Bryce Canyon National Park
About Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon has the largest concentration of hoodoos in the world. Hoodoos are a unique formation of rocks that is formed from rocks being deposited, the ground rises from tectonic plates, and portions are slowly eroded away. The iron in the rocks give them the orange, red and brown coloring. When I first visited Bryce Canyon I was not all that impressed by it. I only drove the main road and stopped at the different overlooks along the way. It was not until my second visit that I actually hiked Bryce and my opinion of the park changed immensely. Walking in and underneath the hoodoos makes you appreciate their uniqueness and beauty much more than from the overlooks. It was such a unique environment that made me appreciate the US even more.
What to Do?
Trails to Hike:
There are multiple trails that you can hike ranging from a small walk to multi-day backpacking trips. Here are a range of trails that you have the option to hike.
Navajo Loop Trail: 1.3 miles round trip and contains some of the most iconic formations in the park. You have the option in the summer to hike either up or down Wall Street, which has switchbacks going into the canyon surrounded by steep walls. On the other end of the trail you have Thor’s Hammer and Two Bridges.
Queen’s Garden: 1.8 miles round trip. If you struggle with downhills, this is a better option as it is slightly more gradual than the other hikes. You can connect on to the Navajo Trail to make it a loop.
Peek-a-boo Loop: The loop itself is 5.5 miles long, but can only be accessed by either the Navajo Loop Trail or Queen’s Garden Trail. This was a stunning trail that give you the opportunity to see more of the rock formations in the park. On this trail you get to see the Wall of Windows
Fairy Land Loop: 8 miles round trip. This trail is less busy than the ones mentioned above but you do gain 1900 feet in elevation along this trail. If you want to see the Tower Bridge feature you can take a 0.2 mile detour off the trail.
Under the Rim Trail: 23 miles point to point and elevation gain is 5,900 feet. This is one of the multi-day backpacking trips in the park. The trail itself is more forested than other hikes you can do, but there are several vistas along the way where you can see the hoodoos.
Shuttle
The shuttle operates from April to October from 8 am to 6 pm (8 pm in busier months). It runs roughly every 10-15 minutes but only takes you to through Bryce Amphitheater section of the park. It is free for visitors and no reservations are needed.
Winter in the Park
You are allowed to snowshoe all trails in the park except for the Wall Street section of Navajo Loop and the Rim Trail from Inspiration Point to Bryce Point. The side roads to Fairyland and Paria are closed to vehicles and are groomed for cross-country skiing. If you do want to visit during winter make sure to check the road conditions for closures due to snowfall.
Where to Stay?
Bryce Canyon has one lodge located inside the park called The Lodge at Bryce Canyon. If you chose not to stay inside the park the closest place to stay is Bryce Canyon City, which is located right outside the entrance of the park. If you are planning to visit both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park and prefer to have a central location and do not mind the drive you can stay in Springdale, Utah. Springdale is right next to Zion National Park and is 2 hours from Bryce Canyon National Park. There are also a few places to stay between the two parks from Mt Carmel Junction and Glendale.
Quick Facts: