Bryce Canyon National Park…a fantasyland of hoodoos, bizarre rock formations, and sandstone pillars. This is a crazy beautiful place, and its unique landscape sets it apart from other national parks. Although Bryce may not have the same sweeping, expansive vistas as the Grand Canyon, it’s still a breathtaking experience the first time you see this view.
What Makes Bryce Canyon Such a Great Place to Visit?
Bryce Canyon is compact, at least for a National Park. One day is all you need to explore this park. With one day, you can hike through a garden of hoodoos, take in the view from multiple viewpoints, and thoroughly explore the park.
If you have less than one day, that’s OK too. We spent half a day here, which was just enough time for a 3 mile hike and stops at all of the popular viewpoints. We lay out our itinerary later in this post.
What is a Hoodoo, You Say?
Bryce Canyon is filled with hoodoos. So, what’s a hoodoo?
“Hoodoo” can be defined as witchcraft, a combination of voodoo and folk magic, usually used in the deep south of the United States.
“Hoodoo” can also be defined as a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin. Geologically, hoodoos are found all around the world, but they occur in the most abundance in Bryce Canyon. Here, hoodoos are the main ingredient of this unique landscape. The thousands of hoodoos in Bryce are what attracts so many visitors every year.
Thor’s Hammer
Hoodoos form where soft rock, like sandstone, is covered in a thin layer of harder rock. Weathering processes then erode these rocks into the pinnacles that we see today.
Around the world, hoodoos can also be found in Cappadocia, Turkey (the famous fairy chimneys), Devil’s Garden in Grand Staircase-Escalante, Goblin Valley State Park, Provence, France, and Wadi Rum, Jordan.
Best Things to do in Bryce Canyon
Visitor Center
If you arrive in Bryce Canyon after 8 am, make this your first stop. Pick up a free map of the park, discuss your plans with the park rangers, and shop for souvenirs, if you wish.
Note: the Visitor Center does not open until 8 am, so if you are here early, you will be unable to pick up a copy of the map.
Enjoy the View
The main part of Bryce is shaped like an amphitheater. The viewpoints are along the upper rim of the amphitheater, looking down into the valley of hoodoos, forests, and hiking trails.
You can walk the Rim Trail to these viewpoints, or drive or take a shuttle to each of them, depending on your preference.
The viewpoints we recommend are Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, and Bryce Point.
Go Hiking
Bryce is filled with short, incredibly scenic trails. The most popular trail is the Queens Garden Trail, but there are several other great trails to explore as well.
Bryce Canyon Itinerary
The best way to get the full Bryce Canyon experience is to mix short hikes with the scenic viewpoints.
Tim and I visited Bryce Canyon in early May as part of a road trip through Utah and Arizona. We spent only half a day here, leaving the afternoon free to explore nearby places (Kodachrome Basin State Park and Willis Creek slot canyon).
Here is our one day itinerary for touring Bryce Canyon. The first part of the day will include Bryce’s must-see spots. The afternoon is spent going off-the-beaten-path in Bryce Canyon, or you can do what we did…leave Bryce and visit a nearby destination.
Arriving in Bryce Canyon
Get here as early as you can. Bryce Canyon is open 24 hours per day, which means that you do not have to wait for the entrance to open in order to get into the park. Before sunrise, there will not be a ranger at the fee booth. You can drive right in, tour Bryce, and pay your fee later in the day.
By getting here early, you can walk some of the trails before they get crowded.
Sunset Point
Park in the large parking lot labeled for Sunset Point. Enjoy the view!
Sunrise Point
From sunset point, walk north on the Rim Trail, towards Sunrise Point. This is a flat, easy to walk trail with an awesome view over Bryce.
Queens Garden/Navajo Loop Trail
After taking in the view from Sunrise Point, it’s time to go hiking. The Queens Garden Trail descends down into the valley amidst a garden of hoodoos and rock formations. It’s a gorgeous, relatively easy walk, perfect for all ages and ability levels.
After walking the Queens Garden Trail, you can turn around and retrace your steps back to Sunrise Point. But we recommend hiking further. At the end of the Queens Garden Trail, follow signs to the Navajo Loop Trail. This part of the trail is mostly flat and takes you through a forest, a different landscape than the world of hoodoos.
The Navajo Loop Trail ascends back up to the rim. It’s a bit strenuous but the views along the way are magnificent.
For full details on how to do this hike, as well as many more photos, read our post about hiking the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop Trails.
Inspiration Point
Hop back into your car and drive the short distance to Inspiration Point. Now that’s a lot of hoodoos!
Can you find Tim?
There are two viewpoints at Inspiration Point. Right next to the parking lot is the first view. This one is good, but walk uphill for about 5 minutes to upper Inspiration Point. It’s worth the walk and this may be the best view in park.
Bryce Point
A little further down the road is Bryce Point. The view is similar to Inspiration Point.
By now, you have seen the the most popular sites in Bryce. However, if you haven’t gotten your fill of hiking trails and hoodoos yet, there is still more to see.
While in Bryce Canyon, please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.
With More Time
Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point
Located as far south as you can drive in Bryce, this viewpoint is good, but not nearly as great as Inspiration Point or the views from the Rim Trail. To get here, it takes about 20 minutes of driving from Bryce Point. On the way here, you can also stop at Natural Bridge for a photo-op.
Peekaboo Loop Trail
The Peekaboo Loop Trail is a 4.8 mile trail through a valley filled with pink and orange hoodoos. We did not do this hike, since we left the park early, but it looks like a lot of fun.
The hike starts at Bryce Point. You will descend 1 mile down into the valley, walk the 3 mile loop through the hoodoos, and then climb the last mile back to Bryce Point. This trail tends to be less crowded than Queens Garden or the Navajo Loop Trails.
Fairyland Loop Trail
This is the longest hike on this list. It’s an 8 mile hike, starting and ending at Fairyland Point in the northern part of Bryce. This hike is labeled as strenuous because of its length and elevation changes. If you want to get away from the crowds, this is the hike for you.
Our One Day Bryce Canyon Itinerary
Here’s what we did. This was a very busy but awesome day in Utah.
We entered Bryce Canyon at sunrise. We hiked the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop Trails, and then visited Inspiration Point, Bryce Point, and Rainbow Point. After having lunch in the town of Bryce, we drove to Kodachrome Basin State Park and did two short hikes here. At 4 pm, we hiked Willis Creek slot canyon and had a fabulous experience!! We highly recommend this hike if you are looking for something else to do in the area. From Willis Creek, it was a 2-hour drive to Zion National Park.
Planning a trip to Utah’s national parks? Don’t miss our Mighty 5 travel guide. Learn how to plan a road trip through all five parks with details on the best things to do, where to stay, and more.
Helpful Tips for the Best Experience
Get Here as Early as Possible
Getting here early has its advantages. If you are here early, you can avoid a lot of tourist traffic on the trails and at the viewpoints. Most people arrive between 9 to 10 am. Before this time, the park is very quiet and therefore, a very nice experience for those who are here early.
Best Time for Photography
Sunrise is the best time to be in Bryce Canyon for photography. The landscape is awash in a soft, warm, reflective light. Later in the day, the sun casts long shadows, which makes photography challenging.
Each viewpoint offers something different, but for sunrise I would recommend Inspiration Point or Bryce Point (for wide vistas of the park) or Sunset Point, for a closer view of the hoodoos. Ironically, I would not recommend Sunrise Point because this spot does not offer those wide, expansive views of thousands of hoodoos like Inspiration Point.
Best Time of Year to Visit
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. Spring and fall generally has pleasant weather and smaller crowds than the busy summer months. Since Bryce sits at such a high elevation (8,000 feet), this park stays cool, even during the summer months.
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.
Tropic is a small town that is located 15 minutes away from the entrance into Bryce Canyon National Park. This town has a great selection of small properties where you can stay in a bed and breakfast, cabin, or motel. Bryce Country Cabins, Happy Trails BnB, and Bybee’s Steppingstone Motel all get very good reviews.
Have you been to Bryce Canyon? What was your favorite experience? Comment below!
More Information about Utah
UTAH’S MIGHTY 5: Utah’s Mighty 5 is a collection of five national parks in Utah. Learn more about the parks and how to plan your visit in our Guide to Utah’s Mighty 5.
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST ITINERARY: If you have 10 days, learn how to road trip through the American Southwest, visiting several national parks, state parks, and scenic spots in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.
GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE: In Grand Staircase-Escalante, hike Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Gulches, explore Devils Garden, and hike through Zebra Slot Canyon.
HIKES IN ZION: Observation Point, Angels Landing, Canyon Overlook, and the West Rim Trail are some of the top hiking trails in Zion. For the full list, read our Best Hikes in Zion guide.
UNITED STATES: We have TONS of information about places to visit in the United States in our USA Travel Guide. In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries.
Read all of our articles about Utah in our Utah Travel Guide.
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Comments 45
Thanks greatly Julie for your full site. We are new to it but have found it incredibly helpful as we visited four Utah National parks in the last two weeks. Your suggested itineraries have been perfect for my wife and I. // We visited Bryce Canyon today and were able to trek back up Wall Street which was stunning. Your tip on this is appreciated!
Author
You’re welcome!! Thanks for writing in and I hope you have a nice time on the rest of your trip. Cheers, Julie
Hi! Assuming we start at sunrise and stick to the same things you did – Sunset Point, the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop hike, Inspiration Point, maybe Rainbow Point with a stop for a photo op at the Natural Bridge – would you say it’s possible to work in the Valley of Fire State Park? There I’m mostly interested in Mouse Tank Road, Fire Wave and Pink Canyon. I know it’s a long drive and a time zone change, but we’re headed to Vegas on the same day anyway, and if we could work them into the same day, it would open up a full day for a Death Valley visit. We are visiting in early June, and are used to “stressful holidays” 😉 Thank you!
I actually have a follow-up question after reading through the comments. You write that the Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop was closed at the time of your visit, but I thought that the view of the switchbacks posted above is the view of that side? Or are they that similar? Our plan was to hike up the Wall Street side, and go down just far enough on the other to see Thor’s Hammer, then turn back.
Author
It’s now been a few years since we were there, and I don’t recall seeing the Wall Street trail even from a viewpoint above. The switchbacks in the photo in this post is the Navajo Trail. If the Wall Street Trail is open on your visit, I say do it because I hear it’s wonderful. And you don’t have to walk that far down the Navajo Trail to see Thor’s Hammer. Cheers, Julie
Author
Yes, I think it is possible. It looks like it is a 3.5 hour drive. On our most recent visit (end of February 2022) we arrived in the Valley of Fire around 3 pm, which was about 3 hours before sunset. It was a GREAT time to go because everyone else was leaving the park at this time. With that 3 hours, we did everything on your list. I highly recommend walking the full Seven Wonders Loop. It includes both the Fire Wave and the Pink Canyon. When you arrive, you will be given a brochure and there is a map of the trail in that brochure. You will have lots of daylight in June, so if you leave Bryce by noon or 1 pm, you will get into the Valley of Fire around 4 pm and probably have 4 hours in the park. Cheers, Julie
Perfect, that matches up with the time estimates I worked out with google maps last night, thank you!
Hello, please give us your opinion on traveling to Utah’s Bryce at the end of October 10/24 – 10/31? will it be too cold and rainy? thank you very much!
Author
I think that is a great time to visit Utah (it’s my favorite time to be here). The weather this time of year can be all over the place…from the 70’s and sunny to cold and snowy. But in general, it will trend more towards sunny and warm. We have been to Utah the same time of year (end of Oct into early Nov) twice and have seen all of these conditions, but the cold temps tend not to last long, if you get them at all. It’s too early to get an accurate forecast right now, but I say go for it. Pack hats and gloves just in case. Cheers, Julie
Hi Julie,
Your detailed experience is inspiring. I’m older and not the best hiker. Which hikes would you recommend that are easier?
Thank you , L
Author
I recommend hiking part or all of the Queen’s Garden Trail. As you walk down it, you can turn around at any point if it seems too challenging. If you do the entire Queen’s Garden Navajo Loop, it is a tough climb back up the rim, so you might want to avoid that, and just hike part or all of the Queen’s Garden Trail (out-and-back). The trail along the rim is also very nice and it is flat. Cheers, Julie
Great detailed Itinerary for one day in Bryce and we plan to follow it exactly next week when we are there! One problem is this is posted on the Bryce Canyon Website:
The Wall Street side of Navajo Loop, the Rim Trail from Inspiration to Bryce Point, and Bryce Point Peekaboo Connector Trail are closed. Paria View and Fairyland roads closed to vehicles, open to pedestrians.
So do these closers affect what is in your plan?? Can we still do most of your itinerary somehow with the things above closed? Thank you so much for any help.
Author
Great questions! You can still hike the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop Trail even though Wall Street is closed (Wall Street was also closed during our visit). You will hike up the Two Bridges Trail rather than Wall Street. You will still be able to visit Bryce Point and Inspiration Point, because looking on the map, the road is open to both overlooks. The rim trail is closed (and walking this part of the rim trail is not listed as part of this itinerary). We don’t list this in our one-day itinerary, but if you like the idea of hiking the Peek A Boo Trail, you can still access it from the Navajo Loop, rather than the Peekaboo Connector at Bryce Point.
So, you can still follow and do everything on our one day itinerary. With the road and trail closures, there must be a lot of snow at Bryce. It should be beautiful!
Cheers, Julie
Just wondering if you have any advice for visiting a slot canyon that can be accessed from a paved road? A bit of a hike in is fine. Our rental car agreement says no unpaved roads but I would love to visit a slot canyon. We will be in Bryce and Zion and Moab for a week. Any info appreciated!
Author
Little Wild Horse Canyon is located on the drive between Capitol Reef and Moab and it is a paved road to get there. Goblin Valley is right next to it and this is another cool spot to visit (but no slot canyons here). If the Zion Narrows is open on your visit that’s one of the best slot canyons in the area. The other slot canyons that I know of are located on gravel or dirt roads. Cheers, Julie
If you are going to be in the area for a week make sure to check out Pink sand dunes between Zion and Kanab UT. Also the BEST slot canyons you will ever visit is in Page AZ ! Antelope Canyon or corkscrew canyon! It is on Indian territory but you can pay for a tour in Page! Early is best because of the sunlight!
Author
Thanks for the recommendations! Cheers, Julie
Just want you to know…when I plan a trip I always check first for Earth Trekker posts 🙂 You guys are great and have been quite helpful. I do have one question. We are coming to Bryce in early July (staying in Hurricane, a couple hours away). Because of the roundtrip driving time, I doubt I can do your whole suggested 1 day itinerary (Bryce, Kodakchrome, and Willis Slot). So, if I had to choose between Kodakchrome and Willis, which would you suggest? Or would you cut down time in Bryce in order to see both K and W? Thanks!
Author
Hello Mark. Thanks for writing in! And thank you for the nice compliment. 😊 That’s easy…Willis Creek is the winner. Just read over the Willis Creek post and the comments people are leaving about road conditions to make sure your vehicle is suitable (you need an SUV but a 4×4 is ideal). Bryce Canyon is amazing so I wouldn’t cut your visit short here to go to Kodachrome. But Willis Creek is tons of fun and will be a great addition to your day. Cheers, Julie
Hey Julie,
We’re planning a trip mid April and your 10 day itinerary has been SO helpful. Thank you!
We are finishing up a tour on Lake Powell at about 2pm and were planning on driving to Zion afterward to stay the night there and get an early start in the park the next day. But given the short driving time, and your reviews of the park- I was considering driving up to Bryce and trying to get a quick hike in in the afternoon there. Looks like sunset is 8pm. Do you think it would be do-able to arrive to Bryce around 430 and get a quick hike in around this time and then head to spend the night near Zion?
If not, we can just take our time heading to Zion and stopping along the way if we want or taking advantage of something nearby the park.
Thanks for your advice and helpful site.
Courtney
Author
If you don’t mind a long day, your plan works. If you are a fast hiker, you can do the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop in about 2 hours. Crowds might be getting lighter at that time of day, as people leave the park to go to dinner. So it could work very well. And the key to a good experience at Zion is to start early the next day and make sure you get your shuttle tickets. Cheers, Julie
Bryce is a cool place, but gets extremely overcrowded. The temps during the winter months can be brutal. Dipping into the single digits most days.
The area is full of amazing places. Yet most people only go to the well beaten path. About 30 mins from Bryce is an equally amazing place ( same landscapes) with about 80% less people. Cedar Breaks is a favorite of ours to hike. You get the red rock, the hoodoos, the trails, camping, and we have done this with not another human around.
Utah highway 12 is one of the most scenic roads we have ever driven. In my opinion comparable only to US 1. With the majority of the lands you travel through being public, you can just stop and explore anything that peaks your interest.
Get outside the box! There is too much beauty and awe to be stuck taking the same selfies as everyone else.
Author
Thanks for this great info. I agree, Utah is filled with hidden gems. We come back at least once a year and keep finding new places to explore. Cheers, Julie
Love your detailed itinerary! We are staying 3 nights in Zion. Planning to go to Bryce Sunday – get up early and drive there to arrive by 8 am or so. Did your half day itinerary take 4 hours? How long did you need at Slot Canyons? We were thinking of Bryce then maybe one short side excursion before heading back to Zion since we leave Monday morning, dont want to get back to our hotel too late. Thank you!
Author
We spent 5 to 6 hours in the park, doing everything that we have listed in this post. Budget 2 to 3 hours for Willis Creek, not including driving time. Depending on sunset time, you might run out of time before it gets dark, if you choose to do Willis Creek. You can do a short hike at Kodachrome with less time, but Willis Creek is more fun and memorable in my opinion. You can also save time by not visiting every single viewpoint in Bryce (it’s not a big deal to skip Rainbow and Yovimpa Points). Cheers, Julie