LAST UPDATED: 1/28/24 – Bryce Canyon Visitor Guide

This post is a special one for me because Bryce Canyon National Park is my favorite park in the United States.  There is something incredibly magical about this park.  When you first lay your eyes upon the canyon, filled with an endless number of rock spires called hoodoos, you won’t be able to take your eyes off the beauty.

While Bryce Canyon may not be as big and vast as the Grand Canyon, it is every bit as beautiful.  The contrast of the red sandstone hoodoos against the green trees and blue sky is breathtaking.  As someone who loves photography, this park is undoubtedly my favorite park to photograph.

Bryce Canyon National Park also offers a lot of fun things to do for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds.  The park has some great hiking paths, ample biking paths, and plenty of opportunities for horseback riding.  And for those who aren’t up for hiking or biking, the park offers several amazing viewpoints that give you postcard-worthy views of the canyon.

An All-You-Need Visitor Guide

In this Bryce Canyon visitor guide, I am going to give you the information you need to plan a trip. First, I outline all of the top things to see in the park. There is a lot to see and do, but some things you can’t miss. I also discuss the best times to visit, where to stay, and other things to see in the area. With this information, you can rest assured that you will have a trip you will remember for a lifetime.

Bryce Canyon National Park Guide Navigation Menu

How to Get to Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park is located in the center of Southern Utah.  This is my favorite area of the United States because I believe it is the most beautiful area of the United States.  There are five national parks, in addition to national monuments and national recreation areas, all within the bottom third of the state.

For more information, please see the map I have included in my Bryce Canyon visitor guide below.

Southern Utah has one of the largest areas of wilderness in the continental United States, so there aren’t any large cities or even many big towns in the area.  If you are going to visit the Bryce Canyon area from outside the United States or aren’t interested in a cross-country road trip within the United States, there are a few recommendations I can give on how to best reach the park.

Fly into Salt Lake City and then Drive to Bryce Canyon

One option would be to fly into Salt Lake City, Utah, and then drive South to Bryce Canyon.  It is roughly a 4-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Bryce Canyon, so it isn’t that far of a drive.  Although the area you will drive through is very scenic, there aren’t very many other stops I would recommend along the way.

Fly into Las Vegas and then Drive to Bryce Canyon

In my opinion, the ideal way to visit Bryce Canyon would be to fly into Las Vegas, Nevada, and then drive North to Bryce Canyon.  Like the drive from Salt Lake City, the drive from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon is a very scenic 4-hour drive.  However, there are far more stops along the way that I would recommend. For a better understanding of the area, please see the area map I have included in my Bryce Canyon visitor guide below.

Getting Around the Park

Navigating within Bryce Canyon National Park is very easy as Highway 63 takes you all the way through the park.  Along the drive down through the park, there are several different viewpoints where you can stop, get out of your car, and view the canyon.  If you would like to do some hiking within the park, these viewpoints offer ample parking.

Bryce Canyon Shuttle Bus Service

There is also a shuttle bus service that will take you into and throughout the park if you don’t want to worry about the hassle of parking.  In addition to saving you the hassle of finding parking, this service also minimizes the traffic congestion within the park, so we highly recommend it. For an idea of the layout of the park, please see the park map I have included in my Bryce Canyon visitor guide below.

Top Things to See and Do in Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon is an amazing park with a lot of things to do.  Make sure you plan ahead so that you get the most out of your visit.  I have included links to some great resources for planning a visit in my Bryce Canyon visitor guide below.

• Bryce Canyon National Park – Map
• Bryce Canyon National Park – Things to Know Before You Visit
• Bryce Canyon National Park – Plan Your Visit
• Bryce Canyon National Park – Things to Do
• Bryce Canyon National Park Area – Visitor’s Guide

Sunrise and Sunset Viewpoint

Sunrise and Sunset viewpoints are two of the more popular viewpoints in Bryce Canyon National Park because they offer fantastic views of the canyon.  These viewpoints are also where the trail heads for the Navajo and Queen’s Garden loop trails.  If you aren’t interested in a lengthy hike, a nice stroll along the rim of the canyon between the Sunrise and Sunset viewpoints is one of the shortest and most popular hikes in the park.

Go Hiking

In addition to offering some of Southern Utah’s most beautiful vistas, Bryce Canyon National Park also has some of the area’s best hiking trails.  There are hikes with a wide range of distances and difficulty levels in the park, so hikers of all skill levels will be able to find a trail that works for them.  I have outlined some of my favorite hikes in the park for you below.

Sunset Point to Sunrise Point

• Distance:  1 (out-and-back)
• Elevation Change:  0 feet
• Difficulty:  Easy

If you are looking for a short and easy hike that will allow you to see some of the prettiest parts of Bryce Canyon, this is the hike for you.  The Rim Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park is a 5.5-mile (one-way) trail that follows the rim of the canyon from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point.  It is a half-mile hike along the Rim Trail between Sunrise and Sunset Points, so a round trip between the viewpoints is just an easy and scenic mile.

Navajo Loop Trail

• Distance:  1.3 miles
• Elevation Change:  550 feet
• Difficulty:  Moderate

The Navajo Loop Trail isn’t an extraordinarily long hike, but it is a moderately strenuous one.  This short 1.3-mile hike includes 550 feet of elevation change.  And at over 8,000 feet, climbing that much elevation, even in a short hike, can be taxing.

The hike features some of the park’s most iconic switchbacks, like the one pictured above.  From Sunset Point, you descend into the canyon, loop through some of the canyon’s prettiest hoodoos, and then make your way back up to the rim trail.  It is a great hike for those who want to get a close-up view of the canyon’s hoodoos without having to hike a great distance.

Navajo and Queen’s Garden Combo Loop

• Distance:  2.9 miles
• Elevation Change:  600 feet
• Difficulty:  Moderate

The Navajo and Queen’s Garden Combo Loop combines parts of the Navajo Loop trail with the Queen’s Garden Loop trail.  This 2.9-mile hike features around 600 feet of elevation change, which makes this trail moderately difficult at over 8,000 feet of elevation.

You can start this hike at either Sunrise Point or Sunset Point, which gives you a lot of flexibility in how you can do this hike.  Either way, you will descend steeply into Bryce Canyon by way of switch-backs, and then meander through the canyon’s hoodoos before climbing back out of the canyon.

Fairyland Loop Trail

• Distance:  8 miles
• Elevation Change:  2.300 feet
• Difficulty:  Difficult

If you are interested in a longer, more difficult hike at Bryce Canyon National Park, then the Fairyland Loop trail is the perfect hike for you.  It is not a really technical hike, but the hike is fairly difficult because of the distance and elevation change.  The 2,300-foot elevation change on this trail is no joke and is the primary reason why this hike is listed as “strenuous” by the park.  However, if you are up to the task, the trail takes you through some truly breathtaking parts of the park and is well worth the effort.

Inspiration Point Viewpoint

Inspiration Viewpoint is undoubtedly my favorite viewpoint in Bryce Canyon National Park.  This viewpoint is comprised of three different levels of viewing platforms that give visitors extraordinary views of the canyon.  From these viewpoints, you can see some of the areas of Bryce Canyon with the densest concentrations of hoodoos.

Bryce Point Viewpoint

Bryce Viewpoint offers a different perspective of the hoodoo-filled canyon than you get from Sunrise and Sunset points.  This perspective also makes it one of the best viewpoints at Bryce Canyon for viewing a sunrise.  At 8,300 feet of elevation, Bryce Point offers some of the most sweeping views of Bryce Canyon.  This also makes it one of the most popular viewpoints at Bryce Canyon.

Natural Bridge and Thor’s Hammer

There are a lot of really cool rock structures in Bryce Canyon National Park.  Two of the more famous formations are the Natural Bridge and Thor’s Hammer.   The Natural Bridge is one of many natural stone arches found within Bryce Canyon National Park and creates a beautiful window in which to view the canyon beyond.  Thor’s Hammer, which gets its name from its shape that resembles a war hammer, is one of the more prominent sandstone hoodoos in Bryce Canyon.

Wildlife Viewing

In addition to some of Southern Utah’s most fantastic rock formations, Bryce Canyon is also home to a large amount of wildlife.  A wide variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects can be found within the park’s borders.  These include but are not limited to, such animals as Pronghorn antelope, coyotes, mountain lions, and chipmunks.  So if you are a wildlife enthusiast, make sure you keep your eyes peeled while hiking within the park.

Horseback Riding

If you want to get a closer look at the hoodoos and other rock formations within Bryce Canyon but aren’t really interested in taking a hike, a horseback ride might be an option that you enjoy.  Two different outfits in the Bryce Canyon area offer horseback rides into Bryce Canyon.  Information on these companies can be found at the links below.

• Canyon Trail Rides
• Ruby’s Horseback Adventures

Best Time to Visit Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round.  However, during the winter months, certain roads, campgrounds, and visitor facilities are closed or operate on reduced hours.

In our opinion, the best months to visit the park are during the Spring (March through May) and Fall (September through November).  The park is less crowded than it is during the summer months and it isn’t as cold as it can get during the winter. 

Keep in mind, that Bryce Canyon is at a high elevation (8,000+ feet), so the temperature can vary greatly, and snow is possible even in late spring or early fall.  Regardless of when visit though, the park is always beautiful and a blast.

Average Temperature (°F)

For an idea of what type of temperatures to expect at Bryce Canyon throughout the year, please refer to the average temperature chart below.

Average Precipitation (Inches)

To understand what type of precipitation to expect at Bryce Canyon throughout the year, please refer to the average temperature chart below.

Snow Depth (Inches)

Bryce Canyon is at over 8,000 feet in elevation at some points, so it gets a fair amount of snow during the winter months. If you are visiting to hike and would like to know what type of snow depths to expect throughout the year, please refer to the chart below.

Average Number of Visitors

Bryce Canyon is one of America’s most popular national parks. As you might expect, it does get quite a few visitors throughout the year. Some months are much busier than others. If you are planning a visit to Bryce Canyon and want to avoid the crowds, please see the average visitor numbers chart below for details on when to plan your visit.

Where to Stay Near Bryce Canyon

Speaking of Ruby’s, the Best Western Ruby’s Inn is my favorite place to stay near Bryce Canyon National Park.  If you aren’t familiar with the history behind the famous Ruby’s Inn, I strongly suggest you take a moment to read up on the inn’s fun history.  Sitting just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park, Ruby’s Inn is the closest hotel to the park (aside from the lodging inside the park itself).  Ruby’s Inn includes the following amenities that make it the perfect place for a family to stay:

• Ample Lodging
• Wonderful Western Theme
• Huge General Store
• Indoor pool and whirlpool
• Incredible buffet restaurant

Camping at Bryce Canyon

When visiting the national parks and monuments of the United States, it is a really neat experience to camp out during your visit.  Some of the best campgrounds in America can be found inside the country’s national parks and monuments and the surrounding areas. 

This is especially true of Bryce Canyon National Park, which has incredible nighttime skies because of its remote location. The extra dark skies in the park and surrounding area make it one of the best places to star gaze in North America. If you are interested in camping out during your visit, I have included a map and list of some recommended campgrounds for you to review in my Bryce Canyon visitor guide below.

Other Hotels Near Bryce Canyon

If camping is not your speed, you need not worry as there are a variety of good hotels for you to choose from in the area as well.  The closer hotels will be in Bryce Canyon Village, which sits just outside the park. This is where you will find Best Western Ruby’s Inn and its more expensive counterpart, the Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel.

However, there are good hotel and cabin options that aren’t too far from the park as well. In nearby Tropic, Utah there are many good options, some of which I have detailed below.

There are also some options in the other direction in nearby Panguitch, Utah. Although, this is a bit further than tropic. Finally, the city of Cannonville, which has a Grand Staircase-Escalante Visitor Center in town, has some additional hotel options you can look at.

If you are in the process of planning your trip to the park and are looking for recommendations on hotels in the area, I have included a map and list of recommended hotels at different price points for you to review in my Bryce Canyon visitor guide below.

View Larger Map

Other Things to See in the Bryce Canyon Area

If you are visiting Bryce Canyon National Park, there are a few other parks and public lands that I would absolutely recommend checking out while you are in the immediate area (within around an hour’s drive).

Zion National Park

One hour and 20 minutes to the Southwest, accessible by taking Highway 89 South, is Zion National Park.  Zion is one of the most visited parks in the US National Park System because of its beauty and iconic hiking trails.  This park is on the way if you are flying into Las Vegas and heading to Bryce Canyon.

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef is one of the most unique and fascinating of the national parks located in Southern Utah. While there are several scenic spots that you can visit in Capitol Reef without much hiking, the real beauty of the park is in the backcountry.

If you aren’t afraid of unimproved roads, there are some breathtaking spots you can visit in Capitol Reef. For more information on visiting this park, please see my Capitol Reef Guide linked below.

Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument

The Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument is something that I have written about quite a bit in recent weeks.  Below are some of the articles I have written on places to see within the national monument.

This large national monument contains some of the best hiking and back-country areas in the country.  There are three visitor centers for Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument, and all three are easy drives from Bryce Canyon National Park.

• Kanab Visitor Center – 1 hour and 20 minutes from Bryce Canyon
• Escalante Visitor Center – 50 minutes from Bryce Canyon
• Cannonville Visitor Center – 20 minutes from Bryce Canyon

Tours and Excursions Near Bryce Canyon

There are a lot of beautiful and amazing things to see in Bryce Canyon National Park, but there are also a lot of really fun activities that you can do during your visit as well. If you are starting to plan your trip and are looking for some fun activities to enjoy while you are in the area, I have included some suggestions for you to review in my guide below.

Bryce Canyon Photo Gallery

Bryce Canyon is an amazing place with plenty of opportunities to get some remarkable photographs.  Below is a gallery of some of my favorite pictures I have taken at Bryce Canyon during my numerous visits over the years.

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