The Perfect Bryce Canyon National Park Itinerary

Adventure, National Parks, Travel Guides

Famous for its largest collection of hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park is a Utah treasure! The park is best known for its beautiful hiking trails, unique rock formations, camping, incredible sunrises, stargazing, and wildlife viewing.

What makes Bryce Canyon so special? First, picture panoramic views from overlooks scattered on an elevated scenic byway, which runs 18 miles along a highway, stopping at 13 incredible viewpoints.

Beyond the byway lies tall canyons, spires, sandstone pillars, and many spectacular hiking trails and park activities. Its unique landscape is absolutely extraordinary and really sets itself apart from other surrounding national parks.

There are some places in life worth chasing the sunrise for, and seeing the tall orange hoodoos glow in the morning light is one of them!

Bryce Canyon National Park is a very easy park to visit and can be explored in just a few short days. If you happen to be planning a United States road trip or a weekend getaway, then this guide is for you.

My Bryce Canyon National Park Itinerary highlights the best things to do and where to go right in the heart of the park. Pick and choose between 1-2 day itineraries, which include the best viewpoints, the best time of year to visit, top hiking trails, places to stay, and more.

From hiking the Navajo Loop Trail to horseback riding through the canyon, this Bryce Canyon National Park itinerary is the perfect guide for first-timers.

Getting to Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is located in southern Utah, a 4-hour drive from both Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Utah is home to 5 incredible national parks, with Bryce Canyon being one of them.

Bryce Canyon’s location is quite special as it is conveniently located near other neighboring national parks, including Zion National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park.

Collectively they are known as Utah’s famous “Mighty 5”

The park is easily accessible by plane or by car from Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, or St. George. If you’re coming from Zion, the quickest way to Bryce Canyon is to exit at the east entrance of Zion National Park on US-89. The trip can take roughly one hour and 30 mins to get to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Be sure to check out Skyscanner for cheap flights and rentalcars.com to book your ideal mode of transport for getting to the park.

If you’re planning a southwest road trip, then renting an RV maybe just be what you need to kick-start your adventure.

Getting around Bryce Canyon National Park

While Bryce Canyon is a relatively small national park, you may still need a car to get around, or once you’re inside the park, you can take advantage of the free shuttle bus located at the visitor center.

If you happen to be visiting during high season, you may find that parking can be a bit challenging.

Jumping on the shuttle is very convenient as it stops at many of the park’s incredible trailheads, amenities, and viewpoints. On our USA road trip, we had our motorized scooter with us, which came in very handy when parking lots became full.

Bryce Canyon National Park Entrance Fee

Like most of the national parks in the US, visitors will need to purchase a national park pass when entering the park. You can purchase a pass at the park’s entrance or online at Recreation.gov.

If you plan to visit more than 3 parks, then I highly recommend purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass for $80. This annual parks pass will provide you entry to many of the national parks across the United States for a full year.

Currently, Bryce Canyon National Park does not require reservations or permits.

Best things to do in Bryce Canyon National Park

Wondering what there is to do in Bryce Canyon?

From sunrise views to the best hikes in the park, here are the top things to do at Bryce Canyon National Park as a first-time visitor.

Navajo Loop and Queens Graden Trail

The best hike in the park, and my personal favorite hike, is the Navajo Loop, joined by the Queen’s Garden Trail.

Starting at Sunset Point, follow the Navajo Trail in a counterclockwise direction passing Wall Street and following the signs to the Queens Garden Trail. The trail ends at Sunrise Point, back near the Canyon Rim Trail.

This surprising hike is considered one of the easier hikes in the park and is suited for hikers at any skill level.

What I love about this hike is that it has one of the most diverse landscapes and scenery and features many amazing rock formations like the Queens Hoodoos and Wall Street, the park’s largest slot canyon.

The whole trail is approximately 2.9 miles (4.6km) and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. The elevation gain on this trail is 625 feet (191m). This hike is super popular, and for good reason, the impressive viewpoints will leave you speechless.

Watch the sunrise at Sunset Point

Now, this may sound kinda odd, but my top choice to watch the sunrise in Bryce Canyon National Park is at Sunset Point. Here you will find stunning panoramic views of the below amphitheater.

My other two recommendations include Inspiration Point and Sunrise Point. Both of these offer beautiful views as well, the spires and hoodoos look amazing at both sunrise and sunset.

Wall Street

This is by far the most picturesque sight in all of Bryce Canyon National Park. Wall Street is an iconic section of Bryce’s amphitheater, the trail is formed around towering rock walls creating a large slot canyon with sandy switchbacks that lead to the bottom of the canyon. Wall Street is best viewed in the soft morning light or late afternoon.

You can reach Wall Street via the Navajo Loop Trail, which starts at the Sunset Point trailhead (my preferred route), or you can reach it from the Queen’s Garden trailhead at Sunrise Point.

Drive the Scenic Byway

Scenic Byway 12, aka “Highway 12,” is a beautiful picturesque drive that crosses through various sections of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and stops at Bryce Canyon on its way to Capitol Reef National Park.

Starting at the visitor center, the scenic drive is 36 miles in length (57km) and stops at 13 viewpoints, including Rainbow Point, the highest area in the park sitting at 9,100 feet (2773m).

Horseback Riding

Nothing screams “old west” more than horseback riding through Bryce Canyon.

Guests can experience a horseback ride of up to 3hrs which includes a complete tour of the canyon via the Peekaboo Loop Trail. Horseback rides can be booked through Canyon Trail Rides.

Fairyland Loop

Bryce’s hidden gem! While everyone is off hiking the trails below Sunset and Sunrise Point, that leaves the Fairyland Loop Trail serene and crowd free.

The Fairyland Loop is a beautiful trail with an elevation gain of 1,580 feet (482m). It’s considered quite a moderate hike and takes around 3 hours to complete (depending on your hiking level)

Its surreal landscape is beyond impressive. The trail leads you down into the canyon, which makes for steeper climbs in some areas along the trail. However, it also has plenty of flat sections, so you can pace yourself and take plenty of photos.

Natural Bridge

Dont miss Bryce Canyons’ natural arch! Natural Bridge is a gigantic rock arch made of limestone that forms when running water erodes a tunnel into a rock formation.

Very similar to the arches at Arches National Park. Natural Bridge can be seen from the main scenic highway between Farview Point and Agua Canyon.

The Rim Trail

Explore Bryce Canyons’ entire Rim Walking Trail, the hike is 4.7 miles round trip offering amazing views of the park’s famous hoodoos.

A great place to start is at Bryce Point, making your way around and ending at the entrance to Fairyland Point.

The Rim Trail will pass by Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point, which are all great viewing spots for a break along the trail.

Stargazing at Bryce Canyon

Due to the park’s high elevation, Bryce Canyon offers the most incredible stargazing views, an extraordinary experience you won’t get anywhere else.

On a good clear night, you can see the milky way and up to 7,500 stars! There are many ways to go stargazing within the park, you can attend an astronomy ranger program, attend a hosted stargazing event or venture out on your own.

To make the most of your starry adventures, I would consider attending the park’s Annual Astronomy Festival. Each year in June, there are multiple daytime and nighttime activities for park-goers of all ages to enjoy.

Bryce Canyon in winter

Planning on visiting Bryce in the Winter? It may not be the warmest time to visit, however, it does offer some fun winter activities and beautiful snowy views. Seeing Bryce’s amphitheater coved in snow is absolutely stunning!

One of the best activities to do at Bryce in the winter is snowshoeing & cross-country skiing.

The park allows snowshoeing on all trails at the park, with many visitors enjoying trails like The Rim, Fairyland Road & Bristlecone Loop. Snowshoeing is an enjoyable way to relish in the park’s powdery tracks and white-capped hoodoos.

Another great spot to check out during the winter is the Mossy Cave Trail. Over the winter months, the small overhung cave starts to form large icicles that hang from above.

The Mossy Cave Trail is a 0.8 mile (1.3km) track there and back and takes roughly 1 hour to complete.

Bryce Canyon National Park Map

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the national park service map. The red line is the main road through the park. Half-moon circles indicate major viewpoints and trailheads.

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How many days to visit Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon truly is a special place and is often overshadowed by Utah’s other National Parks, however, this small intriguing park certainly packs a lot in!

You can see many of the park’s highlights within a half-day visit, however, I recommend spending at least 1-2 days at the park to fully experience what the park has to offer.

See below my recommended Bryce Canyon itinerary for 1 day.

Bryce Canyon 1-Day Itinerary

Visitors Center

The best way to start your Bryce Canyon adventure is at the Visitors Center. Here you can collect souvenirs, trail maps and check the weather conditions for the day.

The rangers here can also help answer any questions and help you prepare for your day’s activities.

The Visitors Center is also where you can catch the park shuttle, it’s completely free and commutes park guests to the most popular viewpoints, amenities, and trailheads.

The shuttle runs at 15-minute intervals from 8 am to 6 pm, with extended hours during the summer. You can track the bus with the Bryce Canyon Shuttle Tracker.

Hike The Navajo Loop And Queens Garden Trail

Kick off your first hike of the day at the Navajo Loop Trail paired with the Queens Garden Trail. Begin your hike at the Sunset Point parking lot, you will hike the Navajo Loop Trail, which connects with the Queens Garden Trail, and finish at Sunrise Point.

Take the time to walk back to your car via the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail. The total length of the hike is 2.9 miles (4.6km) and has an elevation gain of 515 feet (157m).

I absolutely loved this hike, it’s up there as one of my favorites. The Navajo Loop, paired with the Queen’s Garden Trail, offers the most diverse terrain and is one of the more easy hikes in the park.

Inspiration Point

Jump in your car and head to your next stop. Inspiration Point is another beautiful and popular spot to soak in the canyon views.

From here, I recommend hiking along the Rim of the scenic Bryce Amphitheater in a counterclockwise direction, making your way toward Bryce Point.

Inspiration Point looks down upon Bryce Creek and the world’s largest grouping of rock spires called hoodoos. Hands down, this is one of the best viewpoints in all of Bryce Canyon National Park you won’t want to miss.

Bryce Point

Enjoy your time taking in the views along the Rim Trail. From Inspiration Point to Bryce point along The Rim is 1.5 miles (2.4km), so it shouldn’t be long before you reach your next viewpoint at Bryce Point.

Here you can see more scenic panoramas of the full canyon amphitheater below at a high elevation. From the Bryce Point parking lot, catch the shuttle back to Inspiration Point, then drive on over to your second last stop of the day.

Rainbow Point

The iconic Rainbow Point offers a unique view of Bryce Canyon due to it being the highest elevation in the entire park, sitting at 9,115 feet (2778m).

Rainbow Point is located further north at the end of Bryce Canyon Road and is roughly a 26-minute drive from the Inspiration Point parking lot.

From Rainbow Point, you can see many of the hoodoos, the beautiful pink cliffs, plus the entire canyon amphitheater below.

Watch The Sunset At Sunrise Point

Make your way back towards the Vistors Center, stopping at Sunrise Point to watch the sun go down. I will say that this viewpoint is equally spectacular at both sunrise and sunset.

Sunrise Point is positioned just slightly higher than the Rim Trail and provides incredible 360-degree views, making it the perfect spot to view the late afternoon sun along the horizon.

Bryce Canyon 2-Day Itinerary

As I mentioned previously, ideally, you will want to spend at least 1-2 days fully exploring the park. The below Bryce Canyon National Park itinerary is for 2 full days, highlighting the park’s best viewpoints, trails, and activities.

Bryce Canyon National Park truly is an enchanted wonderland, and this 2-day guide will ensure you make the most of your park visit.

Day One

Visitors Center

Start your day at the park’s Visitors Center. Here you can collect park souvenirs and maps and check the weather conditions for trails and see what areas of the park are open or closed.

The park rangers are also stationed at the Visitor Center and help plan your daily activities and answer any questions you might have. The park shuttle also leaves every 15 minutes from the Visitor Center and is absolutely free. Check out the Park Shuttle Tracker here!

Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive

Get an early start and cruise along the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive. This beautiful drive starts at the Visitor Center and ends at Rainbow Point. The route is a 38 miles (57km) round-trip with 13 incredible viewpoints to enjoy.

I recommend driving all the way to Rainbow Point, the highest elevation change in the park, then proceed to stop at the many viewpoints on your way back down to the Visitor Center.

Keep a lookout for the highway’s top highlights, including Natural Bridge, Black Birch Canyon, Privacy Point, Farview Point, and Swamp Canyon Overlook.

Bryce Point

On your way back down from the scenic drive, you will come to an intersection, turn right and follow the road toward Bryce Point. Here you can soak in the endless views of the canyon amphitheater below.

Inspiration Point

Now it’s time to head to your last stop of the day. Inspiration Point consists of three viewpoints, with each one providing spectacular views from different elevated levels.

Choose a spot along the Rim Trail and watch the sun go down. The sunset views from here are beyond gorgeous, an experience you won’t want to miss.

Day Two

Watch The Sunrise At Sunset Point

Get in an early morning start by heading to Sunset Point to watch the sunrise. Now you absolutely don’t have to if you don’t want to. I get it I’m not exactly an early bird, either.

However, I feel like this kind of experience is far and few between, and who knows if you will ever be back here again.

So climb out of bed, fill your thermos full of coffee, and let’s kick start day two of your Bryce Canyon National Park itinerary!

The Navajo Loop And Queens Garden Trail

With your hiking gear on and your backpack ready to go, it’s time to journey out on your first hiking trail of the day. From Sunset Point, start making your way toward the Navajo Loop paired with the Queens Garden Trail.

Follow the trail to the left toward Thors Hammer and Two Bridges. When you reach the fork of the Navajo Loop Trail, turn left and follow the Queens Garden Trail around, passing Queen Victoria and back toward Sunrise Point.

Hiking the Navajo Loop just after sunrise is an experience in itself, the lighting is absolutely beautiful you will most likely have the trail to yourself, so you can take as many beautiful photos as you wish.

Lunch At Bryce Canyon Lodge

Stop for lunch at the Bryce Canyon Lodge before heading out on your next hiking trail for the day. The Lodge gives plenty of winter log cabin vibes, which is fun, and offers a wide variety of food options.

They often serve a set menu buffet, with breakfast served from 7.30 to 10 am, lunch from 11.30 to 3 pm, and dinner from 5 to 9 pm. Seating at The Lodge is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Mossy Cave Trail

To end your Bryce Canyon adventure, head to your last stop of the day, the Mossy Cave Trail. This lovely hiking trail follows a stream to a dripping mossy cave (hence the name). During the winter, the cave fills with beautiful frozen icicles.

Located at the North end of the park on Highway 12, the Mossy Cave Trail is considered quite an easy hike, it has a 300-foot elevation gain and takes roughly 1 hour to complete.

Best time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park

There are benefits to visiting Bryce Canyon at all times of the year, depending on your interests. In terms of great weather, fewer crowds, and the availability of hiking trails, the best time of the year to visit is during the late Spring and early Fall months. (April-May & Sept-Nov)

Summer is the most popular season to visit Bryce Canyon. The temperatures at Bryce are a lot cooler compared to the other Utah national parks during the summer period because of the park’s high elevation.

Typically the temps hover between the low 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit (21-26ºC), making it less hot than other areas of Southern Utah.

Do note that the summer rains begin in Southern Utah around late July through to August and uncover lighting storms, so be cautious and always stop hiking if you start to see lighting.

Each season has so much to offer, this Bryce Canyon National itinerary can be applied to any time of year. That way, you can still enjoy the full beauty of Bryce Canyon.

Where to stay in Bryce Canyon National Park

After a long day of exploring and hiking, you will definitely want somewhere comfortable and nice to stay!

Bryce Canyon National Park is surrounded by all sorts of rustic log cabins and campgrounds for many campers and non-campers alike. See below the best places to stay near Bryce Canyon National Park.

Lodges and cabins

The Lodge: rustic lodge right in the heart of Bryce Canyon National Park. Convenient lodges & cabins are available, close to all hiking trails in the park.

Bryce Canyon Log Cabins: log cabins near Bryce Canyon. Quite & relaxing while still being close to the park.

Bryce Pioneer Village: Spacious lodge cabins, on-site dinner theatre, 20-minute drive from Bryce Canyon National Park.

Camping

Under Canvas Bryce Canyon: beautiful luxe glamping, remote location, and close proximity to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon National Park Campgrounds: two campground locations available (North Campground & Sunset Campground), tent, campervan, and RV site options.

North Campground has about 100 campsites, with loops A & B for RVs and C & D for tents. Here you’ll find flushing toilets, portable water, firewood, and a dump station. Sites at the North campground can be made 6 months in advance through Recreation.gov.

Sunset Campground Located west of Sunset Point, Sunset campground offers 99 sites with loops A for RVs and loops B &C for tents. This has the same amenities as the North campground, however, it doesn’t have a general store. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis, which can be made through Recreation.gov.

Dispersed camping can be found through The Dyrt or iOverlander.

Hotels & Inns

Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn: private rooms with spa baths, on-site gift shop, and general store, located just minutes from Scenic Byway 12.

La Quinta by Wyndham: situated in Cedar City, large modern hotel suites, the closest airport is St. George Regional Airport.

Abbey Inn Ceder City: modern hotel featuring an indoor pool and hot tub, guest launderette, and free on-site parking.

Tip for visiting Bryce Canyon National Park

Planning a Bryce Canyon National Park itinerary wouldn’t be complete without a few tips and tricks.

Located in the state of Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park park covers more than 35,835 acres and is known for its dazzling vistas, unusual geological formations, and diverse animal and plant life.

Each year, over 1.5 million people visit Bryce Canyon, which is now considered the second most popular of the “Mightly 5” Utah national parks. That said, there’s no reason to let the park’s popularity and crowds keep you from visiting.

Here are my park tips to make sure the memories & experiences you make at Bryce Canyon are ones you’ll remember for years to come.

Get an early start

Bryce Canyon is a very popular national park. As you would expect, weekends are generally busier than regular weekdays, especially during the summer months.

I highly recommend arriving at the park as early as possible on a weekday. That way, you will avoid long lines at the entrance gate and find accessible parking at the trailheads.

Early sunrise at the viewpoints is an experience you’ll never forget. Plus, it’s one of the best times of day for taking incredible photos.

After sunrise, hit the trails like the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail, this popular trail tends to get crowded around mid-morning to late afternoon. Start early to avoid heavy crowds.

Be Prepared

If you don’t plan on getting lost in the backcountry, then you need to come prepared! A successful hike is simple when you have the right tools and mindset.

Be sure to study detailed trail maps ahead of time, and pack hiking essentials like adequate food & water, a first aid kit, navigation tools, sun protection, a durable raincoat, and safety items such as a headlight, mace, and a whistle. Planning a hiking trip is easy, especially if you have the proper resources available.

Stay on the trail

Bryce Canyon National Park sits at a very high elevation, with some parts of the park even reaching 9,100 feet (2778m).

It’s super important to enjoy the scenery from the viewpoints provided or from a safe distance. Many injuries in the park are caused by people wandering off the trail.

Walking off the trail can also damage or kill certain plant species, which can end up hurting the ecosystems that surround the paths.

Remember to always leave a no trace principle and always leave vegetation, wildlife, and relics where you found them.

Bring plenty of water

Water is possibly the most important item on your hiking essentials list. Due to Bryce Canyon’s high altitude, you are at risk of becoming dehydrated more easily.

Without plenty of water, your body cannot perform at its best. Make sure you have an adequate water supply, I find these bladder bags to be great. No matter the weather conditions, always remember to hydrate before, during, and after.

Hiking is not a race

Remember that saying “slow and steady wins the race” well, in terms of hiking, slow and steady is better than a quick race to the top.

Many first-time-hikers often hike at a fast pace to start and then lose their energy and momentum later. Be sure to take your time and conserve your energy, especially if you are on a long hike.

If you hike too fast, you will burn out and miss opportunities to spot wildlife and natural wonders. Take your time and have fun!

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Bryce Canyon National Park Fun Facts

– Bryce Canyon was named after pioneer Ebenezer Bryce who arrived in the Paria Valley with his family in 1875.

– The park’s high elevation, clean air, and isolated location makes some of the darkest and clearest skies in the US. On a clear night, you can see thousands of stars within the milky way.

– Bryce Canyon is home to the largest collection of hoodoos in the world. Each rock in the park erodes at different speeds, making all kinds of unique hoodoo shapes and sizes.

– Technically, Bryce Canyon isn’t a canyon as the name suggests, it’s actually a collection of many natural amphitheaters carved out by extreme wind and rain elements.

– The park hosts an annual Prairie Dog Festival each year! The park’s iconic species, the prairie dog, is celebrated with fun children’s activities, prairie dog-watching, and more!

– Bryce Canyon may be smaller out of all the parks, but it sits at a much higher elevation than its neighboring park Zion. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700m).

Final thoughts on Bryce Canyon National Park

That’s a wrap on this Bryce Canyon National Park itinerary! You’re now ready to have fun, relax and enjoy the great outdoors! There’s nothing more exciting than visiting one of Utah’s greatest treasures.

Whether you plan for just a day trip to Bryce Canyon or to explore the two full days, I hope you found this Bryce Canyon National Park Guide helpful.

Let me know if this will be your first time visiting the park and what you’re looking forward to the most, share them in the comments below!

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You will not pay more when you buy through these links. All opinions are my own, and I would never recommend anything I don’t personally love.