Bryce Canyon is Utah’s second most visited national park, with over two million visits annually. Bryce is known for its extensive collection of hoodoos, natural amphitheaters, and scenic tree lines. The unusual landscape is, at times, almost other-worldly. Not only is this park a feat of natural beauty, but this is also an amazing spot for star-gazing as the light pollution is negligible so far from a city. Whether you’re planning a Bryce-only trip or hitting up the Utah Big Five, you’re sure to be impressed with this testament to nature’s alluring artistry. With the largest collection of hoodoos in the world, this truly is the home of the hoodoos.
I hope your boots are made for walking because there are truly endless sights to behold. Even if you’re not typically an early riser, you won’t regret peeling yourself out of bed to catch the sunrise over the amphitheater. It might just be the most breathtaking way to see the park!
Fast Facts About Bryce Canyon National Park
Size: 35,835 acres
Visitors: 2,354,660 visitors annually (data from 2022)
Highest elevation: 9,115 ft at Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point
Distance from Las Vegas Airport: 270 miles — 4 hour drive
Distance from Salt Lake City Airport: 275 miles — 4 hour drive
National Park Initiation: February 25th, 1928
Below we have detailed all of our favorite hikes, all the best viewpoints, how-to’s for navigating transportation, and where to bunk down— as well as all the tips and tricks to ensure you have the best time.
Top Hikes
Regardless if you are planning on spending a few days or a few hours at Bryce Canyon, you will be able to hike your heart out! We have detailed a couple hikes we enjoyed, but you can find a complete list of hikes arranged in order of difficulty here.
The Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail is the most popular trail in the park, but for good reason. The expansive scenery will leave you at a loss of words, while the towering canyon walls are staggeringly tall in a way that truly puts the magnitude of Bryce Canyon into perspective.
The Rim Trail makes for a beautiful Sunrise hike. We woke up early and watched the sun rise at Inspiration Point and walked up to Bryce point as the sun began striking the hoodoos. This portion of the hike was perfect for our early morning hike, but the trail stretches 11.0 miles, stretching the perimeter of Bryce Amphitheater from Bryce Point to Fairyland Point.
Viewpoints
There are so many fantastic viewpoints that allow one to admire Bryce Canyon in its entirety. The rim along the canyon varies in elevation but is 9,100 feet at its highest point. This vantage point affords breathtaking views of unique scenery. The first few miles on the Main Road will take you past the Bryce Amphitheater, which overlooks, perhaps, the most iconic area of the park. There are four different viewpoints of Bryce Amphitheater, and any given stop is sure to delight. We’ve detailed a few of our favorite viewpoints in the park, but if you have time, be sure to check them all out!
From Bryce Point, we were able to delight in a water-color-esque sunrise, which makes for an enticing start to the day. While Sunrise and Sunset Point are not far from one another, Sunset Point offers a glimpse at the Thor’s Hammer rock formation. It’s important to note, while there is both a Sunrise and Sunset point, only the sunrise is visible in the part. The sunset creates an etherial watercolor painting in the sky, which is certainly beautiful in its own right, but the sun sinking into the horizon is not visible from Sunset Point.
Rainbow and Yovimpa Points are at the very southern end of the park, giving way to the Grand Staircase and an array of truly remarkable cliffs. At over 9,000 feet, this area has the highest elevation in the park, making it a delightful crow’s nest for observation.
Campgrounds
There are two campgrounds found in the Bryce Canyon National Park. In addition to these two areas, rugged backpackers are able to go backcountry camping along the Riggs Spring Loop and Under the Rim Trail. Camping along the trail requires attaining a first come, first serve permit, up to 48 hours in advance. The largest difference between backcountry camping and setting up camp at one of the campgrounds is the availability of “amenities” such as flush toilets, trash collection, etc.
The North Campground can be found right across the street from the Visitor’s Center, so it’s hard to miss! This campground has 100 sites that are spread out over 4 loops. If you are planning to go camping May 27th through October 1st, you must make a reservation, up to six months in advance. If you are planning to visit October 2nd through May 26th, campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Sunset Campground can be found not far from Sunset Point. This campground boasts 99 sites, divided into 3 loops– one of which is primarily for RVs, the other two, tent-camping only. This campground is available on a first come first serve basis April 15th through October 31st, and is closed throughout winter (i.e. the rest of the year)
Fees for campsites at either campground are the same, ranging from $20-30 per campsite depending on how you are camping– tent vs RV.
The Lodge
If your idea of rustic accommodations are less tent and more log cabin, the Bryce Canyon Lodge is the place for you. The lodge and cabins were built in 1925, and the exterior of the buildings has undergone minimal change in the time since they were built. These historic accommodations are available to visitors mid-spring through late fall. Due to its convenient location inside the park, rooms go quickly. Reservations can be made up to 13 months in advance.
Shuttle
Bryce Canyon operates a free shuttle around the Bryce Amphitheater, from April 1st to October 23rd. No advance reservation required. The shuttle runs from 8am – 6pm with extended hours until 8pm from May 14th to September 25th. If you want to plan your inter-amphitheater shuttling, you can track the shuttles here.
When the park gets crowded, this can be an awesome way to maneuver around without the classic fear of not being able to find a parking spot. This is also super helpful to any over-eager-turned-quickly-humbled hikers that might want a bit of a lift back to their car.
Pets
In Bryce, pets are permitted, but they are only allowed on paved trails and viewpoints, roads, campsites, and picnic areas. The only “trails” they can go on, is the half mile section of Rim Trail that connects Sunset and Sunrise Points and the shared-use trail around Bryce Amphitheater. Only service animals recognized by the ADA are allowed to adventure off-pavement with their adventurous owner. Regardless of how good your good boy (or girl!) is, pets must be leashed at all times when in the park.
If you were really feeling rather keen on a longer hike to tucker a doggo out, Red Canyon is not far, and its dog friendly trails afford their own charming views of the mysterious-looking hoodoos. While this Canyon area is not a National Park, it is managed and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service.
Park Entrance Fees & Passes
| Pass Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Single Vehicle (Grants unlimited entry for one vehicle for 7 consecutive days— aka keep your receipt if you plan to come back!) | $35 |
| Single Pedestrian or Bicycle (Children under 15 years old are free; Grants unlimited entry for 7 consecutive days) | $20 |
| Single Motorcycle (Grants unlimited entry for 7 consecutive days) | $30 |
| America The Beautiful Annual Pass (entry into 2,000 federal recreation sites, including all National Parks) | $80* |
* Free to past and current members of the military. See if you qualify here.
Plan Smarter, Not Harder
The Elements
If you have some walking poles, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring them along. Not a must-have item but they certainly might come in hardy for some of the more rugged hikes.
If you are going to be out hiking for any length of time, you should ensure you have packed sufficient water. Doing a longer trail? It’s never a bad idea to pack a snack or two to ensure you can keep up your stamina. If you’re not used to heat and elevation changes, it can fatigue you even more quickly on an empty stomach. Bryce Canyon is up at over 8,000 feet of elevation, so keep that in mind.
Get out early to avoid the heat of the day and the crowds. If you are an early bird, the earlier the better to afford you a bit more tranquility in the park and perhaps a stunning sunrise view. For any and all that do their best work in the afternoon, heading to the park around 3pm or 4pm will allow you to miss both the strongest UV rays of the day as well as all the morning park-goers.
Pack your sunscreen… and perhaps a hat as well. Even if you are getting after it before the sun has reached its peak, the rays are strong, and sustained exposure will leave you burned!
Park Logistics
Don’t stress if you’re running a bit late for the sunrise. While the time for the sunrise is set according to when it rises over the horizon, the sun must rise a bit further to be visible over the mountains in the distance. This provides a nice cushion— especially if you’re trying to catch the sunrise over the summer.
If you’re keen on a bit more information, but don’t want to sift through the National Park Service Website, the visitor guide is an awesome resource with everything you need to know about Bryce Canyon in one place (including a map).
The hoodoos and spires that abound throughout the canyon are almost miraculously formed by rain, snow, and ice. If you have questions about anything, be sure to ask a park ranger for a more in depth explanation! They are truly an awesome resource.
While sunrise and sunset are generally known to be beautiful times of day, this is especially true at Bryce Canyon. The way the sun reflects across the hoodoos and spires makes it beyond worth-it to stay in the park to witness this kaleidoscope of color.
written by Hannah
Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest. Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin, Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.
