Bryce Canyon National Park might be probably the most underrated nationwide park within the US. Although the rock formations are usually not as towering because the Zion cliffs, and the drop-offs are usually not as steep because the Grand Canyon, there’s something magical in regards to the intricately sculpted hoodoos scattered across the park – to not point out the sensible orange glow of the stained limestone beneath the morning solar.
With all it has to supply, chances are you’ll marvel what are the very best issues to do in Bryce Canyon throughout your time there. It can really feel overwhelming to plan a Bryce Canyon itinerary because of the numerous choices for lodging, campgrounds, eating places, and the very best instances to go to.
I’ll reply all of your questions on this full information to the very best issues to do in Bryce Canyon National Park and supply an itinerary for a day in Bryce Canyon so you may get probably the most out of your time on this distinctive Utah vacation spot.
Note: This article was initially written by Taylor Pike and was up to date by me and the Bearfoot Theory Team in 2024.
Important Reminder: As it goes in all the locations we share, please observe good path etiquette and keep in mind to Leave No Trace. This means packing out all your rubbish (together with rest room paper), being respectful to others, and following the established guidelines.
Why Visit Bryce Canyon National Park?
Bryce Canyon National Park is situated in Southern Utah and is thought for its distinctive pink rock formations. The park was established in 1928 and covers a complete space of 35,835 acres.
The fundamental attraction is the Bryce Amphitheater, filled with superbly eroded rock formations. These distinctive formations are referred to as hoodoos, that are orange and pink spire-like rocks that vary in peak from a number of ft to over 100 ft. Popular viewpoints within the park alongside the Bryce Amphitheater embody Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, and Inspiration Point.
The park splits into two fundamental sections: the preliminary 3-mile part of the principle park street that includes the Bryce Amphitheater and the remaining 15 miles of the street referred to as the Southern Scenic Drive. Hikes and viewpoints alongside the Southern Scenic Drive are typically extra forested and have fewer hoodoos than the Bryce Amphitheater part.
Bryce Canyon National Park can also be residence to varied wildlife, together with birds of every kind, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope. In addition to climbing, there are different adventurous issues to do in Bryce Canyon, together with tenting, horseback using, biking, snowshoeing, stargazing, and extra.
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Best Time to Visit Bryce Canyon National Park
The finest time to go to Bryce Canyon is dependent upon what sort of expertise you need, which actions you need to do, and the views you need to see.
Bryce Canyon is open year-round, however the preferred months are May-September. The temperatures throughout this time are heat, however the park doesn’t get as scorching as different Utah nationwide parks on account of its elevation.
The day by day excessive temperature averages round 70-80 levels in July and August. However, the summer time additionally brings afternoon thunderstorms that will result in rockslides, flash flooding, and potential path closures.
If you need to skip a number of the crowds and have cooler climate, think about visiting Bryce Canyon in the course of the shoulder spring and fall seasons.
Another possibility is the winter. Visitors can take pleasure in a singular take a look at the hoodoos beneath a coat of recent snow whereas avoiding the crowds when visiting within the low season. Just remember that some trails and roads usually tend to be closed throughout this time on account of icy situations. Prepare your luggage with winter climbing garments and microspikes for those who go to in winter. Also, think about packing cross-country skis or snowshoes, or hire them from Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City for a unique path expertise.
Because of the unpredictable climate year-round, regulate the climate and verify for closures earlier than visiting the park.
How to Get to Bryce Canyon National Park
If you flying, the closest massive airports are Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. From there you’ll want to order a rental automobile and drive to Bryce Canyon.
Camping Near Bryce Canyon National Park
Plan on bringing your RV, van, or tenting rig in your journey? The darkish sky in Bryce Canyon makes for unimaginable stargazing situations at evening for tenting. With paid campgrounds and dispersed tenting out there, you will have a number of choices on the place to sleep beneath the celebrities throughout your journey to Bryce Canyon National Park.
Bryce Canyon National Park Campgrounds
There are two campgrounds out there to be used contained in the park. Each campground has 100 campsites and entry to a dump station with potable water close by. You may go away your automobile parked at your campsite and use the free Bryce Canyon National Park shuttle to get across the park.
Both campgrounds have flush bathrooms together with fireplace rings and picnic tables. Neither campground has showers or sewer, water, or electrical hookups.
North Campground
North Campground is on the east of the Visitors Center. Of the 100 campsites out there, half are for RV campers and the opposite half for tent campers.
The campground prices $30 per evening. First-come, first-served tenting is from January 1-May 18. From May 19-October 6, you should reserve a campsite on the Recreation.gov web site.
Sunset Campground
Another possibility for tenting in Bryce Canyon National Park is Sunset Campground. This campground is close to Sunset Point, about 1.5 miles south of the Visitor Center.
There is first-come, first-served tenting right here from April 15-May 17 and October 15-October 31. From May 18-October, there’s a 14-day reservation window from May 18-October 14. You can reserve a campsite on Recreation.gov.
Sunset Campground additionally has a reservable group web site at an extra value.
Campgrounds Near Bryce Canyon
There is an abundance of paid non-public campgrounds round Bryce Canyon National Park. These campgrounds usually characteristic distinctive facilities that the campgrounds within the park don’t supply.
Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground
Anyone who has visited Bryce Canyon is aware of that Ruby’s Inn is the hub of lodging, tenting, consuming, and procuring close to the park. It is only a quick drive from the park entrance. The free park shuttle additionally stops right here for handy entry to the park.
The campground has cabins, tipis, RV, and tent areas to order. All RV areas have electrical and water hookups. The campground additionally gives visitors plentiful facilities, together with scorching showers, web, and a pool.
Red Canyon Campground
If you might be in search of a scenic campground exterior the park with out all of the bells and whistles, think about Red Canyon Campground. This campground options beautiful rock formations and path entry for climbing and biking.
This campground doesn’t take reservations, and spots can be found on a first-come, first-served foundation from May 5-October 9. There are not any hookups, however the campground gives consuming water, flush and vault bathrooms, showers, and a dump station for visitors.
Bryce Canyon Dispersed Camping
If you like to camp on dispersed land, there’s loads of nationwide forest land without spending a dime tenting in Bryce Canyon National Park. If you can’t reserve a spot contained in the park, there isn’t any must panic. There are a ton of free dispersed campsites inside a 20-minute drive of the park.
There are spots with epic views that require 4×4 and tenting areas which can be straightforward to entry inside forested areas. I like to recommend utilizing our final information to discovering free campsites to search out your ideally suited dispersed campsite close to Bryce Canyon.
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Bryce Canyon National Park Lodging
If you like to not camp, there are alternatives for lodging each throughout the park and in close by cities similar to Bryce Canyon City or Tropic.
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon National Park gives a lodge contained in the park for many who desire to remain close to the paths and sleep indoors. The Lodge is situated close to the Bryce Amphitheater and has over 100 rooms out there to reserve. A restaurant close to the foyer serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, making it an ideal cease for a fast chew earlier than or after a day of climbing.
The Lodge is open April 1-November 1 and gives cabin leases, motel rooms, and suites ranging in value. Be positive to verify which choices shall be out there throughout your go to.
Other Bryce Canyon Hotels & Glamping Options
There are many resorts out there proper exterior of Bryce Canyon National Park.
You may keep in Tropic, a city just some miles down the street with cabins, outlets, and eating places to discover. Although it’s a additional drive to the park, lodging right here sometimes prices much less.
Restaurants in Bryce Canyon
Whether you might be tenting or staying in a lodge, chances are you’ll need to exit to eat at eating places in Bryce Canyon. Although there aren’t many choices for eating within the space, there are a number of choices inside the nationwide park together with the small cities of Bryce Canyon City and Tropic. If you might be on a plant-based eating regimen, like myself, or produce other dietary restrictions, I like to recommend planning forward and bringing your individual meals, because you received’t discover a lot at these eating places.
Restaurants in Bryce Canyon National Park
Restaurants in Bryce Canyon City and Tropic
Here are a number of of the extra in style eating places exterior of Bryce Canyon.
Grocery Stores in Bryce Canyon
There are a number of grocery shops for the times you do not need to dine out. For easy groceries and last-minute objects like sunscreen, head to Ruby’s Inn General Store or the General Store in Bryce Canyon National Park. If you want extra groceries, head to Clarke’s Country Market in Tropic.
How to Get Around Bryce Canyon National Park
There are two methods most park guests journey from one level to a different throughout the park: driving or taking the park shuttle.
Driving in Bryce Canyon
The hottest approach to discover Bryce Canyon National Park is by automobile. For seven consecutive days of limitless entry, you possibly can pay the park entry price of $35 per automobile (or snag an America the Beautiful cross for those who plan to go to a number of nationwide parks throughout the 12 months).
Grab a map on the entrance or cease for one on the Visitors Center. It will present the park format, together with parking areas and trailheads.
The fundamental park street is eighteen miles lengthy. The first 3 miles of the street are the preferred and fall throughout the Bryce Amphitheater part of the park.
If you proceed driving on the principle park street previous the primary 3 miles, this part turns into the Southern Scenic Drive. It takes about 40 minutes to drive from the Visitor Center to the furthest level of the street (Rainbow Point) with out stopping.
I like to recommend driving up the street with out stopping after which pulling over on the viewpoints in your method down so they’re simpler to tug out and in of on the right-hand facet.
If you intend on getting into the park earlier than or after peak hours, you shouldn’t have a lot bother discovering a parking spot. The park is busiest between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Plan to reach early to safe your parking spot or think about taking the park shuttle.
Bryce Canyon Park Shuttle
The Bryce Canyon shuttle runs from April to October and stops inside and out of doors the park. The shuttle is free with proof of buy of a park entrance cross, which additionally covers your group members.
The draw back of utilizing the park shuttle is that the earliest shuttle leaves at 8:00 a.m., which is simply too late to view the dawn. Most shuttle stops are at in style viewpoints with trailhead entry, lodging and tenting areas, and buildings just like the Visitor Center.
Be conscious of the shuttle hours (they modify primarily based on the season). If you get to the shuttle cease too late, you should discover a completely different method again to your campsite or resort.
Top Trails in Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon is filled with adventures and climbing trails for folks of all talents. If you will have restricted time to discover, listed here are the high 3 trails in Bryce Canyon.
1. Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail
- Distance: 3.0 miles
- Type: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 652 ft
- Time: 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead begin: Sunrise Point or Sunset Point
Just a few trails run by way of the Bryce Amphitheater, however the preferred (and rightfully so) is the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail. This hike combines a piece of the Navajo Loop with the Queens Garden Trail for the final word hoodoo expertise.
You can start your hike from both Sunrise Point or Sunset Point. Hiking this loop counterclockwise, you’ll descend the steep switchbacks of the Navajo Loop at the start of the hike as a substitute of climbing them on the finish of the loop.
Since this can be a in style path, you must begin early within the morning to soak up the views with out the warmth or the path visitors. If you get up to catch the dawn from Sunrise Point one morning, you can begin this path just some ft out of your viewpoint.
This dreamlike path takes you down by way of the canyon the place you’ll expertise the grandeur of the large and intricately carved hoodoos. Stop at factors alongside the path just like the Thor’s Hammer hoodoo and Queen Victoria hoodoo and admire the awe of those geological formations.
On the Navajo Loop facet of the path, you possibly can select to take the switchbacks or comply with a branching route by way of Wall Street, a slender path by way of colossal partitions on both facet. This part of the path is closed by way of May 2024 and through winter months, however for those who can take this route throughout your keep, remember to take the chance.
Make positive you deliver numerous water for this hike and the opposite necessary day climbing necessities, particularly for those who plan on trying this path later within the day in the summertime months. High temperatures plus excessive elevation can result in dehydration, so drink greater than you sometimes would to remain hydrated and use satisfactory solar safety.
There can also be an opportunity of thunderstorms within the afternoons, particularly in July and August. Bring a rain jacket or poncho in your climbing pack.
2. Peekaboo Loop Trail
- Distance: 5.2 miles
- Type: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 1,528 ft
- Time: 3 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead begin: Bryce Point
Want a barely longer hike by way of the canyon? The Peekaboo Loop Trail has simply what you might be in search of. Walk by way of the southern facet of the canyon to see the levels of hoodoo formation, together with the Wall of Windows.
With steep inclines, this can be a way more strenuous path carved into the facet of the cliffs. You can entry the path from the Navajo Loop Trail or the 1.5-mile path from Bryce Point.
3. Fairyland Loop
- Distance: 7.9 miles
- Type: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 1,555 ft
- Time: 4 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead begin: Fairyland Point
The Fairyland Loop is my favourite path in Bryce Canyon National Park. This path is within the northern area and passes shut by spiraling hoodoos. Hikers will expertise a lot of the identical landscapes because the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail talked about above however with much less foot visitors.
It is finest to begin the Fairyland Loop hike early within the morning to get dawn views and beat the mid-day warmth. Also, pack numerous water as many of the path is uncovered.
If you go to within the winter, begin this hike at Sunrise Point since Fairyland Road is closed in the course of the winter. I like to recommend bringing traction gadgets like microspikes because the path can get icy and slick.
Other Things to Do in Bryce Canyon
Depending on time, take a look at this record of different issues to do in Bryce Canyon for a memorable expertise.
1. Backpack the Under-the-Rim Trail
- Distance: 22.9 miles
- Type: Point-to-point
- Elevation Gain: 5,500 ft
- Time: 2-3 days
- Difficulty: Hard
- Trailhead begin: Rainbow Point or Bryce Point
- Permit Required: Yes
While I’ve but to do an in a single day climbing journey in Bryce Canyon, there are a number of backpacking choices within the park for the final word journey seekers. The hottest backpacking path in Bryce Canyon is the Under-the-Rim Trail.
This 22.9-mile path stretches from Rainbow Point to Bryce Point among the many hoodoos by way of the park’s forested backcountry. Hikers sometimes go south to north, and you need to use the free park shuttle to get a journey again to your automobile.
Purchase a backcountry allow from the Visitor Center or Recreation.gov to backpack in Bryce Canyon. It prices $15 per individual, and chances are you’ll solely camp on the designated campsites alongside the path. Water sources alongside the Under-the-Rim Trail are restricted, so do loads of analysis whereas planning your journey.
2. Watch the Sunrise over the Bryce Amphitheater
The Bryce Amphitheater is the principle canyon to see the best focus of hoodoos. Hoodoos are rock spires fashioned over tens of millions of years from shifting land and water and freezing temperatures. As the weather regularly chipped away on the rock, the plateaus remodeled into partitions, home windows, and at last, into the hoodoos we see in the present day.
During the summer time months, the dawn often takes place a little bit after 6:00 a.m. When the solar peaks over the distant plateaus, a radiant gentle slowly paints the hoodoos. From the viewpoints across the Amphitheater, you possibly can watch this colourful transformation.
Most guests select to observe the dawn from Sunrise Point (the apparent alternative). However, as dawn will get nearer, this space is bombarded with folks squeezing onto the small touchdown.
If you might be in search of different choices for viewing the dawn, BFT contributor Taylor recommends watching the dawn from Sunset Point. Although it sounds backward, the view is nearly equivalent to Sunrise Point, and there’s loads of room to have a look at the entire canyon and take photos.
If nothing else, stand someplace alongside the Rim Trail between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point to observe as a kaleidoscope of oranges, pinks, and yellows turns the canyon right into a golden paradise.
Tip: Temperatures throughout early and late hours will be low due to the park’s excessive elevation. Whether you might be visiting in the summertime or winter, at all times deliver some heat layers, particularly for those who plan on visiting the park earlier than dawn.
3. Visit the Viewpoints
There are 9 viewpoints at Bryce Canyon National Park. They are all value testing when you’ve got the time.
My favourite viewpoint within the park is Inspiration Point. Located west of Sunset and Sunrise Points, this location provides you a better view than these alongside the Rim Trail, permitting you to have a look at the numerous hoodoos from afar. The pure variety of rock spires will astound you.
4. Go Horseback Riding in Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon National Park gives horseback using excursions on the Peekaboo Loop. If you’d wish to relaxation your legs and nonetheless see the splendor of the internal canyon, reserve a 2-hour guided path journey with Canyon Trail Rides.
Horseback rides start for the season as soon as the snow and ice soften, sometimes round April 1.
5. Take the Southern Scenic Drive
Once you drive previous the preliminary 3 miles of the principle park street within the Bryce Amphitheater part, the Southern Scenic Drive begins. Drive the remaining 15 miles of the park street as much as Rainbow Point and expertise the forested part of the park.
I like to recommend driving for 40 minutes straight to Rainbow Point with out stopping. On your method again down, cease and see the majestic magnificence all through the canyon. With a number of scenic factors, you will notice Bryce Canyon from each perspective doable.
Plan about two to 3 hours to finish this 36-mile roundtrip drive.
6. Stargaze on a Night Hike
One of the extra unusual options of Bryce Canyon National Park is the starry sky that glows over the park come dusk. With limitless stars, evening hikes are an effective way to expertise the paths by headlamp.
On full moons, you possibly can take part in a ranger-led Full Moon hike. With solely the moonlight to information you, these treks are one-of-a-kind.
Bryce Canyon 1-day Itinerary
If you intend to go to Bryce Canyon National Park for the primary time, use this Bryce Canyon itinerary that will help you plan your day. This itinerary is designed for one adventure-packed day within the park with a mix of hikes and stops alongside the viewpoints within the park.
Below is a Bryce Canyon 1-day itinerary that will help you benefit from your time on this lovely park.
1. Catch the Sunrise at Inspiration Point
One of the very best instances of the day in Bryce Canyon is dawn. Watching the solar illuminate the hoodoos within the Bryce Amphitheater is heavenly.
To watch the dawn, drive into the park early and take the principle park street to the car parking zone for Inspiration Point. This spot is much less crowded than Sunrise Point or Sunset Point at dawn, providing a extra peaceable expertise (and higher images).
Inspiration Point is likely one of the finest spots for dawn in Bryce Canyon. Although you possibly can hike up the steep incline to the best overlook at Inspiration Point, you should not have to do that because the view just isn’t considerably higher. You can get canyon views in a 1-minute stroll from the car parking zone.
2. Drive to Sunrise Point
After dawn, drive to the car parking zone for Sunrise Point. If you might be craving espresso or a donut, cease within the General Store by Sunrise Point. There are restrooms and coin-operated showers right here for those who want them.
Once settled, fill your water and seize your climbing pack. Walk to the Sunrise Point overlook and admire the huge canyon beneath.
Then, stroll half a mile on the Rim Trail to Sunset Point. From right here, you possibly can see the enduring Thor’s Hammer hoodoo.
3. Hike the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail
On your stroll from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point, you accomplished the primary half mile of the preferred hike within the park: the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail. Stay on the Navajo Loop path previous Sunset Point to proceed this reasonable 3-mile hike.
You can select to descend the steep switchbacks or take the Wall Street part of the path (whether it is open once you go to). This path will drop you into the canyon to see the hoodoos up shut.
Take an offshoot of the path to Queens Garden to see the Queen Victoria hoodoo. Then, take pleasure in strolling beneath three tunnels alongside the trail. The hike is simple to reasonable, and the one uphill climb comes on the finish to get again to Sunrise Point; nonetheless, this climb is gradual, and you’ll cease for breaks as wanted.
4. Take the Southern Scenic Drive
When you end climbing, head again to your automobile and settle in for a little bit of a drive. You will take the principle park street to the southernmost level: Rainbow Point.
I like to recommend driving straight to Rainbow Point with out stopping on the best way up. It is a couple of 35-minute drive from the Sunrise Point car parking zone.
The Southern Scenic Drive will take you thru the 15-mile forested park part. This part is much less crowded than the Bryce Amphitheater and gives vastly completely different views.
Once you get to Rainbow Point, park and go searching to admire the views. On the drive down, you possibly can cease on the different scenic viewpoints, which shall be simpler to tug out and in of on the right-hand facet.
5. Eat Lunch within the Park
On your drive again to the Bryce Amphitheater part of the park, cease for lunch at The Lodge, Valhalla Pizzeria, or have a picnic.
There are picnic tables close to the General Store by Sunrise Point. You can buy a number of gentle choices within the General Store for those who didn’t deliver a lunch.
6. Stop by the Visitor Center
After consuming, cease by the park Visitor Center. Here, you possibly can take a look at the Visitor Center Museum, which options displays on geological, ecological, and human impacts, and evening sky and air high quality displays. You may store for souvenirs and get a stamp in your nationwide park passport.
7. Walk or Bike on the Shared-Use Path
For the rest of the afternoon, go away your automobile within the Visitor Center car parking zone and take a stroll or bike journey down the 5-mile paved Shared-Use Path that runs by way of the park.
If you don’t have a motorcycle, you possibly can hire commonplace bikes and e-bikes within the park for 2 hours. It is a soothing approach to benefit from the path and see the park.
8. Grab Dinner
If you didn’t cease at The Lodge or Valhalla Pizzeria for lunch, you can think about considered one of these spots for dinner. Or, take a look at a restaurant in Bryce Canyon City or Tropic. You may swing by your campsite or resort to make dinner earlier than you head again to the park for sundown.
9. Catch the Sunset
After you will have time to eat and calm down, head again into the park to observe the sundown from Sunset Point. If it’s crowded, there are related views of the canyon at Sunrise Point or alongside the part of the Rim Trail between these factors.
10. Stargaze within the Park
To finish the evening, keep previous the sundown to see how the celebrities illuminate the sky. On clear nights, you possibly can see the Milky Way.
Bring a headlamp for an evening hike to maintain the journey going. When completed, you possibly can head to your campsite or resort for the night and reminisce in your day in Bryce Canyon.
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Have you visited this lovely nationwide park? What are your favourite issues to do in Bryce Canyon? Did we miss something in our Bryce Canyon itinerary? Let us know within the feedback!
This article was initially written by Taylor Pike and was up to date by the Bearfoot Theory workforce in 2024.
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