Top Things to do in Bryce Canyon National Park
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What to do and see in Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park: The Best Outdoor Activities
Pink cliffs, dramatic hoodoos and towering red and yellow spires make Bryce Canyon a geological wonder. While its founder, Ebenezer Bryce, thought that the canyon was just "a helluva place to lose a cow," visitors today will appreciate the panoramas, the flora and fauna and the limestone formations. Hike on the mile-long Bristlecone Loop or on the 22-plus mile Under the Rim trail. With 50 miles of trails, mountain biking, horseback riding and star talks, Bryce is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise.
1. Fairyland Loop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 338 reviews
8-mile loop strenuous hike to Fairyland and Campbell Canyons.
Reviewed By artdob - Simi Valley, United States
This was our main hike at Bryce Canyon National Park.. We did the whole thing and then some. We started I believe at Sunrise Point. Plan on this hike to take a good portion of your day if you intend to hike the entire trail. This hike will take roughly 5 hours and the visual rewards are great. As you make your way into the initial portion of the hike, you’ll soon come across spectacular hoodoos. They are everywhere. Be prepared to stop often and admire these geological wonders. The scenery along the way is stunning. You’ll get a nice view of Tower Bridge – not the one in London England, but the Utah version. The trail is well maintained, wide enough and generally even without too many rocks to stumble over on the trail itself. The terrain is primarily dry, though you’ll be treated to occasional flowers along the walk in spring and summer. There are great vistas along the journey. Perhaps because of its length and difficulty level, this trail is less travelled as compared to the popular Navajo and Queens trails. As a result, you’ll likely enjoy much of the hike without a sense of being in a crowd. This loop trail also includes a portion of the Rim Trail from Sunset Point back to the Fairyland Point, completing the “loop”. It is easy to get carried away with photography on this hike. Everywhere you look, the trail offers something amazing. One major tip – don’t walk and photo at the same time. You wouldn’t want to take a step over a ledge anywhere – which could be easier to do than you might think. Yes, I’m talking to you GoPro folks walking and talking at the same time. And yes, guilty here too. This hike is rated as strenuous. You’ll be walking for nearly 8 miles and be logging in roughly 1,545 feet in elevation change along the walk. You’ll fare better if you are in decent physical shape and have done a similar hike before. EQUIPMENT -Water: This is essential. We came with 2 liters a piece on a day where the temperatures were in the low 80s. We would have needed more if the day was hotter. -Sun screen: You’ll be better off with some of this on the exposed areas of your body. -Hat: Keep the sun off your face. -Trekking Poles: These just make this type of hike easier and more enjoyable. They also are helpful in mitigating injury risk. We are approaching 60 years of age (not quite there yet), but we were able to complete the hike without any challenges.
2. Peek-A-Boo Loop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 491 reviews
4.1-mile Hiking Trail, Often Steep, Which Is Used By People And Horses, And Has A Picnic Area At The Bottom.
Reviewed By AeneasAtSea - Salt Lake City, United States
This easternmost loop inside Bryce Canyon is probably the most strenuous of the amphitheater trails, since it is relatively shadeless and has a lot of up and down. But it is spectacular, with a number of fun tunnel arches along the way. It is accessed either by the little connector trail from the Navajo loop or from the east rim. The trail itself is about 4 miles long, not counting whatever trails are used to access it. If you have time and energy, it is one of the canyon's best hikes, especially if you can combine it with either the rim trail or the Queen's Garden loop.
3. Riggs Spring Loop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
This 8.8-mile hiking trail affords excellent views of Bryce Canyon's famous rock formations and features the changing forests from spruce and Douglas fir at higher elevations, to ponderosa pine toward the bottom.
4. Navajo/Queens Garden Loop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,703 reviews
2.9-mile hiking trail that leads to rock formations shaped like Queen Victoria and her garden.
Reviewed By JayG2720 - Frisco, United States
My wife and I Hike the combined Navajo/Queens Garden loop at Bryce Natl Park and really enjoyed it. Definitely would recommend it for anyone visiting the park as it was an easy to moderate hike that allows you to experience the hoo doo amphitheater up close and provides a great perspective looking up through them up to the ridge. Would agree with the recommendation to start at sunrise point and proceed clockwise as it gives you a much more gradual descent and leaves you a ascent to sunset point that provides great views of Thor’s Hammer and the overall amphitheater. Definitely a highlight of our four park circle tour this fall!
5. Red Canyon Trail Rides
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 197 reviews
Come on a horseback riding adventure and experience the Wild West. Your cowboy guide will share some extraordinary history of the Bryce Canyon area during your adventure such as how the famous outlaw Butch Cassidy himself once roamed these parts. No matter what trails you choose to explore, whatever your experience level, you’re sure to have a memorable time discovering Bryce Canyon and the surrounding area.
6. Navajo Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 769 reviews
The 2.2-mile trail takes hikers down 521 feet into the magnificent canyon, so make sure you bring lots of film.
Reviewed By 919cherylj - Bloomington, United States
We started at Sunset Point (very steep and easier to descend than ascend), hiked down Wall Street, and then completed the Navajo Loop. The amazing rock formations, Thor's Hammer and the 3 Sisters, can be viewed at the end of this loop.
7. Queen's Garden Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 510 reviews
This 1.5 mile loop is an extremely colorful trail with views of some interesting hoodoos.
Reviewed By robb118 - Las Vegas, United States
I was reluctant to write a review, as I wasn’t sure I would be able to provide any more superlatives to those already provided. Just know that I agree with all of the most positive reviews about the beauty and texture of this very unique place. There is one item I would like to add is in regard to the Navajo Loop, which connects to Queens Garden Trail. If you use the NL to ascend, please consider using the Left trail, known as Wall Street, which has many of the element ms of Bryce Canyon, as well as some very nice little slot canyons of it’s own. The route up Wall Street is slightly longer than the alternate route, but I’m told it’s better to see on the ascent than in the descent. Just wanted to point that route out, as it is mentioned in many of the guide books but IMO, it’s not really features as it should be.
8. Canyon Trail Rides
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,843 reviews
Come explore Zion National Park on the back of horse or mule. Experience riding through the Virgin River, looking up at the "Court of the Patriarchs", and climbing 700 ft on the Sandbench Trail. Canyon Trail Rides offers a 1 hour ride and a 1/2 day (3 hour) ride. The 1 hour ride is $40.00 per person and each person must be 7 years or older and under 220 lbs. The 1/2 day ride is $80.00 per person and each person must be 10 years or older and under 220 lbs.
Reviewed By JNOTS - Miami, United States
We took the three hour ride along Peek-a-boo Trail and thoroughly enjoyed it, finding it to be a wonderful and exciting way to get below the rim and appreciate the canyon and its one-of-a-kind rock formations. We made our reservations online approximately three months in advance, and we’re glad we did as we would have been disappointed to have missed it. I hadn’t been on a horse in years, or in this case a mule, nor had my husband, but we took right back to it. And the mules do all the work, allowing you to just ride and take in all the beauty. Our guide, as well as the two guides for the other groups riding at the same time as ours, was knowledgeable, friendly, and focused on our fun and safety. We also found the lady staffing the trail ride desk to be very personable and attentive to our needs, as we had originally booked a morning slot on one day, but because of weather ended up moving it to an afternoon slot on another day. We made the right decision on that and had perfect weather for our ride. This a great activity for couples, families, and friends. Don’t hesitate to do it.
9. Rim Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 171 reviews
Reviewed By Hermes_NL - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Rim Trail follows the cliff of the the Bryce Amphitheatre - a horseshoe shaped one-sided erosional feature which is the main attraction at Bryce. The rim trail is fairly flat and very close to various parking lots. It features four well layed out view points: Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point and Bryce Point. Just walking the rim trail and visiting these four points is an easy exercise and could even be done with a wheelchair - and yet this will give you a fantastic impression of Bryce. The rim trail is only a few hundred meters away also from the Lodge at Bryce Canyon (the only accomodation inside the park) If you have a bit more time and you are reasonably fit, you can also hike the Navajo Trail into the Amphitheatre which runs from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point or vice versa. Better to bring water for this hike which is about two-three hours, certainly if you include Wall Street.
10. Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 230 reviews
Reviewed By Hermes_NL - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Bryce Canyon offers the most magnificent and mesmerizing views you can imagine ... the sensation of driving over the fairly flat plateau with some trees, and then reaching the edge of the plateau and looking into the depths of the Bryce Amphitheatre. Breathtaking. The scenic drive, which is essentially Highway 63 inside the Bryce Canyon National Park, offers easy access to a number of those viewpoints ... such as Sunrise, Sunset, Bryce, Farview point and also the natural bridge. All of these are a few hundred yards or less walking distance from the parking area and generally accessible for wheelchairs as well. Very efficient way to see mighty Bryce Canyon in relatively little time.
