Everything you should know about Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon, named after Mormon settler Ebenezer Bryce, welcomes more than 2.3 million visitors every year to marvel at the world’s largest collection of hoodoos or spires of rocks in Utah's 12-mile Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce’s defining features are composed of several types of iron and manganese–the minerals that create the vibrant reds, oranges, and white colors that paint the park. 

With cooler temps than nearby Zion National Park and a compact, Bryce Canyon National Park’s geological wonders attract tourists for hiking, jaw-dropping scenic drives, stargazing, and horseback riding among its multicolored rock formations. 

Best time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce is a year-round destination, and park facilities and services are fully functional from May through October. Late spring and early fall provide cooler temperatures and fewer crowds. You are also more likely to find accommodation options in and near the park during these seasons. September and October are the best times to hike with normally clear weather and less-populated trails.

Afternoon thunderstorms, heat, and an influx of visitors make summer a less pleasant experience, though the park is alive with scheduled ranger programs and events, such as the Bryce Canyon County Rodeo. Snow blankets the hoodoos in winter, though some trails close, and fewer restaurants and accommodations will be open. Park services, like the Bryce Canyon National Park Shuttle and the Sunset Campground, are unavailable.

Where to find the best views in the park

Any view along the rim of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater—a massive, horseshoe-shaped bowl in the park can be appreciated; however, the park has four main lookout spots: Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, and Bryce Point. 

If you are going to only choose one viewpoint to visit, Sunrise Point, the most northern point, is an excellent option for lighting at every time of day despite its namesake. From this spot, visitors can see the Boat Mesa, Sinking Ship formation, and the Pink Cliffs–some of the most well-known formations in the park. If you are staying at the Bryce Canyon Lodge, the flat Rim Trail will take you right there in about 10 minutes. 

Where to find the best hiking trails

Bryce has more than 30 trails for all fitness and skill levels. First-time visitors can try the Rim Trail (5.5 miles/8.0 km) from Bryce Point to Fairyland Point, with stops at Inspiration Point, and Sunset Point along the way. The majority of the trail is flat, and pets are allowed.

To dive deeper into the maze of hoodoos, visitors should consider the Navajo Loop Trail (1.3 miles/2.1 km). This easy hike allows hikers to combine additional trails, such as the Queen’s/Navajo Combination Loop (2.9 miles/4.6 km) and the Navajo/Peekaboo Combination Loop (4.9 miles/7.9 km), offering views of the iconic, towering rock formation, Thor’s Hammer. 

The best spots to see wildlife

Sunrise and Sunset Points not only offer views of the surrounding landscape but also serve as ideal places to spot the animals that call the park home. Finding an area to sit and/or wait along the rim or at these specific viewpoints is usually the best way to spot the 159 species of mammals in the park if wildlife viewing is a priority for your visit.

Pronghorn antelope, Rocky Mountain elk, and mule deer are the most commonly found in the Amphitheater and in the nearby meadows. Occasional black bears and mountain lions also roam the plateau, though you are much more likely to see Bryce’s resident prairie dogs both above and below the rim.

Because of Utah’s location in North America, the park is a common stopover point for migratory hummingbirds, such as the black-chinned and rufous hummingbirds. Fall is the best time to visit if you wish to spot them, but with 173 other species of birds in the park, you are likely to see a variety at higher elevations. The Bristlecone Loop Trail (1.0 mile/1.6km) is a popular trail to see dusky grouse and Clark’s nutcracker.

Expert recommendations and tips

Plan your trip to Bryce Canyon around the phases of the moon. During a new moon, stargaze beneath the canyon’s dark sky at Sunrise Point, Paria View, or Whiteman Bench. At the quarter moon, hike among the hoodoos by the bright overhead overhead. Take a guided full-moon hike for extra illumination, though don’t expect much stargazing. The night before the full moon, watch it rise at Sunrise Point or Inspiration Point with the full colors of the sunset still shining on the landscape. 

Things to do in Bryce Canyon

Hitting the park’s trails is usually the main attraction for most visitors, but the 18-mile Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive begins three miles after the Amphitheater and ends at Rainbow Point. A park shuttle also offers transportation along the Scenic Drive.

The Navajo Loop Trail and the Rim Trail usually have the most foot traffic, but the lesser-known Mossy Cave Trail (0.8 mile/1.3 km), outside the park entrance on Highway 12, leads to a grotto and man-made, 50-foot waterfall.

Visitors can also go horseback riding to see the park. Canyon Trail Rides offers a two-hour and three-hour guided ride from May through October along more than four miles of horse trails, established by the National Park Service in 1931.

More recently, stargazers have been visiting Bryce Canyon National Park since it was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2019. The park’s high elevation and minimal light pollution provide visitors with views of the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy on a clear night. The park has developed programs and events, such as an astronomy festival and guided full-moon hikes to educate amateur stargazers about the importance of preserving dark skies.

Best things to do for families

Bryce is family-friendly with a few easy hiking trails. One option is the “Wall Street” portion of the Navajo Loop Trail (1.5 miles/2.4 km), which features some of the most impressive formations, including the Wall of Windows and Silent City in the Amphitheater. Older children can add Queen’s Garden for an additional 1.4 miles (2.2 km).

The National Park Service’s Junior Ranger program is also active here, and booklets are available at a stop at the visitor center. Once completed, kids can receive a wooden badge recognizing their interest in geology, ecology, and the history of Bryce.

Teens and young adults can enjoy ATV rides in the nearby Dixie National Forest. While ATVs are prohibited in the park itself, tours take you from Bryce Canyon City to Casto Canyon, known for its own red rock formations. Visitors can sign up for tours at Ruby’s Inn.

Where to stay

Hotels: The 114-room Bryce Canyon Lodge is only an eight-minute walk away from the Amphitheater and includes a dining hall and shop. Reservations are recommended, but if it is booked, nearby Bryce Canyon City also has accommodations at different price points. Ruby’s Inn is an affordable option known for its cowboy-style buffet and a short drive from the entrance.

Camping: Bryce Canyon has two campgrounds available to reserve on the recreation.gov. The North Campground is open year-round, while Sunset Campground is open from April through October. Both are located in convenient spots in the park, a short walk to the visitor center, and the Bryce Canyon Lodge, and the Amphitheater. RVs are allowed at both campgrounds.

What else you need to know

Bryce has a free shuttle service from mid-April to mid-October. While most visitors choose to navigate the park with their own vehicle, the shuttle stops at the main trailheads, visitor center, campgrounds, and even accommodations outside the park. Visitors will need to show their park passes or park entrance receipts to board.

It is possible to visit Bryce year-round, though temperatures in the low 80s are common during the height of summer. It is cooler within the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, so a hike below the rim can provide some relief from the worst of the heat. Bryce is also busy during this time of year.

Winter is also a popular time to visit for photographers—a light dusting of snow brings out the orange and red colors in the hoodoos. Visitors can sign up for ranger-led snowshoe hikes for all skill levels—snowshoes and poles are free. Cross-country skiing along several trails above the rim is another popular wintertime activity.

For quieter, more temperate periods of visitation, spring and fall offer less-crowded trails and more hotel and camping options.

Compared to many federal lands, Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the more ADA-accessible parks. Shuttle buses are wheelchair-accessible, and the visitor center has two wheelchair-accessible ramps and a lowered information desk. The visitor center also has assistive listening devices available upon request for its 24-minute film, an overview of the park.

Most of the viewpoints along the 18-mile scenic road are wheelchair-accessible, though not all offer paved access. Two of the most popular viewpoints, Sunset Point and Bryce Point, are paved from the parking lot to the overlooks. The Rim Trail is paved from Sunset to Sunrise Points and provides a half-mile, wheelchair-accessible route. 

Two campsites in Sunset Campground have paved sites with stand-up fire grills for wheelchair users and others with mobility concerns, and they can be reserved online before your visit.