Best of Bryce: 8 Amazing Things to Do in Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon is the smallest national park in Utah. Despite its small size, there is still a lot to do here. Walk the Rim Trail, gaze across the amphitheater from numerous overlooks, go on a scenic drive, and journey below the rim to venture into a sea of hoodoos…these all top the list of things to do in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon never ceases to amaze me. Every time I step up to the rim and gaze across the amphitheater filled with thousands of orange and pink hoodoos, I am completely captivated. And it gets even better, if you follow one of the trails down into the canyon. Hiking here is like hiking through a fairytale world, with crazy rock formations, tunnels, and vibrantly colored hoodoos.

We have visited Bryce Canyon several times, our most recent visit being May 2025. In this guide, we will share the must-have experiences in Bryce Canyon, how to choose the best trail to hike (you don’t have to hike far in this park for an awesome experience), and how to plan your time.

Welcome to amazing Bryce Canyon National Park!

Table of Contents

Best Things to Do in Bryce Canyon

Before we jump into the best things to do in Bryce Canyon, it helps to get a quick geography lesson of the park.

Route 63, also called Bryce Canyon Road or Main Park Road, is the main road that runs through the park. From the park entrance to Rainbow and Yovimpa Points (the end of the road), it is a 22-mile drive that takes about 35 minutes.

The amphitheater is the canyon that contains the thousands of hoodoos that makes Bryce Canyon so unique and photogenic. The Rim Trail runs along the top of the amphitheater, connecting several viewpoints and trails that run below the rim. The best place to park is on Sunset Point Road, which has a large parking lot and bathrooms, and short trails that lead to the Rim Trail and viewpoints.

And now here are the best things to do in Bryce Canyon.

1. Gaze Across the Amphitheater from the Best Viewpoints

If you do one thing at Bryce Canyon, it should be taking in the spectacular view from the overlooks along the rim. If this is your first time to Bryce Canyon, be prepared to be amazed!

Bryce Canyon National Park is filled with viewpoints and overlooks, not just from the rim of the amphitheater but also along its scenic drive. Most viewpoints are very easy to get to – just a short walk from the Rim Trail or a parking lot, making this an accessible experience for all visitors to the park.

Below we list our 5 favorite Bryce Canyon viewpoints. These all overlook the main amphitheater.

Sunset Point

This viewpoint is a 2-minute walk from the Sunset Point parking lot. It overlooks Wall Street and the Navajo Loop Trail, and from here, you can get a view of Thor’s Hammer.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: For the best view of Thor’s Hammer, walk about 200 meters down the Navajo Loop Trail.

Thor’s Hammer

Sunrise Point

This viewpoint is located in the center of the amphitheater, so the view is amazing. This viewpoint also sits next to the trailhead for the Queen’s Garden Trail, so if you plan to hike the Queen’s Garden + Navajo Loop, make the quick detour up to this viewpoint. One of the highlights is looking out over the hiking trail.

Overlooking the Queen’s Garden Trail

Where to Park: From the Sunset Point parking lot, it is a 0.5 mile walk on the Rim Trail to get here. It’s worth doing this walk, because the view along the entire trail is spectacular! However, for those with mobility issues, there is a closer parking lot on Sunrise Point Road.

Inspiration Point

For an awe-inspiring view of Bryce Canyon, don’t miss this viewpoint.

There are actually three viewpoints here and if you visit all of them, you’ll do enough walking to qualify as a short hike, especially with the short hill climb to the upper viewpoint and being at a high elevation.

Park in the lot at the end of Inspiration Point Road. From the parking lot, if you visit all three viewpoints (Lower, Middle, and Upper), you’ll do a total of 0.6 miles with a total ascent of 165 feet. It’s short but it will take your breath away, in more ways than one. Budget 20 to 40 minutes to visit all three viewpoints.

Here are the views.

Upper Inspiration Point

The view from Upper Inspiration Point

Another view from the upper overlook (looking towards Bryce Point and the hoodoos on the Peekaboo Loop)

Middle Inspiration Point

Lower Inspiration Point

PRO TRAVEL TIP: Bryce Canyon sits at a high elevation, with viewpoints along the rim ranging from 8,100 feet to almost 9,000 feet. Not only will it be a lot cooler here than other parks in Utah, but the air is noticeably thinner, making it harder to breathe. Even on the short, uphill walks to some of these viewpoints, it’s normal to feel out of breath. So, take your time, and remember this if you plan to hike a longer, more strenuous trail.

Bryce Point

From Bryce Point, you get another sweeping view of Bryce Canyon. I think the view is a little bit better from Inspiration Point but Bryce Point is still well worth it, as it is easy to get to.

There is a small parking lot at the end of Bryce Point Road (a 2 mile drive from the Inspiration Point parking lot that takes about 7 minutes). Parking here can be tough. This is also the trailhead for the Peek-A-Boo Loop, so this lot tends to be full. From the parking lot, it is about a 0.25-mile walk out-and-back to the viewpoint.

Fairyland Point

This viewpoint sits on the far northern end of the amphitheater. If you have plans to hike the Fairyland Loop (an amazing, quieter trail in the park that we love), you’ll hike right past this point. If you have no plans to go hiking, you can drive here. Drive Fairyland Spur Road to the end, park, and it is a very short walk to the viewpoint.

Here’s the view.

More Viewpoints in Bryce Canyon

Paria View is located very close to Bryce Point. A short, paved trail runs from the parking lot to the viewpoint. It’s a nice view but not an absolute must-see. Here’s the view.

There are many more viewpoints in Bryce Canyon, mainly located along Route 63. In our opinion, they aren’t quite as good as the ones listed above. We will list them, and show photos, in the Scenic Drive section later in this guide.

2. Walk the Rim Trail

The Rim Trail runs along the top of the amphitheater. From Bryce Point to Fairyland Point, it is 5.5 miles long and relatively flat, with a few hill climbs here and there. All five viewpoints mentioned above sit on this trail.

If you are looking for an easy trail to hike, this is a good one. The short section from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point is awesome, with jaw-dropping views of the canyon each step of the way.

3. Go for a Hike

Our favorite thing to do in Bryce Canyon is to go hiking. There are several incredibly scenic trails to do in this national park, ranging from relatively short, fun trails to longer trails that get to be quite challenging.

We plan to publish a Bryce Canyon Hiking Guide in the very near future, which goes into these hikes in more detail, but here is a list of the top hiking trails in the park:

Queen’s Garden + Navajo Loop Trail Combo: This short loop hike is one of the best experiences in the park. Hike below the rim, get up close with the hoodoos, and return to the Rim Trail via Wall Street or Two Bridges. It’s a great hike for kids and those who want to go hiking in Bryce Canyon, without doing a longer, more strenuous trail.

Queen’s Garden Trail

Two Bridges Trail

Peek-A-Boo Loop: This is a longer, more strenuous trail than the Queen’s Garden Navajo Loop, but your reward is some of the best views of hoodoos in the park.

Fairyland Loop: This is another long, strenuous hike in Bryce Canyon, but it gets very few hikers, so it’s perfect for those looking for an off-the-beaten-path hike filled with jaw-dropping vistas.

On the Fairyland Loop

Mossy Cave: This short, easy trail leads to a small cave. It runs through Water Canyon, a great place to go for a dip during the warmer months.

Mossy Cave Trail

Water Canyon

Other popular hikes include the Bristlecone Loop, the hike to Tower Bridge, and Hat Shop. We cover these in our Bryce Canyon Hiking Guide (coming soon).

4. Take a Stroll on Wall Street

Wall Street is a famous section of the Navajo Loop Trail. This part of the trail runs through a narrow canyon, similar to hiking through a slot canyon. The final climb out of the amphitheater is on a series of switchbacks, which has become a very popular photo spot in the park.

Wall Street is closed in the winter. It typically opens sometime in mid-May and closes again in the late in the year, once snow begins to fall.

What If Wall Street is Closed? In my opinion, it’s not worth waiting to plan a visit to Bryce Canyon just to hike Wall Street. It’s an interesting trail but I don’t think it quite deserves the hype it gets. So, if you’re planning a visit to Bryce Canyon in March or April, you don’t miss much if Wall Street is closed. You can still hike the Navajo Loop Trail, taking the Two Bridges section instead, which is also very scenic (I actually like the Two Bridges Trail more, since you get a great view of Thor’s Hammer and the amphitheater).

5. Photograph Bryce Canyon at Sunrise

The best time for photography in Bryce Canyon is at sunrise. The rising sun bathes the hoodoos in the warm, morning light, creating ideal conditions for photography.

6. Go Stargazing

In 2019, Bryce Canyon gained Gold Tier International Dark Sky status.

The park runs night sky ranger programs and full moon hikes. The best time to photograph the night sky is during a new moon on a night with clear weather. One of the best times to visit the park to see the night sky is in June, during the Annual Astronomy Festival. Learn more on the official National Park Service website.

7. Go for a Scenic Drive

Route 63, aka Main Park Road, runs from the park entrance to Rainbow Point. Along this drive are numerous viewpoints, where you can step out of your car and enjoy the view.

Some viewpoints are better than others, of course.

Along this drive, here are our favorite views, which we think are worth stopping at:

Natural Bridge. This arch sits right next to the parking lot, making it extremely easy to see. It’s the most interesting viewpoint along the scenic drive.

Natural Bridge

Swamp Canyon Overlook. This one is so-so. For those looking for another trail to hike, the Swamp Canyon Loop starts here and runs down into the forested backcountry.

Swamp Canyon Overlook

Ponderosa Point. This is a quick and easy viewpoint to visit, with a nice view of some hoodoos.

Ponderosa Point

Rainbow Point. This viewpoint is located at the end of Main Park Road. This is a great viewpoint. It’s not quite as awe-inspiring as the overlooks at the amphitheater, but you do get to see quite a bit of hoodoos and rock formations here.

Rainbow Point

Yovimpa Point. Yovimpa Point is located next to the same parking lot for Rainbow Point. The view isn’t nearly as good as Rainbow Point. Here’s the view.

8. Horseback Riding along the Rim

For something a little more unique, how about going for a horseback ride with views of the canyon and hoodoos? This 1.5 hour horse ride goes through the Dixie National Forest and has views of the north rim of Bryce Canyon.

See all of our articles on Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon: On a Map

How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.

How Much Time Do You Need in Bryce Canyon?

With one well planned day, you can visit the highlights of Bryce Canyon, plus hike a trail or two. This is a small park, so it’s quicker to visit Bryce Canyon than the other national parks in Utah.

We have a detailed one day itinerary for Bryce Canyon, which includes the top viewpoints, hiking the Queen’s Garden + Navajo Loop, and driving the scenic drive. If you are an avid hiker, you can to the Peek-A-Boo figure 8 loop instead of the shorter Queen’s Garden + Navajo Loop.

One Day in Bryce Canyon

One Perfect Day in Bryce Canyon National Park

Best way to spend one day in Bryce Canyon (plus several add-on’s to the day).

With a second day in Bryce Canyon, do the Fairyland Loop. This is another spectacular hike and well worth the extra day, especially if you are an avid hiker.

But an important thing to keep in mind when planning your trip to Utah, is not only are there four more amazing national parks to visit, but there are state parks to explore and lots of adventurous trails to explore in nearby Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Not far from Bryce Canyon is Willis Creek, a short, fun hike through a slot canyon, great for all ages.

We have TONS of information about Utah in our Utah Travel Guide.

Best Time to Visit Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon makes a great destination all year long.

In the winter months, the hoodoos get a dusting of snow, a magical time to be here, but it will be COLD!

Spring and fall generally have pleasant weather. Our most recent visit was early May. We lucked out, in that Wall Street opened earlier than normal (snowfall was low this past winter) and high temperatures were in the low 70’s during our visit.

Since Bryce sits at such a high elevation (8,000 feet), this park stays cool, even during the summer months.

The busiest months tend to be May through September, with September typically being the month with the highest visitation each year.

Practical Information

Park Hours: Bryce Canyon is open 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

Park Fee: $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days

Get updates on trail closures, road closures, and park conditions as you plan your trip and just before your visit on the National Park Service website

Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.

Where to Stay

There is only one lodge, the Bryce Canyon Lodge, available inside of the park, so if you want to stay here, reservations need to be made far in advance. There are also several campgrounds located inside of Bryce Canyon.

In the town of Bryce there are several hotels and restaurants, just a few miles from the entrance to the park. The top pick here is the Best Western Plus. We stayed here on our most recent visit. It’s nothing fancy, but the location is unbeatable. Next door is the Best Western PLUS Ruby’s Inn, which gets good reviews, just not quite as good as the Best Western Plus.

In Tropic, our favorite property is Bryce Canyon Inn (we’ve stayed here twice and had a great experience both times). Other properties include Happy Trails BnB, Bybee’s Steppingstone Motel, Bryce Vistas, and Stone Canyon Inn.

If you have any questions about the best things to do in Bryce Canyon, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Utah

We have TONS more information about Utah in our Utah Travel Guide.