Bryce Canyon National Park

Backcountry Hiking and Camping

Experience the solitude of Bryce's forested backcountry! To preserve this experience, backcountry camping is permitted only in designated campsites. A backcountry permit must be obtained at the Visitor Center prior to any overnight trips.

Birdwatching

175 different species of birds have been documented to frequent Bryce Canyon National Park. Some are just passing through. Others stay for an entire season. Fewer still make this their year-round home, but those that do are charming and charismatic.

Bristlecone Loop Trail

The Bristlecone Loop, an easy 1 mile hike, meanders through the forest atop this highest portion of the park, reaching elevations over 9,100 feet (2778 m). Here you will pass by bristlecone pines up to 1,800-years-old and experience vistas reaching into the Four Corners area.

Bryce Amphitheater Traverse

The Bryce Amphitheater Traverse is a one-way hike combining the Peekaboo Loop with the Queen's Garden trail. Hikers descend from Bryce Point, turning left (clockwise) on Peekaboo Loop and then connecting to the Queen's Garden trail to ascend to Sunrise Point.

Bryce Canyon Evening Program

Evening programs, typically offered from Memorial Day through Labor Day, offer topics that go beyond the rim! Check the calendar for daily times and locations. This is a Ranger’s Choice program offering an exploration into compelling stories, interesting themes, and unique resources that make Bryce Canyon special. 

Day Hikes

From easy walks along the edge of the famous Bryce Amphitheater using the Rim Trail to more strenuous adventures surrounded by the hoodoos below on the Peekaboo Loopthe park provides a variety of options for a variety of abilities to enjoy the park up close at your own pace. Visit the "Hiking Trails" button on the front page of this app for more trail details.

Fairyland Loop

The Fairyland Loop is a quiet 8 mile hike that combines hiking along the plateau rim near Boat Mesa with a hike in the canyon with long views of the Bryce Amphitheater surrounded by unique hoodoos. You can start this hike at Fairyland Point or on the rim trail north of Sunrise Point at the Tower Bridge trailhead. We recommend hiking in a counter-clockwise direction. There is no shuttle pick-up at Fairyland Point, so you will need to hike to your starting point.

Figure-8 Combination

The Figure-8 Combination combines three amphitheater hikes, Queen's Garden, Navajo Loop, and the Peekaboo Loop, into one ultimate hike! We recommend a clockwise direction descending Queen's Garden, connecting to the Peekaboo Loop (we recommend hiking it in a clockwise direction), and ascending either side of the Navajo Loop (Two Bridges in winter). From there you can complete the trail by hiking back to Sunrise Point along the Rim Trail.

Full Moon Hike

Typically offered year-round at sunset as weather permits. Those planning to join a ranger-led full moon hike at Bryce Canyon National Park can make reservations online via Recreation.gov. Tickets for each month’s hike are released in two phases, 14 and 5 days in advance.

Get a Passport Stamp

Are you a "Passport to Your National Parks" cancellation collector? Bryce Canyon has a cancellation stamp to commemorate your visit in your passport book.

Go Cross-Country Skiing

A great way to explore Bryce Canyon in winter is on cross-country skis. Though it is illegal to ski off of the rim into the canyon, you can enjoy a variety of routes above the rim. These include sections of the Rim Trail along the edge of the Main Amphitheater, the Bristlecone Loop Trail; Paria Ski Loop; and the unplowed Paria View and Fairyland Point roads.

Go For a Winter Hike

Many hikes are available to visitors during the winter season, in both the front and backcountry, but might require some additional equipment. For much of the winter the most popular trails are so icy that steep sections cannot be safely traversed without some sort of additional traction device for your hiking shoes or boots.

Go Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is a great way to slow down and experience Bryce Canyon National Park. Horses have been used to explore Bryce Canyon National Park since before it was set aside for federal protection. To support this activity, the National Park Service completed 4.5 miles of foot and horse trails in 1931 that are still in use today.

Go Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is allowed throughout the park on all trails. But be aware that though snowshoes make it possible to travel through deep powdery snow, snowshoeing is still a highly strenuous activity. Most snowshoers enjoy walks along the Rim Trail, Bristlecone Loop, Fairyland Road, and Paria Road.

Hat Shop

The Hat Shop trail descends from Bryce Point into the backcountry using the Under-the-Rim trail, offering views of the colorful cliffs of the Grand Staircase. This strenuous out-and-back hike leads down 1,380 feet (421 meters) over two-miles to a cluster of balanced-rock hoodoos before hikers turn around to return to Bryce Point. These narrow, orange pinnacles wear "hats" of large gray boulders, giving them a distinct appearance.

Hike the Hoodoos

To encourage visitors to stay healthy while having fun, Bryce Canyon National Park has developed an activity called "Hike the Hoodoos!" Part hike, part scavenger hunt, visitors must hike at least 3 miles on specially-marked trails and find "Hike the Hoodoos" benchmark survey markers along the way. Visitors may either obtain rubbings of the benchmarks, or take pictures of themselves with the benchmarks, to prove they hiked the required distance.

Hoodoo Geology Talk

Typically offered year-round at Sunset Point at 11 a.m. Geologists have spent years studying the unique geologic story of Bryce Canyon and its amphitheaters of hoodoos. Join the Ranger along the rim at Sunset Point to explore the evolution of the hoodoos and the groups of people who have passed through this magical terrain. 

Mossy Cave Trail

Mossy Cave trail is one of the lowest elevation hikes in the park as well as one of the only hikes that begins with a climb and ends with a descent. This trail provides access to Water Canyon in one direction and to a sheltered overhang known as Mossy Cave in the other. This area is filled with mosses in the summer and icicles in the winter. Please stay on the main trail and respect all posted signs. Pets are not permitted on this trail.

Navajo Loop Trail

The iconic Navajo Loop Trail begins and ends at Sunset Point. Its switchbacks wind between narrow walls of colorful limestone with views of towering Douglas-fir trees and the park's most famous hoodoo: Thor's hammer. The loop has two sides: Two Bridges and Wall Street. The Two Bridges side is open year-round, however, the Wall Street side is closed during the winter months. During this time Two-Bridges can be hiked as an out-and-back trail or combined with other trails.

Navajo/Peekaboo Combination Loop

Combine two of our most iconic trails, the Navajo and Peekaboo Loop trails, into a a mini Figure-8 combination loop. Start the hike at Sunset Point, descend down either side of the Navajo Loop (Two Bridges in winter), connect to the Peekaboo Loop (we recommend hiking it in a clockwise direction), and ascend Navajo back to Sunset Point.

Peekaboo Loop

The Peekaboo Loop descends 670 feet (204 meters) from Bryce Point to this hoodoo-filled loop trail before ascending back up to Bryce Point. In summer months, hikers will encounter horses/mules on this trail. We recommend hiking this trail in a clockwise direction.

Plan a Picnic

Looking for a good place to enjoy a picnic? Here is a list of Bryce Canyon picnic areas.

Queen's Garden Trail

The Queen's Garden Trail is the least difficult of the trails descending from the rim into the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater. Hike this out-and-back trail to the Queen Victoria hoodoo at the end of a short spur trail and experience the splendor of hiking amongst the hoodoos. This trail is commonly combined with the Navajo Loop to create a 2.9 mile round trip trail where you can descend at Sunrise Point and ascend at Sunset Point.

Queen's/Navajo Combination Loop

Our most popular hike in the park and the one we most recommend to first-time visitors. The Queen's/Navajo Combination Loop combines the open views and unique hoodoos of the Queen's Garden Trail with the iconic switchbacks and towering canyon walls of the Navajo Loop Trail. Descend Queen's Garden at Sunrise Point, ascend the Navajo Loop to Sunset Point, and then complete the loop back to Sunrise Point via the Rim Trail, enjoying views into the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater below.

Riggs Spring Loop

The Riggs Spring Loop is a backcountry trail that begins and ends at Yovimpa Point. This trail travels through spruce, fir, and bristlecone forests offering beautiful views of distant cliffs. The western section of the trail is steeper and more heavily forested. Permits are not required to hike this trail, but all overnight stays require a permit.

Rim Walk with a Ranger

Typically offered Memorial Day through Labor Day at Sunset Point at 2:00 p.m. Join a Ranger and experience the enchantment of the hoodoos, the history of the people who have passed through the amphitheaters for thousands of years, and the many ways the animals and plants have adapted to the unique ecosystems of Bryce Canyon National Park.

See the Night Sky

Bryce Canyon is a sanctuary for natural darkness. Bryce Canyon's skies are so dark, that in 2019 the park was designated as a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park. Since the park is open 24 hours a day, whether you head off to a viewpoint yourself or join a night sky ranger program, we welcome you to the dark side!

See the Park Film

"A Song of Seasons" plays in the Visitor Center theater every half hour when the Visitor Center is open.

Snowshoe Hikes

Here at 8,000 feet (2,438 m) the scenery changes dramatically in the colder months. Come experience this magical season by taking a snowshoe-hike! Snowshoeing is allowed throughout the park on all trails so you can head out on your own or join a ranger-led snowshoe hike. These hikes are offered in winter as weather and snow conditions permit and are designed for all levels of experience, from beginner to expert.

Stargazing at Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon's high elevation, clean air, and remote location creates some of the darkest skies in the country. In fact, in 2019 Bryce Canyon officially gained International Dark Sky status. During a new Moon on a clear weather night, you can see thousands of stars and the spectacular band of the Milky Way Galaxy shooting across the sky. We take pride in our ability to protect the night skies for the present and future generations.