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Bryce Canyon National Park
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Orientation
Perhaps nowhere are the forces of natural erosion more tangible than at Bryce Canyon. Its wilderness of phantom-like rock spires, or hoodoos, attracts more than a million visitors a year. Many descend on trails that give hikers and horseback riders a close look at the fluted walls and sculptured pinnacles.
The park follows the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. On the west are heavily forested tablelands more than 9,000 feet [2,743 meters] high; on the east are the intricately carved breaks where the country drops 2,000 feet [609.6 meters] to the Paria Valley. Many ephemeral streams have eaten into the plateau, forming horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters. The largest and most striking is Bryce Amphitheater. Encompassing 6 square miles [15.5 square kilometers], it is the scenic heart of the park.
Water has been helping carve Bryce’s rugged landscape for millions of years and is still at work. Water may split rock as it freezes and expands in cracks—a cyclic process that occurs some 200 times a year. In summer, runoff from violent cloudbursts etches into the softer limestones and sluices through the deep runnels. In about half a century the present rim will be cut back into the plateau another foot [0.3 meter]. But there is more here than spectacular erosion.
In the early morning you can stand for long moments on the rim, held by the amphitheater’s mysterious blend of rock and color. Warm yellows and oranges radiate from the deeply pigmented walls as scatterings of light illuminate the pale rock spires.
There is a sense of place here that goes beyond rocks. Some local Paiute Indians explained it with a legend. Once there lived animal-like creatures that changed themselves into people. But they were bad, so Coyote turned them into rocks of various configurations. The spellbound creatures still huddle together here with faces painted just as they were before being turned to stone.
When to Go
All-year park. Wildflowers are at their peak in spring and early summer; the greatest variety of the park’s 170 bird species appears between May and October. Winter lasts from November through March; snow highlights the brilliantly colored cliffs and provides fine cross-country skiing.
Statistics
- Area: 35,835 acres [14,502 hectares]
- Date Established: September 15, 1928
- State: Utah
Getting There
By Plane
- Bryce Canyon Airport 4 miles [6.4 kilometers] from the park
- Cedar City Municipal Airport (CDC) 87 miles [140 kilometers] from the park
- St. George Municipal Airport (SGU) 150 miles [241.4 kilometers] from the park
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) 270 miles [434.5 kilometers] from the park McCarran
- International Airport (LAS) 270 miles [434 kilometers] from the park
- Official Airline Guide: Salt Lake City Information
- Official Airline Guide: Las Vegas Information
By Car
- From Zion National Park (about 80 miles [128.7 kilometers] west), take Utah Hwy. 9 east, turn north onto Utah Hwy. 89, then east on Utah Hwy. 12 to Utah Hwy. 63, the park entrance road. From Capitol Reef National Park (about 65 miles [104.6 kilometers] away), take Utah 12 southward to Utah 63. Airport: Cedar City, 86 miles [138.4 kilometers] away.
How to Visit
On a 1-day visit, tour the Bryce Amphitheater, beginning, if possible, with sunrise at Bryce Point. If limited time requires choosing between the scenic drive or a walk beneath the rim, take the walk. On a longer stay, drive to Rainbow Point; consider a moonlight stroll among the hoodoos.
Activities
Free naturalist-led activities (summer): nature walks, history and geology talks, evening programs, night sky programs, moonlight walks. Also, hiking, horseback trail rides (inquire at Bryce Lodge or call +1 435 679 8665), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing.
Park Information
Headquarters Bryce Canyon, Utah 84717. Phone +1 435 834 5322. FAX +1 435 834 4102.
Seasons & Accessibility Park open year-round. Roads may be closed for short periods during and immediately after snowstorms. Some spur roads closed in winter to permit cross-country skiing. Phone headquarters for information.
Visitor & Information Centers Visitor center on main road, 1 mile [1.6 kilometers] inside park boundary, open all year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Call headquarters number for visitor information.
Entrance Fees $10 per car per week.
Facilities for Disabled Visitor center partially accessible to wheelchairs; all viewpoints and a 0.5-mile [0.8-kilometer] stretch of trail between Sunset and Sunrise Points also accessible.
Lodging
Overnight Backpacking A $5 permit is required to stay overnight at designated sites on the Under-the-rim Trail, or on the Rigg’s Spring Loop Trail.
Campgrounds Two campgrounds; 14-day limit. Part of North open all year. Sunset open May to Sept. 30. Both first come, first served. Showers nearby. Tent and RV sites; no hookups. Sunset Group Campground; reservations suggested; contact park. Food services in park.
Hotels, Motels, & Inns (unless otherwise noted, rates are for 2 persons in a double room, high season)
INSIDE THE PARK:
Bryce Canyon Lodge (south of Utah Hwy. 12 on Utah 63), Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Bryce Canyon NP, Utah 84717. +1 303 297 2757 or toll-free from within the U.S. +1 888 297 2757. Cabins, rooms, suites. $110-$140. Restaurant. Open April through Oct.
OUTSIDE THE PARK:
In Bryce, Utah 84764:
Best Western Ruby’s Inn (on Utah 63). 800 528 1234 or +1 435 834 5341. 369 units. $85-$125. AC, pool, rest. Bryce Canyon Pines Motel (on Utah 12) P.O. Box 43. +1 435 834 5441. 45 rooms; 7 cabins, 2 kitchenettes. $70-$80. Pool, rest. Bryce Canyon Resorts (13500 E. Hwy. 12 P.O. Box 640006. +1 435 834 5303. 14 cabins; 52 rooms. $50-$80. AC, pool, restaurant.
In Panguitch, Utah 84759:
Best Western New Western Motel (180 East Center St.) P.O. Box 73. 800 528 1234 or +1 435 676 8876. 55 units. $65-$75. AC, pool. Color Country Motel (526 N. Main St.) P.O. Box 163. +1 435 676 2386. 26 units. $52. AC, pool. Open all year. Sands Motel (390 N. Main St.) P.O. Box 593. +1 435 676 8874. 32 units. AC, pool. Open May through Oct.
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