Bryce Canyon National Park Guide
A guide to Bryce Canyon National Park and surrounding areas.
Bryce Canyon Weather
Located in southwestern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is about 50 miles northeast of and 1,000 feet higher than nearby Zion National Park. As a result of the elevation, the weather in Bryce Canyon is cooler and wetter, receiving 15 to 18 inches of precipitation per year. Temperatures range from average lows of 9 °F in January to average highs of 83 °F in July. However, extreme temperatures can range from −30 to nearly 100 °F.
Bryce Canyon Things To Do
Marvel at ancient rock formations of Red Canyon
The forested Red Canyon is a less frequented shallow valley just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. Red Canyon sits 9 miles northwest of Bryce Canyon City. Familiar orange-red hoodoos and pinnacles — formed from weather patterns over millions of years — dot the landscape alongside ponderosa pine trees. Entrance in the canyon is free.
Hoodoos are the main attraction in Bryce Canyon, and you’ll see dozens on a hike through Bryce Canyon National Park, most impressive among them being Thor’s Hammer. Evening and nighttime tours of the area are offered by park rangers, and a moonlit stroll under these looming behemoths adds an extra splash of magic to your trip.
Stargazing
Far removed from the light pollution of major cities, Bryce Canyon National Park is the perfect place for stargazing with over 7,500 stars visible on a moonless night. If you’re visiting in June, the Annual Astronomy Festival has fascinating talks and relaxing tours for the experienced and amateur astronomer. An hour away, Escalante is the home of the Serenidad Art Gallery featuring art inspired by the local scenery.
Sunrises in Bryce Canyon National Park
Get up early and get inspired by the sun hitting the crimson-hued hoodoos. These distinctive, sedimentary rock formations are thin, tall rock spires developed over time through erosion. Bryce Canyon has the largest collection of hoodoos in the world. Many overlooks at Bryce Canyon City is a short distance from Inspiration Point one of the most iconic landscapes in the country. Free shuttle service from Ruby’s Inn to Bryce Canyon make exploring easy and hassle-free.
ATV tours
A fun and exciting way to explore the edges of Bryce Canyon is atop an ATV. The half-hour and one-hour guided ATV tours starts at Bryce Canyon Auto Care. Excursions on ATVs are shorter trips designed for visitors looking to explore lesser-known parts of the region. Sunset rides takes visitors go through alpine landscape and Bryce Canyon Rim.
Dining
Local restaurants offer culinary experiences rooted in tradition and comfort.
Ebenezer’s Barn & Grill is a chuck-wagon restaurant that features nightly musical entertainment along with a western-style meal.
The Canyon Diner is known for great western fast food and Piccadilly Pizza.
The Cowboy’s Buffet & Steak Room gives guests the option to choose from steak, ribs, chicken, and seafood or the option to indulge in the seasonal buffet.
Instagramable paradise from a helicopter
Charter a helicopter tour over the stunning landscape of Bryce Canyon. Choppers fly low, slow, and up close to features and vistas that can only be seen from the air. Tours offer full or partial views of the amphitheater. The full tour shows all of Bryce Canyon and Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument where one can see a six-inch crack in the earth increases to 1,000 feet as the helicopter descends into Bull Valley Gorge.
Horseback riding
Ride along the same trails as Butch Cassidy and his gang of outlaws. Locate their hideaways with an experienced wrangler leading the way on one of several different trail options. Horseback rides provide an experience similar to what travelers felt when the region was considered the Wild West. Trail rides are available for novices and wranglers for all ages.
Bryce Canyon Hikes
The unique geography in Bryce Canyon makes it one of the most spectacular backdrops for hiking in the southwest.
During the summer, the Bryce Canyon Shuttle provides optional transportation to and from Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce Points but does not serve the southern end of the park. You must provide your own transportation to and from those locations. The Rainbow Point Tour is available (when the shuttle system is operating) to transport hikers to and from Rainbow Point. However, this service may be discontinued at any time without notice, so inquire at the Visitor Center. Please note that Bryce Canyon National Park does not allow hitchhiking.
To download the National Park Service’s backcountry trail guide and map, click here.
Easy hikes
Mossy Cave (0.8 mi round trip)
Located outside of the amphitheater on highway 12 going toward Tropic, this trail is a streamside walk up to a mossy overhang and small waterfall. (Waterfall flows May to October)
Rim Trail (11 mi round trip) and Sunset Point to Sunrise Point Trail (1 mi round trip)
Observe the amphitheater and its hoodoos along the rim. With a little planning, it’s possible to visit all four main viewpoints. The Rim Trail — the half-mile section of trail between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point — is paved and relatively level. It offers exceptional views of the Queens Garden and Bryce Amphitheater.
The Under-the-Rim Trail is approximately 22.9 miles from Rainbow Point to Bryce Point. Agua Canyon, Whiteman Bench, and Swamp Canyon trailheads intersect the Under-the-Rim Trail.
Bristlecone Loop (1 mi round trip)
Hike through spruce-fir forests to cliffs with bristlecone pines and expansive vistas.
Queens Garden (1.8 mi round trip)
This is the easiest trail into the canyon. Using your imagination, you may even see Queen Victoria at the end of a short spur trail.
Moderate hikes
Navajo Loop (1.3 mi round trip)
Bryce Canyon National Park is known for the tall spires of red and orange rock — known as hoodoos — that spread across the canyon floor, reaching upward and towering above those beneath them. It is a sight that everyone should see at least once. One of the best trails to take you among these hoodoos and see them in all their glory is the Navajo Loop Trail. Navajo Loop allows you to see the best of Bryce Canyon without taking too much time but also connects to other trails along the way for those wanting a longer hike.
Tower Bridge (3 mi round trip)
See Bristlecone pines and the China Wall. A shady 1/4-mile spur trail leads to the Tower Bridge.
Hat Shop (4 mi round trip)
Descend to the Under-the-Rim Trail to see a cluster of balanced-rock hoodoos.
Swamp Canyon (4.3 mi round trip)
Descend into one of the lesser-known areas of Bryce Canyon.
Strenuous hikes
Fairyland Loop (8 mi round trip)
See the China Wall, Tower Bridge, and tall hoodoos on this less-crowded trail.
Peek-A-Boo Loop (5.5 mi round trip)
This is a steep but spectacular hike through the heart of Bryce Amphitheater where hikers can see the Wall of Windows. (This trail is shared by the trail ride concession).
Riggs Spring Loop (8.5 miles round trip)
The Riggs Spring Loop is a high-elevation hike leaving from Rainbow point down through varied forests of Spruce, Fir, and Bristlecone. The loop begins and ends at the Rainbow/Yovimpa Point parking lot. Either the Yovimpa or Rainbow Point trailhead may be used to access this loop.
Bryce Canyon National Park Camping
Bryce Canyon’s backcountry is a primitive area managed according to regulations that protect its wilderness values. Camping is allowed on a limited basis and only at designated campsites.
The Under-the-Rim Trail extends 23 miles from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point and has eight backcountry campsites. The Riggs Spring Loop Trail (8.8 miles round trip) from Yovimpa Point has four backcountry sites. Both trails drop below the rim of the plateau and lead through forested areas.
Please note that a Backcountry Permit is required for all overnight stays in the backcountry. Permits may be purchased at the Visitor Center from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. No phone or e-mail reservations are accepted. In-person reservations may be made up to 48 hours in advance. Park staff reserves the right to refuse permits to parties that fail to demonstrate the necessary preparedness that Bryce Canyon’s high and dry backcountry demands.
Open fires are not allowed in the backcountry, but camp stoves are permitted. Click here for detailed information and maps. To download the National Park Service’s backcountry trail guide and map, click here.
Bryce Canyon Maps
To download a National Park Service map of Bryce Canyon, click here.
To download the 2018 Bryce Canyon National Park Map and Guide, click here.
Bryce Canyon Hotels
Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel
E 100 N, Bryce, UT 84764
3.7 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn
26 South Main Street, Bryce Canyon City, UT 84764-8002
3.6 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Pioneer Village
80 South Main Hwy 12, Tropic, UT 84776
4.7 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon Pines
Highway 12, Mile post 10, Bryce, UT 84764
6.5 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon Resort
13500 E Hwy 12, Bryce, UT 84764
4.9 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Red Ledges Inn
181 North Main St, Tropic, UT 84776
4.8 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Gateway Inn
3066 Highway 12, Panguitch, UT 84759
14.0 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Quality Inn Bryce Canyon
3800 South Hwy 89, Panguitch, UT 84759
15.0 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Mountain Ridge Cabins and Lodging
106 S Main St, Hatch, UT 84735
14.7 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Zion Inn
227 N. Main, Hatch, UT 84735
14.7 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Days Inn by Wyndham Panguitch
2nd East Center Street, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.0 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Purple Sage Motel
132 East Center, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.0 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Panguitch Inn
50 North Main Street, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.2 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon Motel
308 North Main Street, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.4 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
New Western Motel
180 E Center St, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.0 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Adobe Sands Motel
390 North Main Street, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.4 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Best Host Inn
730 North Main Street, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.8 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Way Motel
429 North Main, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.5 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Color Country Motel
526 N. Main Street, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.5 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Marianna Inn
699 North Main Street, PO Box 150, Panguitch, UT 84759
20.7 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Pinewoods Resort
1460 E Duck Creek Ridge Rd, Duck Creek Village, UT 84762-7701
27.5 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon Lodge
From luxury hotel rooms to rustic log cabins to canvas tipis, Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City covers a variety of lodging needs. Visitors from around the world begin their experience of Bryce Canyon National Park with a stay at one of Ruby’s Inn 528 rooms. Established in 1916, Ruby’s Inn is a destination in-and-of itself. Surrounding Ruby’s Inn is a RV park, a general store and quaint shops in buildings that evoke the old West. Every overnight guest at Ruby’s Inn — including those at the campground and RV park — has access to hot showers, restrooms, pools, hot tubs, and more at no additional charge.