Utah features five stunning names parks, called Utah’s Mighty Five. Part of the Grand Staircase, Bryce Canyon National Park is a must when road-tripping. A quick drive from its neighbor, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon’s rocks are painted pink and red. Standing on the canyon rim, it resembles the sun setting as it fades from pink to orange to vermillion. Bryce Canyon National Park can be seen in a few hours since it is one of Utah’s smaller parks. Here are the top things to do in Bryce Canyon.
9 Cool Things to Do in Bryce Canyon
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Stop by the Visitor Center
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Learn about Geology
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Take a Hike
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Attend a Ranger Program
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Spot Wildlife
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Enjoy the Wildflowers of Bryce Canyon
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Look at the Night Sky
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Spend the Night in a Western Cabin
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See Another Utah National Park
Bryce Canyon at a Glance
| Year Established: 1928 |
| Located: Utah |
| Size: over 35,000 acres |
| Top Features: Pink, red and white hoodoo rock formations |
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Visitor Center in Bryce Canyon
This is the first stop for many park visitors since it offers information, maps, along with knowledgeable rangers. The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center offers an interpretive film along with a display area.
Park rangers issue backcountry permits and hand out Junior Ranger booklets. Visitors will also find a bookstore along with restrooms and drinking water.
It is located on Utah Highway 63, past the National Park sign. Open daily at 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. during the summer and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the fall and spring (4:30 p.m. in winter).
The Geology of Bryce Canyon
The pink spires of Bryce Canyon are stunning and that’s why people visit, including myself. The unique rock formations, called hoodoos, were created over millions of years.
About 50 million years ago, Lake Claron existed in the area. Over the years, deposits created layers of stones. Then, plate tectonics led to the rise of the area. Finally, erosion sculpted the area with a mix of water and ice.
Bryce Canyon is part of an area called the Grand Staircase, which includes the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. This area is over 100 miles long, and if you drive through the area, you can see different rock layers, like pink, gray, white, vermillion and chocolate.
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Take a Hike at Bryce Canyon
Hiking is one of the top things to do at Bryce Canyon.
Easy Hikes
Sunset to Sunrise—A 1.0-mile (1.6 km) one-way hike on the rim.
Rim Trail—A 1.0 to 11.0 mile (1.6 km to 17.7 km) one-way hike along Bryce Canyon rim, though not a loop.
Bristlecone Loop—A 1.0-mile (1.6 km) loop through the bristlecone loop.
Moderate Hikes
Queen’s Garden—A 1.8-mile (2.9 km) one-way trail down into Bryce Canyon, many consider it
the easiest route.
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What to do in 2 hours
On my first visit, I had limited time so after grabbing a map at the Visitor Center I hopped a complimentary park shuttle. At the Sunrise Point stop, I headed to the Rim Trail, a paved path running next to the edge. To walk from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point is an easy 1.0-mile hike.
For more adventurous families, the Navajo Trail offers an up-close look at Bryce’s rock formations as the trail takes hikers into Bryce Amphitheater’s slot canyon. It starts at Sunset Point and is a 1.3-mile moderate trail.
I walked over to the Bryce Canyon Lodge to tour the historic park building. Inside, I found restrooms, a large gift shop, a restaurant, and a ballroom that hosts ranger programs.
After exploring from Sunrise to Sunset Points, I headed for Inspiration Point, which was close but yet another vantage point of the Bryce Amphitheater. Then, I boarded the shuttle bus for the roundtrip ride back to the visitor center.
NOTE for Families: This path doesn’t feature a fence next to the canyon but is approximately 10 feet off the rim’s edge.
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Horseback Riding in the Park
Visitors can take a guided horseback riding trip into the canyon. On a two- or three-hour trip, riders can see the Bryce Amphitheater on the Peek-a-boo Loop Trail. Guided trail rides run from April to October 31.
Two-hour rides are $85, and three-hour rides are $120.
Attend Ranger Talks or Tours
Throughout the year, park rangers host ranger tours that are free to join. Visitors should check in at the visitor center for the most up-to-date schedule. Popular topics include a hoodoo geology talk, a rim tour of the canyon, along a constellation tour after dark.
During the summer season, ranger tours are held daily.
Special Events
Each June, the park hosts a two-day Astronomy Festival. For 2024, the festival is June 5 – 8.
Then, in July, the park hosts a two-day Geology Festival. For 2024, the festival is July 12 – 13
The Christmas Bird Count is another popular event.
Spot Wildlife in Bryce Canyon
One of the things to do in Bryce Canyon is spot wildlife. You can see a variety of wildlife in the canyon; in total, there are 59 different mammals in Bryce Canyon.
Birding is another way to see animals in the park. Western Birdbirds and Robins are in the park in the late winter at the lower elevations. Several varieties of thrushes are also found in the park. Year-round birds include chickadees, woodpeckers and raptors.
- Mule Deer
- Mountain Lions
- Pronghorns
- Utah Prairie Dog
- Great Basin Rattlesnake
- Striped Whip Snack
Enjoy the Wildflowers in the Park
Wildflowers bloom in Bryce Canyon from Spring until Fall. Find blue flax and a couple of varieties of penstemons. western iris, and a Bryce Canyon Paintbrush, among others.
Enjoy a blaze of fall color with Quaking Aspen. Also, visitors will find evergreen trees like the Great Basin Bristlecone, Ponderosa Pine and Colorado Pinyon. Visitors can see wildflowers from May until September.
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Night Sky Viewing in Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon in an International Dark Skies Park, earning the designation in 2019. The park is ideal for stargazing with a higher elevation and minimal light pollution from urban areas.
The park’s dark rangers, who specialize in the night sky, host programs to see a world beyond the naked eye. This is one of the top things to do in Bryce Canyon with kids.
Outfitted with high-powered telescopes, dark rangers point viewfinders on the Milky Way and nursery nebulae. On full moons, dark sky rangers guide visitors through the canyon on moonlit hikes. Kids can even earn the Night Skies Junior Ranger badge at Bryce Canyon.
What to do with Kids and Dogs in Bryce Canyon
The Junior Ranger Program is the go-to program for families to learn more about Bryce Canyon National Park. It’s free and takes about two hours to complete. My kids love the badges that the Rangers present them after they complete their booklet.
You can pick up a booklet at any visitor center and complete the age-appropriate activities. Then, return for a souvenir badge and certificate. It is one of the top things to do in Bryce Canyon with kids.
BARK program
Bryce Canyon National Park welcomes pets as long as they practice the principles of the BARK program.
B–Bag waste and dispose of it in the trash
A–Always leash your dog for their safety and others
R–Respect wildlife
K–Know where you can go
Dogs can walk on the paved areas of the park, like pull-outs. They are also welcome on the Rim Trail between Sunrise and Sunset. For more information, check out the BARK page.
Junior Ranger Badge Guide
History of Bryce Canyon National Park
What started as an inland sea approximately 40 million years ago until 20 million years ago when the Colorado Plateau began to rise and dry out. The rainbow-colored limestone layers actually represent different eras of time.
This area is located on the top portion of the Grand Staircase, a sequence of sedimentary rock layers in northern Arizona and southern Utah. It offers a geologic survey of 525 million years displayed in exposed rock. Where Grand Canyon National Park represents the bottom of the Grand Staircase, Zion National Park offers a glimpse of the center.
Ebenezer Bryce, a Mormon Pioneer and Bryce Canyon’s namesake, settled in the area and at times seemed obvious to its haunting beauty. Bryce Canyon National Park earned its national park designation in 1928.
The People of the Area
Through archeological studies, scientists discovered people have used the area for over 10,000 years. Due to the harsh winters, people didn’t live in the area year-round. It was a seasonal hunting ground.
Paleo Indians and pueblos people hunted for game. Paiutes harvested pine nuts and hunted rabbits.
Mormon pioneers came to the area in the 1800s to farm. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) arrived in Bryce Canyon in 1933 to build infrastructure for the new park, including trails, campgrounds, parking areas, and buildings.
Where to Eat in the Park
General Store
The General Store sells hot and cold grab-and-go items and beverages, along with camping supplies and firewood. Showers are available at the general store as well.
Located near the North Campground. Open seasonally from March until the end of December.
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon
Diners can enjoy continental breakfast favorites, like bakery items, cereal and fruit. The lunch menu features salads, sandwiches and burgers. For dinner, guests will find a selection of chicken, steak and fish options. A separate children’s menu is available.
Open seasonally from March until November.
Valhalla Pizzeria and Coffeeshop
Another option at Bryce Lodge is The Valhalla Pizzeria and Coffeeshop, which sells pizzas, salads, and pastries along with beer, wine, and coffee drinks.
Open seasonally from May until October.
Where to Stay in Bryce Canyon National Park
For lodging inside the park, the Bryce Canyon Lodge offers rooms in the 1925 historic lodge, which is listed on the Register of Historic Places. Each room features a king or two queen beds along with a mini-fridge, a microwave and a coffeemaker. Four suites outfitted with one king bed and a pull-out sofa are available. Rollaways are available.
For guests desiring more space, reserve a western cabin, steps from the canyon’s edge. Each offers rustic elegance in a more private setting with two queen beds, a gas log fireplace with a mini-fridge, a microwave and a coffeemaker. Western cabins also feature a covered porch with
The Bryce Canyon Lodge features a restaurant, a pizzeria and a gift shop.
Camping in Bryce Canyon
North Campground
- Year-round
- Reservations are accepted from May until October, Then First-come, first-serve
- 100 sites, no hookups
- Potable water and flush toilets, no showers
- Dump station
- Laundry Facilities
Sunset Campground
- Spring to Fall
- Reservation accepted
- 99 sites, no hookups
- Potable water and Portable toilets, no showers
Getting Around Bryce Canyon
Shared Use Path
Consider the paved 18-mile shared-use trail that runs from Red Canyon at Paunsaugunt Plateau to Inspiration Point. It’s open to foot and non-motorized vehicles, as well as leashed pets.
Free Shuttle
Before entering the park, find the Bryce Canyon City Shuttle Parking lot. Shuttle buses run every 15 minutes seasonally from early April until mid-October. Find seven stops within Bryce Canyon, along with five stops in the neighboring town.
Gateway Town
Right outside of the park, find Bryce Canyon City. It’s a small community with several lodging options, including an RV park. There, you can also find a gas station with a convenience store (think a loaf of bread and drinks).
Where’s Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is located approximately 270 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada, to the south and 270 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah, to the north. Both cities offer international airports. It’s located 85 miles from Zion National Park, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is 158 miles away.
Bryce Canyon National Park is open 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. You can use an America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) or purchase a 7-day pass for $35 per private vehicle.
It offers a free seasonal shuttle bus that leaves the visitor center every 15 minutes and stops at the lodge, the campgrounds, and Sunset, Bryce, Inspiration, and Sunset Points.
National Park Passes Guide
Know Before You Go
- The canyon has frequent thunderstorms during the Monsoon season, June through August. For your safety, when thunder roars, head indoors.
- This canyon doesn’t have a partial fence around the canyon like Grand Canyon. Hike with the kids within arm’s reach.
- Take it easy, elevations range from 6,600 to 9,100 ft
- Seasonal road closures can occur during the winter.
