By Simone Shomaker and Danielle Lockwood.

Bryce Canyon looks like an amphitheater found on another planet. As you walk around the rock formations in this Utah desert landscape you’ll feel like you are on Mars. It is truly something that photos could never do justice. The park features the most awe inspiring hoodoos that line the walls of the canyons. These hoodoos form through erosion of the rocks during rainfall and produce some pretty miraculous results. What better way to spend a day or two than to get lost amongst the bright orange and pink hoodoos? Keep reading for our Bryce Canyon hiking guide that can be done in 2 days!

How Much Time to Spend in Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is about an hour and a half away from Zion National Park and thirty minutes from Grand Staircase Escalante, two other must see spots in Utah. We would recommend 1-2 days in Bryce Canyon and would allocate about 5-7 days to visit all three spots. There is definitely more hiking to be done in Zion than Bryce so make sure you allow more time for Zion. Make sure you refer back to our other posts before you plan your trip to Utah!

Simone spent two days exploring Bryce Canyon National Park, and she felt like it was the perfect amount of time. You could easily extend that if you have more time, but it is a relatively small park and many of the best views are easily accessed by car. Danielle saw Bryce Canyon during sunset which was absolutely beautiful.

What to Know Before You Travel to Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon is incredibly dry and hot, especially in the summer months. Make sure that you pack double the amount of water that you think you will need. There is hardly any shade so extra sunscreen is also a must. Also give yourself some time to acclimate to the higher elevation, hiking can be harder if you aren’t used to this. To drive into the park you are charged a fee of $35 that gives you entry for 7 consecutive days. We would recommend to purchase the US Park Pass if you plan to visit multiple national parks on your trip. You can purchase this for $80 and it is good for the entire year! National park entry fees add up so we thought this was a great deal!

If you are planning on camping make sure you look for campsites VERY far in advance. With international travel not being allowed at this time, more and more people are heading to the national parks so spots fill up quickly.

Lastly, photographers that are seeking sunset photos are often disappointed by the fact that the cliffs in Bryce Canyon face east rather than facing the setting sun. One of the viewpoints is the exception to this but we highly recommend you plan a sunrise hike as this is when the hoodoos really shine (no pun intended).

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Hiking in Bryce Canyon

Navajo Loop & Peekaboo Loop

Many of the best day hikes at Bryce Canyon result from combining a number of the shorter trails together. We combined Navajo Loop with Peekaboo Loop for a 4.9 mile total figure eight style hike through the hoodoos. Check out the NPS website for more tips on hikes. The Navajo Loop trail takes you through an amazing slot canyon called Wall Street. If you visit during the summer and plan to do some hiking, we would recommend getting there on the earlier side as the temperatures are quite toasty and there is limited shade.

Rim Trail

This trail connects many of the viewpoints and and trailheads through the main section of Bryce Canyon. There are spectacular views from any point on this trail and it runs for 11 miles from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point. If you decide to hike the entire trail you will be able to hit most of the viewpoints on our list below.

Bryce Canyon’s Scenic Drive and Best Viewpoints

Bryce Canyon is a highly drive-able national park. Make sure to budget at least 3 hours to drive the 38 mile round trip scenic drive. There are 13 different viewpoints, so be sure to pack your camera for all the different angles! Don’t miss Sunset & Sunrise Points, Bryce Point, Paria View, and the Natural Bridge.

Natural Bridge Viewpoint

This spot is not to be missed! This beautiful rock arch was formed when the Claron Formation rock eroded from ice and rain. Over time it was sculpted beautifully into this stunning arch which can be found in the southern point of the park.

Sunset and Sunrise Points

Sunrise Point is found right by the visitor center and gives incredible views of Thor’s Hammer and Silent City (two incredible rock formations). There is a 1.1 mile hike from Sunrise to Sunset Point and it happens to be only dog friendly trail if you have a pup along for your travels! Sunset Point gives you some incredible views of the pink and orange hoodoos along with the 700 year old Douglas Firs surrounding them. To get to Sunrise Point you drive about half a mile south from the visitor center and take a left toward the viewpoint. Once you park it is just a short walk to Sunrise Point.

Bryce Point

This is a stunning viewpoint that overlooks the entire park’s amphitheater. It is best at sunrise where the hoodoos catch the first light from the sun however we found to be sunset here magical as well. This is where you will find the Peekaboo Loop trail.

Paria View Point

We didn’t hear as much about this view point before our trip but it happened to be one of our favorites for sunset. As we mentioned, most of the park faces east but this viewpoint is the exception. Here, the hoodoos actually face west which makes for some beautiful sunset photos. Watching the sunset among the hoodoos at the end of the day was absolutely incredible.

Weather in Bryce Canyon

The weather in Bryce Canyon is pretty similar to Zionand Grand Staircase Escalante, however it is at a much higher altitude of about 9,000 feet so the temperatures can drop a bit when the sun goes down. We visited in the summer so the temperatures were scorching. We would suggest light clothing for hiking during the day and maybe a light jacket at night in case the temperature drops.

Where to Stay in Bryce Canyon

We discussed this in our previous Zion post, as we both stayed in between the two parks. Simone opted to stay in a tiny town called Alton which can be found between the two parks. Via AirBnb, her and her fiancé stayed in an enclave of mini cabins that used to be ranger cabins in Bryce Canyon, but were relocated when they were decommissioned. They were certainly no frills, but they had AC, a cozy bed, and featured a communal fire pit and grill situation. It was lovely in the evenings to come back and have a fire and a glass of vino. We know we touched on this in our last post but we must remind you that because Utah is of Mormon influence, it is very difficult to find alcoholic beverages. If you are looking for wine, you can’t find it in a grocery store, you have to find a liquor store. Best to stock up before you go!

Danielle stayed in a tiny house made from a shipping container from AirBnb which was absolutely adorable and perfect for crashing early before heading to the parks. It was also right between Bryce and Zion and was the perfect little place to stay for the night. Similar to the mini cabins, as it was no frills, but it was clean and cute and had a great little rooftop.

This is our complete guide to spending a few days in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. We hope that you enjoy reading and enjoy your trip to explore the hoodoos. Safe travels friends!

Have you been to Bryce Canyon before? We would love to hear about your tips! Comment below!

Xx,

Danielle and Simone

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