{"id":126,"date":"2021-04-29T20:15:45","date_gmt":"2021-04-30T03:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nickrossphoto.com\/blog\/?p=126"},"modified":"2023-08-28T20:28:15","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T03:28:15","slug":"bryce-canyon-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nickrossphoto.com\/blog\/national-parks\/bryce-canyon-national-park","title":{"rendered":"Bryce Canyon National Park – Five things to know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cYou 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.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>J. W. Humphrey<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Top Things To Do In Bryce Canyon<\/strong> National Park<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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5. Queen’s Garden<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Total Distance: 2.1 Miles<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total Elevation Gain: 406 Ft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add on Hikes for Additional Adventure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Navajo Loop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Total Distance: 1.5 Miles<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total Elevation Gain: 515 Ft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This hike starts at Sunset Point. Beginning, you have some great views of \u201cThor\u2019s Hammer.\u201d Ironically, Sunset Point has some of the best sunrise views. We started our days early and cold. It was around 17\u00b0F 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Scenic Drive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n