A wise man running a coffee shop shaped like a giant pink rock once told us, “everyone goes to the Grand Canyon but Bryce is the one people always talk about revisiting.” At the time, we thought he must be crazy, but as we drove toward the Dixie National Forest and Bryce Canyon National Park, we found ourselves overwhelmed by the wholly different landscapes all around us. What was supposed to be two days in the park, turned into four and like the man at the coffee shop had said, we found it hard to leave in the end, wanting nothing but more time in this amazing place.



It shouldn’t be a secret to any of our readers by now that we are huge fans of America’s National Park System. From the high peaks of the American Rockies to the arid and desolate beauty of the Mojave Desert the national parks represent some of the United States’s greatest treasures. When we first returned, one of our first purchases was an old shuttle bus and a park pass which gives pass holders unlimited access to any of the 59 national parks as well as the forests, preserves, conservation areas, and monuments for an entire year. While all the national parks are incredible, Bryce Canyon was certainly something special.

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Best Time to Visit Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is different from all the other National Parks in Utah. It has an elevation of 9,000 feet which means cooler temperatures, even during the heat of summer. Nights are cool and and days are comfortable in the summertime. This is also the most popular time of year to visit the park, so if less crowds is what you are looking for, fall and wintertime are better options.


Map of the Park

There are so many possibilities for exploring and enjoying this park. Scroll down to see our list of hiking opportunities inside the park. Maps of the park can be found here or at the visitor’s center upon arrival. The park rangers are always glad to give advice and tips on the trails, so don’t forget to chat them up either at the visitor center or while on the trails!

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Getting Around Bryce Canyon National Park

While riding the FREE Bryce Canyon shuttle is not mandatory for vehicles under 20 feet (6 meters), it saves on vehicle congestion and reduces the impact we have on the park and its wild inhabitants. You can park your vehicle at the Shuttle Staging Area near Ruby’s Inn and ride into the park from there. We have a National Parks Pass and so typically we try to drive into the park (free of charge) and park near the visitor’s center and then ride the shuttle from there.

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Places to Stay

Bryce Canyon National Park has two campgrounds inside the park. The North Campground and Sunset Campground are perfect places to stay for waking up already in the park ready to go explore. Campsites are available for both tents and RVs, but it is a first come, first serve basis.

For cheaper and more secluded options, check out some of the locations just outside of the park near Bryce City.

Ruby’s Inn offers a campground which has loads of facilities like showers, laundry, pool, and convenience store. It’s an easy drive to get to the park from here, or you can simply take the Bryce Canyon shuttle into the park.

The Dixie National Forest neighbors Bryce Canyon and you can find plenty of campsites there as well! Kings Creek Campground is located on BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) and is free. Red Canyon is another BLM land option and is also free! There are no hook ups for RVs, but there are vault toilets and Red Canyon has coin showers if you are in need. These are great options for getting privacy and some peace and quiet in nature.

We stayed at the Bryce Canyon Forest Service just three miles outside of the park. We had amazing sunset views, pronghorn that wandered through our campsite, and the brightest night skies all to ourselves. This free campsite so close to the national park was awesome, but no amenities available, which was a-okay with us as we have our own camper toilet and camp showers!

There are hotels and lodges available if you aren’t into roughing it. Check out Ruby’s Inn and Bryce Lodge as they are the closest options to the park!

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Our Favorite Trails in Bryce Canyon National Park

Rim Trail

Distance  5.5 miles (8.8 km)
Time  1-3 hours
Rating  Easy
Trailhead  Fairyland Point, Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce Points

The Rim Trail of Bryce Canyon’s amphitheater is one of the most accessible and simple hikes in the park as well as being one of the most iconic. This easy trail is 5.5 miles (8.8km) of well maintained gravel that meanders the edge of the canyon, providing stunning views of the landscape below without requiring much effort. Shuttle stops throughout the park provide easy access to all of the amphitheater’s hikes, and the rim trail connects all of these trailheads. Hiking the rim is as easy as walking from one trailhead to another, and allows visitors to end their journey at the next shuttle stop, or at the end of the 5 and 1/2 miles. Unlike most hiking trails, the Rim Trail is very easy and even has some paved sections which makes it partially wheelchair accessible. It’s no mystery why this trail is so popular for visitors to Bryce Canyon National Park and we enjoyed its gravel-lined immensely. As an added bonus to the park’s most popular hike, a leisurely walk along the rim allows excellent views of the other trails for planning a descent into the amphitheater itself. DO. THE. RIM. TRAIL.

Navajo Loop trail

Distance  1.3 miles (2.1 km)
Time  1-2 hours
Rating  Moderate
Trailhead  Sunset Point

The most popular hike that dives into the canyon itself is the Navajo Loop Trail. The Navajo Loop visits some of the park’s most iconic rock formations and hoodoos, like Thor’s Hammer, Wall Street, and Twin Bridges. While this trail is slightly more strenuous than the Rim Trail, the Navajo Loop Trail is 1-2 hours of absolutely stunning rock formations and hoodoos that are exactly what visitors to Bryce were imagining. The steepest parts of the Navajo Loop include generous switchbacks to assist in the descent and ascent from the canyon’s floor, so don’t be discouraged if you’re lacking physical stamina. Halfway through this hike there are several options for joining other trails, like the Queen’s Garden Trail, to extend your time in the hoodoos.

Queen’s Garden Trail

Distance  1.8 miles (2.9 km)
Time  1-2 hours
Rating  Moderate
Trailhead  Sunrise Point

Often done in conjunction with the Navajo Loop, Queen’s Garden in a beautiful trail that extends out past the hoodoos for incredible views back at the rim and the entire amphitheater. This popular trail is quite easy once you’ve gotten down to the canyon floor, and can be seen off in the distance, winding through the hoodoos, from the rim. This hike is very similar to the Navajo Loop and can be done as a pair.

Check out the map for more trails and opportunities for exploration!


Other Adventurous Activities

Rodeo

From May to August every year Ruby’s Inn hosts a rodeo four nights a week (Wednesday – Saturday) starting at 7pm. But just how adventurous are you? You can also try bullriding for yourself or sheep riding for young kids is available, too. Check the Ruby’s Inn website for updated dates, times, and pricing.

ATV Rentals

Around Bryce Canyon National Park, there are loads of trails available for riding ATVs. Though riding in the park is allowed, there are also trails in the nearby Dixie National Forest,  Paunsaugunt Plateau, and many more that provide lots of exiting opportunities for exploration and adventure. Plenty of rental companies have ATVs for you to try out for the day and, depending on how daring you are, you can choose guided tours or unguided expeditions.

Horseback Riding

Another way to get in touch with the great American west is to saddle up and hit the trails on horse back. These are guided tours, unless you happen to be bringing your very own steed from home, and there are many companies that do these rentals around the Bryce Canyon National Park. You can wind your way through the hoodoos, following the trails of Butch Cassidy and other notorious outlaws from American history. The ghosts of America’s past will be all around as you explore the rugged landscapes that made Utah such an impassible but beautiful new landscape.


Have you been to Bryce Canyon National Park? Is there anything we missed? Let us know in the comments below! We love to hear from you.