“You can perhaps imagine my surprise at the indescribable beauty that greeted us, and it was sundown before I could be dragged from the canyon view. You may be sure that I went back the next morning to see the canyon once more, and to plan in my mind how this attraction could be made accessible to the public.”
J. W. Humphrey
The quote above came from the man that discovered Bryce Canyon all those years ago. I cannot even imagine not knowing a place like Bryce Canyon Existed and randomly stumbling upon it. I wanted to have a similar experience to Mr. Humphrey. Driving into the park from the nearby town of Tropic, you would not know the beauty that awaits. We rounded the corner near Mossy Cave and the massive hoodoos towered over the road. I got chills. It looked straight out of Disneyland. We made our way into the park, walked to the edge of the canyon, and peered over the edge. Hundreds, if not thousands, of glowing orange hoodoos, stared back. I was awestruck. Exploring Bryce Canyon National Park was going to be a great adventure.
Top Things To Do In Bryce Canyon National Park
5. Queen’s Garden
Total Distance: 2.1 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 406 Ft.
As with all the hikes on the list, they are backward hikes in the usual sense. Typically you are hiking up to a view, but at Bryce Canyon, it is a little backward. Since everything is at the top of the canyon, every hike starts walking down into the canyon. This hike can be done in a couple of ways. The easiest way would be to begin at Sunrise Point and hiking down into the garden. The hike out is very steep. If you are doing this hike in the cooler months, the trail down can be very slippery and even have ice. The Queens Garden Trail is a quick hike that takes you to the Queen Victoria Photo Stop.
Add on Hikes for Additional Adventure
If you look at a trail map, you can add the hike to a couple of other hikes. Most people start at sunset point and hike counterclockwise to meet up with the Queen’s Garden Trail. Adding on this portion will add distance, but the elevation is relatively the same since once you are down the Navajo Loop, you are in the canyon. I recommend starting this hike early, as around 9 am, it gets crowded.
4. Navajo Loop
Total Distance: 1.5 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 515 Ft.
This hike starts at Sunset Point. Beginning, you have some great views of “Thor’s Hammer.” Ironically, Sunset Point has some of the best sunrise views. We started our days early and cold. It was around 17°F when we trekked out on this hike. You can also connect to wall street from the start of this hike, but it was closed due to winter conditions. If you keep heading down the hill, you come to a great canyon section. The trail switchbacks as far as you can see down the mountain. On our hike, we used this trail to connect us to Peek-a-boo Loop and Queens Garden. Again, this hike was overcrowded around 9 am. If you want some peace and quiet, I recommend hitting the trail early.
3. Scenic Drive
The scenic drive is how you get around Bryce Canyon National Park. It is the main road in and out, so you cannot miss it. The road closes during the winter months, so if you plan on doing this drive, make sure you check the road conditions ahead of time. It is an 18-mile drive to the end of the road and an 18-mile drive back out, so plan if you are short on time. We drove to the end of the drive to rainbow point. This point is at over 9,000 Ft., so it was chilly, and there was lots of snow still when we visited in early April.
Recommended Viewpoints
I recommend driving to the end while hitting the viewpoints on the way back to the center of the park. On the way back, all the viewpoints will be on your side of the road. Each outlook is beautiful, but I have some recommendations.
- Rainbow Point
- Natural Bridge
- Sunset Viewpoint
- Fairyland Viewpoint
- Bryce Viewpoint
- Inspiration Point (My Favorite)
2. Peek-a-Boo Loop
Total Distance: 5.2 Miles (If starting from Bryce overlook)
Total Elevation Gain: 1,453 Ft.
As I said earlier, we added this hike to Navajo Loop / Queens Garden Loop. The trail typically starts at Bryce Overlook, but the trailhead at Bryce Overlook was closed due to winter conditions when we went. Luckily, there is a connector to the Navajo Loop. Adding this on to Navajo Loop will have you hiking in figure-eight across the canyon floor. Adding on Peek-a-boo loops adds about three miles to Navajo Loop if you wanted to add this. The trail signs recommend hiking in a clockwise direction, but we hiked counterclockwise, and I think it may have been easier. We walked down all the switchbacks rather than having to climb up them. There are quite a few ups and downs on this hike, so expect to be changing elevation often.
The hike lives up to its name. Every so often, you come across a “peek-a-boo.” These can be in the form of tunnels, climbs, or walls. You will know when you come to one because the tunnels and walls will block your vision of the Hoodoos, but when you come around the corner or out of a tunnel, a stunning view of the canyon pops into view. This hike does have some great views of the canyon, and it is not all hoodoos the entire time. This one is much more forested, and it is pretty different from the other hikes in the park.
1. Fairyland Loop
Total Distance: 7.8 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 1,545 Ft.
I would not consider how many hikes I have been on as “a lot,” but I would say I have been on quite a few. There are not many hikes I have been on that have blown my mind. I will say, however, this is one of THE best hikes I have ever been on in my life. I also have some great memories, such as marrying my wife, our honeymoon through Europe, and my first home run when I played baseball, to name a few. Those were moments in my life where I have been the happiest. There is one point on this hike that has made it on that list. The view of the canyon filled my heart, mind, and body with happiness and pure joy. I felt alive, and I will never forget that moment.
The Hike
Enough about my experience; let’s get to the hike. This hike starts outside the park entrance, so do not miss it on your way in! The Fairyland Loop Trail begins at the aptly named Fairyland lookout. We got there as the sun rose and did not see a single person the entire hike until the very end. Being alone adds to the experience. Get up early and start early. You will appreciate the peace and enjoy the break from the chaos. As we went on, the hike only got more and more beautiful.
The Tricky Fairies
You are constantly going up and down, and my wife said, “It’s those fairies playing tricks on us.” There were quite a few ups and downs, so be mentally prepared for them. Eventually, you start a climb up a hill, and it is apparent you are climbing onto a plateau overlooking fairyland. You get to the top of this climb and venture out onto probably a three or four-foot-wide path with big drops on each side. We are not talking about Angel’s Landing type drop-offs, but they are still significant. This is the point where I was talking about earlier.
360° Views
All around you, you have these fantastic rock formations. The wind was howling. It was freezing cold. We were utterly alone. The only sound was the wind gusting by us. All I could do was yell out into the canyon with pure happiness and joy. It was honestly a fantastic moment in my life that I will never forget. I would drive back to Bryce to experience that one moment all over again. The hike continues down again through some Disneyland-Esque canyons, and eventually, you find yourself at the Tower Bridge Formation. The shady spot was an excellent spot to admire the stunning rock formations and take a little rest before you climbed out of the canyon.
The End is Near
It was uphill from here to the car. You climb up and out of the canyon to Sunrise Point. It was at this point in the trail that we had our first human contact. We had been alone in the wild for almost three amazingly peaceful hours. Once you reach Sunrise Point, you can elect to take the free shuttle back to Fairyland Point or continue along the rim trail. We chose to continue on the trail, and we were once again back in silence as we did not see another person until we hit the Fairyland Point parking lot. If you only have one full day in Bryce, do this hike. Start early, miss the crowds, and get hiking!
Where To Stay Near Bryce Canyon National Park
Camping
Bryce Canyon National Park has two campgrounds within the park. The north campground is open year-round, and it is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. At over 120 campsites, this place is massive. The second smaller site is Sunset Campground. This campsite requires a reservation and is only open for part of the year. Neither of the camps has hookups for water/sewer/power, so you gotta rough it! There are seasonal laundry, dump, and potable water amenities during the seasonal months. There is also a general store near the lodge that covers any needs that should arise.
Hotel / Motel / Resort
There is a lodge inside the park for visitors to stay, but when we went (2021), there was limited capacity due to Covid. Just outside the park, there are plenty of other options to rest your head. We opted to stay in the nearby town of Tropic. We stayed at Bryce Country Cabins, and we had a great experience. It was right next to a farm, and we got to watch the baby sheep romp around before bed. The bed was comfy, and the cabin was stocked with pots/pans/etc. We would stay here again.
Things To Remember In Bryce Canyon National Park
1. Hydration
· Remember, you are in a desert. The hot air mixed with the dry climate is a recipe for dehydration. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated—plan on having 1 gallon of water for every person per day.
2. Follow the signs
· If the signs tell you to stay on the trail, you should stay on the path. The desert soil is very fragile and an essential part of the desert ecosystem. Make sure that future generations will be able to experience incredible sights as well.
· If a sign says, “don’t feed the animals,” then do not. Feeding wild animals harm their overall health. It also makes animals more likely to come up to cars, which leads to more animals getting killed by cars.
3. Leave your four-legged friends at home
· While dogs are allowed in the campground, dogs are not permitted on the trails. If a ranger sees you trying to take your dog on a trail, they will turn you around.
4. Leave No Trace
· As the saying goes, “Leave only Footsteps.” Do not spoil the landscape with your trash. It was not there when you got there, so pack it out with you. Leave no trace also means that you should leave the environment as it is. It is illegal to remove anything from the park, including plants, artifacts, and even rocks.
5. Be sure to wear clothing and footwear suitable for your adventure.
· Make sure your shoes still have traction, as the sand and stone combination can be rather slippery.
· Dress in layers. The mornings in April when we went were freezing (15°F), and the afternoons warmed up quickly. Just remember, if you are hiking, whatever you bring with you, you will have to bring it back out.
6. Get Up Early
· Bryce is best experienced without all the crowds, like most places. If you want to beat the crowds, start at sunrise.
7. Sunset
· You would think the best place for sunset would be Sunset Point. The only problem with Bryce is that the canyon faces east. Since the sun sets in the west, your only bet for a good sunset is on a partly cloudy night. The sun will reflect off the clouds and into the canyon. If you want to see the hoodoos light up, arrive for sunrise, if I am honest. Sunrises in Bryce are magical.
Other Cool Things That Didn’t Quite Make the List.
1. Mossy Cave – This was a quick and easy hike. During the winter/spring, the cave is filled with some incredible icicles. There is also a nearby waterfall to explore.
2. I hiked the Hoodoos – Scattered throughout the park are these “I hiked the Hoodoos” signs. You can take a selfie with the sign or, as the sign suggests, use a pencil and paper to transfer the markings onto the paper. If your little one collects at least three, they can turn them in at the visitor center for a small reward.
3. Red Canyon – Just down the road from Bryce is Red Canyon. If you are in Bryce a while and run out of things to do, head down the road for some more red rock romping.
4. Walk through the Desert on a Horse with No Name – Bryce Canyon also has some horseback rides through the canyon that will take you down and into the amphitheater.
5. Back Country Hiking – If you are experienced and adequately equipped, Bryce has lots of Back Country Hiking options for you to explore.
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TL;DR
5. Queens Garden
4. Navajo Loop
3. Scenic Drive
2. Peek-a-boo Loop
1. Fairyland Loop (Do this if nothing else!)
Get More Info
Get more info from the source at https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm
Check out my other nearby blog reviews of Utah!
