How to Spend a Perfect Day in Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is a striking landscape of towering red rock formations, known as hoodoos, that create a surreal and otherworldly setting. Located in southern Utah, the park offers visitors an array of hiking trails, scenic viewpoints, and unique geological wonders shaped by millions of years of erosion. Whether you’re catching an unforgettable sunrise or exploring the iconic Navajo Loop Trail, our perfect day in Bryce Canyon provides an unforgettable experience for nature lovers, photographers, and outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure amidst its vibrant, rugged terrain.

How many days should you plan to spend in Bryce Canyon? If you’re really keen to do a bunch of hiking, you could spend a few days here, but one day in Bryce Canyon is enough to leave feeling like you’ve really experienced the park. 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!

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.

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.

Packing Essentials

• water bottle — make sure you fill it before every hike!!
• snacks — if you’re not used to heat and elevation changes, it can fatigue you even more quickly. (FYI: Bryce Canyon is up at over 8,000 feet of elevation) it’s never a bad idea to have a little extra sustenance… plus who doesn’t enjoy a little treat as they take in the views??
• hiking backpack — an 8-15L hiking backpack is usually pretty lightweight and it’s a nice not to worry about carrying your water bottle, phone, and snacks
• trekking poles — a walking stick or trekking poles are never a bad idea. These are beneficial for a multitude of hikes, especially if you would consider yourself a little on the de-trained side. even for fit individuals, some of the elevation climbs can be a kick in the pants!
• sunscreen — sun protection is important!
• hat — some of the trails have very minimal shade, so it’s never a bad idea to bring a little of your own
• Layers, layers, layers — despite hot temperatures during the day, the early mornings and evenings can still be quite chilly– plus the temperature can vary by elevation or time of day (i.e sunrise can be pretty chilly, even in the summer)

A Good Night’s Rest

Perhaps the most important part of maximizing your time in a busy day? Getting a good night’s sleep! There are certainly accommodations nearby when you are visiting Bryce Canyon, but what’s more convenient than staying in the park?? In-park accommodations tend to either be very economical (camping) or a little on the spendy side (lodge living). Either way you have great options to choose from. It’s worth noting, both camping and the lodge will fill up quickly. If you know this is where you want to stay, book sooner rather than later!

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 North Campground

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.

Campflare is an awesome website/app resource that can help you snag a campsite in a full online reservation-based campground, if you’re planning a last-minute trip.

The sunset campground  

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)

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.

Free Shuttle Anyone?

Bryce Canyon operates a free shuttle around the Bryce Amphitheater, from April 5th to October 20th. No advance reservation required. The shuttle runs from 8am – 6pm with extended hours until 8pm from May 10th to September 22nd. 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.

◁ One Action Packed Day ▷

Get ready for a little bit over everything at Bryce Canyon! An unforgettable sunrise, a couple memorable hikes, bird’s eye view overlooks, and a relaxing sunset to end the day. Bryce is home to the largest concentration of hoodoos anywhere in the world, so this truly is a one-of-a-kind park.

If you need help orienting yourself in the park or want a map you can save to your phone, you can find that here.

Sunrise

Catching sunrise in the summer months can be quite the endeavor as long days mean early sunrises. The sunrise in Bryce Canyon is worth pulling yourself out of bed for!! Inspiration Point affords an incredible view of the sun peaking over the mountains, illuminating the technicolor amphitheater. The Rim Trail connects Inspiration Point and Bryce Point, and makes for a beautiful Sunrise hike.

A portion of the hike is perfect for an early morning walk, but the trail stretches 11.0 miles. With only one day in the park, we recommend just going to Bryce Point and back, to save your legs for another awesome hike.

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.

Navajo loop

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 trail brings you down into the amphitheater, allowing you to experience the stacks of hoodoos up close! This trail is about 3 miles long… getting down to the hoodoos means there’s an ascent to return to the trailhead; however, it’s pretty manageable with an overall elevation of about 650 ft.

Fairyland Loop

The Navajo loop is an awesome hike… the only downside it the popularity can make it a bit crowded. If you have the stamina for an 8 mile hike with a little over 1,500 ft of elevation gain, the Fairyland Loop is the hike for you!! You still get to be up close with the spectacular scenery and take in jaw-dropping views, but with a bit more solitude than you might find elsewhere.

Grab a Bite

All that wandering around will work up an appetite! There’s a few different options when you’re looking to hunt down some sustenance in the park. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the The Bryce Canyon Lodge Restaurant (menus here) Right next door you’ll find the Valhalla Pizzeria and Coffee Shop, which is also open all day but they only serve pizza after 11:30am. The Bryce Canyon Lodge also houses The General Store, if you’re looking for some quick grab-n-go options or snacks!

Rainbow and Yovimpa Viewpoints

There are so many fantastic viewpoints that allow one to admire Bryce Canyon in its entirety. Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point are at the very southern end of the park, giving way to the Grand Staircase and an array of truly remarkable cliffs, making it a delightful crow’s nest for observation. This actually the highest point in the park!

Sunset

While there is both a Sunrise Point and a Sunset Point, only the sunrise is truly visible in the park. At sunset, the fading sun creates an ethereal 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. Regardless, it’s a beautiful and peaceful way to end the day.

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While sunrise and sunset are generally known to be beautiful times of day, this is especially true at Bryce Canyon. The sunrise in particular, is outstanding… the way the sun reflects across the hoodoos and spires makes it beyond worth-it to go out of your way to witness this kaleidoscope of color. We hope this helps you plan your own perfect day in Bryce Canyon.

Zion is one of five national parks in Utah. Be sure to check out Zion, Arches, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands as well, to truly appreciate all of the Utah national park topography! Happy travels!

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