Located in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is home to the largest collection of hoodoos in the entire world. What are hoodoos you be might wondering? Also known as fairy chimneys, earth pyramids, and tent rocks, these tall, thin rock pillars are sculpted from weathering forces and erosion in desert climates. The resulting rock formations are absolutely magical and almost otherworldly. After recently experiencing these natural wonders for myself, I’m here to convince you that a visit to Bryce Canyon needs to be on your bucket list.
Ready for an adventure? Here are 5 things you must do in Bryce Canyon.
Go Hiking
There are many options for hiking in Bryce Canyon, which makes it great for people of all fitness levels. However, it’s important to note that because Bryce is located at a high altitude, even shorter hikes are a bit more difficult than people may anticipate. During my visit, I witnessed a rescue team heading down to the canyon floor to assist a hiker who couldn’t make it back up the trail on their own. Although it’s more common in the summer months, incidences like this can happen at any time of the year. Make sure to bring plenty of water, snacks and sunscreen before you hit the trail. The following are a few less challenging hikes that I’d recommend.
Mossy cave Trail
Mossy Cave Trail is a simple 0.8 mile out and back hike that gives visitors the opportunity to see hoodoos up close without making the trek to the bottom of one of the park’s amphitheaters. It’s unique in that it’s one of the only trails in Bryce Canyon that starts with a 0.4 mile ascension to the top and ends with a walk back down to the starting point. Instead of entering the main park entrance, drive toward Tropic, Utah where you’ll find a small parking lot for the trail located on the right hand side of the road.
Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop
Beginning at Sunrise Point, the Queen’s Garden is an out and back trail that’s deemed one of the least difficult in Bryce Canyon. It descends only 320 feet, but still offers great views of the hoodoos and amazing photo opportunities for less experienced hikers. If you’re up for more of a challenge, you can continue on to the Navajo Loop trail, which connects to Queen’s Garden. The Navajo Loop trail is a relatively easy loop that can also be done on its own and starts and ends at Sunset Point.
Rim Trail
The Rim Trail, which goes from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point, is about 5.5 miles one way. It offers stunning views of the Main Amphitheater from above. While some portions are pretty steep, you can turn back at any point, allowing you to determine how difficult you want the hike to be.
Watch the Sunrise
Witnessing a Bryce Canyon sunrise is something that you can’t miss. I may be slightly biased because watching the sunrise is one of my favorite things to do, but seeing the crimson light reflecting off the hoodoos as the sun appears is a once in a lifetime experience. Even if you aren’t a morning person, it’s worth making an exception for this unparalleled experience.
Before I went to Bryce Canyon, I spent a lot of time researching the best sunrise viewpoint, but I couldn’t come up with a conclusive answer. Was it the obvious Sunrise Point, the highly recommended Inspiration Point, or one of the many other overlooks positioned along the rim?
After visiting I concluded that there isn’t a wrong answer. Each overlook is slightly unique and because they all face east, you’ll get amazing views no matter which you choose. My favorites were Sunrise Point and Sunset Point because the sky was particularly vibrant the morning I visited those overlooks. The important thing to keep in mind is that you should arrive well before the time the sun is set to rise. This will give you enough time to walk from the parking lot, find a good location, and set up your camera if you intend to take photos.
Explore On Horseback
A horseback riding tour is a great way to explore Bryce Canyon without breaking a sweat. You can simply go along for the ride while enjoying the scenery and learning about the area from your guide.
Canyon Trail Rides is an excellent company that offers two tour options: a 1.5 to 2 hour ride to the floor of the canyon and a 3 hour ride on the Peek-A-Boo Loop trail. I went on the shorter ride because the longer option wasn’t offered during my visit due to the snow and ice on that part of the trail, but I still had an amazing time. The guides are very knowledgeable and make sure that everyone in the group is comfortable, even if you don’t have any riding experience.
Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive
Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive is an 18 mile out and back drive encompassed of 13 gorgeous viewpoints. It’s great way to get an overview of the park, so I’d advise doing this as early in your trip as possible. The elevation increases the farther into the park you drive and ends up at over 9,000 feet by the end.
I’d recommend first driving all the way out to Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point (the last stops) and then working your way backward, so that the pullouts for each overlook will be on the right hand side of the road. Start early in the morning and you’ll likely have some of the first viewpoints all to yourself.
It’s completely up to you whether you want to visit each pullout or only see a few, but these are definitely worth the stop: Natural Bridge Overlook, Rainbow Point, Yovimpa Point, and Pondersosa Point.
Spend An Evening At The Rodeo
Grab your cowboy boots and get ready for some fun! The Bryce Canyon Country Rodeo takes place Wednesday through Saturday nights Memorial Day through Mid August every year at the Ruby’s Inn Rodeo Grounds. Here you can see events like barrel racing, roping, and bronc riding. Unfortunately, I visited in the fall when the rodeo wasn’t running, but it’s a great option for those visiting in the summer.
Planning a trip to Bryce Canyon? Read More: 6 Tips For Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park
