing through several distinct rock formations, including Tower Bridge and the Chinese Wall.
- Trailhead: Fairyland Point/Sunrise Point
- Distance: 8 Miles Roundtrip
- Time: 4-5 Hours
Peekaboo Loop: This is one of the most popular hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park, passing through the center of the park and with great views of the Wall of Windows. The Peekaboo Loop is often combined with the Queen’s Garden & Navajo Loop and hiked together.
- Trailhead: Bryce Point
- Distance: 5.5 Miles Loop
- Time: 3.5 – 4 Hours
Navajo – Peekaboo Loop: Combination of the Navajo and Peekaboo Loop.
- Trailhead: Sunset Point
- Distance: 5 Miles Loop
- Time: 3.5 – 4 Hours
Queen’s Garden – Navajo – Peekaboo Loop: Combination of all three popular hiking trails in Bryce Canyon, the Queen’s Garden Trail, The Navajo Loop, and the Peekaboo Loop.
- Trailhead: Sunrise Point / Sunset Point
- Distance: 6.4 Miles Loop
- Time: 4.5 – 5 Hours
Bryce Canyon Suggested Itineraries, Hotels & Restaurants
Bryce Canyon National Park is small in size, with a very well-planned scenic drive and several viewing areas. The several viewing platforms’ vantage points allow visitors to see the significant rock formations without hiking long distances. That said, Bryce Canyon National Park is also home to many hiking trails letting you explore some of the pristine areas and unique hoodoos in the park up close, and if you have time, you must hike some of the trails!
I have organized my Bryce Canyon National Park trip itinerary and my recommendations based on the number of days you plan to spend in the park.
1 Day Bryce Canyon National Park Trip Itinerary: If you’re visiting Bryce Canyon National Park just for a day, your best option to see most of the park is by driving the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive.
- Drive the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive.
- Stop briefly at all popular vista points.
2 Day Bryce Canyon National Park Trip Itinerary: If you have two days in the park, I would recommend driving the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive and hiking one of the popular hiking trails in the park.
- Day 1 – Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive leisurely explore all vista points.
- Day 2 – Hike the Queen’s – Navajo Combination Loop (Moderately Strenuous), or Queen’s Garden – Navajo – Peekaboo Loop (Highly Strenuous)
3 Day Bryce Canyon National Park Trip Itinerary: Same as the 2-day itinerary, plus the Mossy Cave hike.
- Day 1 – Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive leisurely explore all vista points.
- Day 2 – Hike the Queen’s Garden – Navajo – Peekaboo Loop (Highly Strenuous)
- Day 3 – Hike the Mossy Cave Trail (Easy) and a couple of other easy trails in the park.
Lodging inside Bryce Canyon National Park is limited to its only lodge, Lodge at Bryce Canyon, and its two campgrounds. You will find a few decent dining & lodging options in the town of Bryce. However, Bryce Canyon is remotely located and has limited lodging options near the park, so I highly recommend planning ahead and making lodging reservations in advance.
Lodging Options In Bryce Canyon National Park
Campgrounds In Bryce Canyon National Park: There’re two campgrounds in Bryce Canyon and a few backcountry camping sites.
- North Campground: The North Campground is open year-round, with 99 campsites allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
- Sunset Campground: Open during the summer months, with 100 campsites that can be reserved online at recreation.gov.
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon: Located within the park, the Lodge at Bryce Canyon offers cabins, guest suites, and studios. The amazing views, combined with several dining options and excellent service, make the Lodge at Bryce Canyon my favorite place to stay in Bryce Canyon. However, it’s quite challenging to get a room as it is often sold out, so I highly recommend planning ahead and making your reservations way early.
Hotels Near Bryce Canyon National Park: There’re a couple of other hotels and bread and breakfasts in the town of Bryce Canyon serviced by the Park shuttle – Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel and Best Western Plus Rubys Inn.
Dining Options In Bryce Canyon National Park
Dining Inside Bryce Canyon National Park: The Lodge at Bryce Canyon offers a few great dining options inside the park, including a restaurant, a pizzeria, and a general store.
- The Lodge at Bryce Canyon Restaurant: Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an elegant rustic environment.
- Valhalla Pizzeria & Coffee Shop: Open for lunch and dinner, serves some great pizzas, salads, pastries, and coffee.
- General Store: Located close to Sunset Point is a great place to grab a quick bite.
Dining Options Outside Bryce Canyon National Park: There’re a few good locally-owned restaurants in the town of Bryce Canyon, including Ruby’s Inn Cowboy’s Buffet & Steak Room, Cowboy Ranch House at Bryce Canyon Resort, Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill, and Bryce Canyon Pines.
Other Utah Attractions & Related Posts
I hope you enjoyed reading the post, The Ultimate Guide To Bryce Canyon National Park, and I hope this will help you plan your perfect trip to the Bryce Canyon National Park. You can find other Utah attractions in my Utah Travel Guide.
Happy feeding your soul!
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