Bryce Canyon National Park is one of my favorite places to visit for many reasons. One really cool thing about Bryce Canyon is that it can accommodate all types of visitors. You can explore Bryce Canyon from the rim or within the canyon. For the adventurous type, the park offers various lengths and levels of hiking trails, but it also has easy-access overlooks for those who can’t hike or only have a short period of time to explore. Some of the best pictures I have taken in Bryce Canyon were on the rim, only a few feet from the car, while some of my most memorable experiences involved long hikes within the canyon’s high walls.
Hiking Bryce Canyon National Park
One of the best things about Bryce Canyon is that there are a lot of hiking options. When you enter the National Park, you will have to show your park pass or pay an entrance fee, and when you do so, a park ranger will provide you with a map. The map will show where to locate different pull-offs and hiking trails. Any hike you do in Bryce Canyon will be beautiful and well worth your time, but if you’d like a few suggestions, I have listed a few of my favorite hikes below.
Wall Street
Wall Street is one of the most popular areas in the park and for good reason! You are engulfed in between the tall canyon walls with bright orange colors while trekking the iconic switchbacks, and it’s incredibly beautiful.
The hike is approximately 2.9 miles round trip. To reach Wall Street, you can start from either the Navajo Loop trailhead at Sunset Point or from the Queen’s Garden trailhead at Sunrise Point. If you start at Sunset Point, you will descend into Wall Street toward the beginning of your hike, whereas if you start at the Queen’s Garden, you will climb out of Wall Street toward the end of your hike.
Mossy Cave Trail
The Mossy Cave Trail is short and sweet! It’s only .8 miles round trip, and it takes you to see a waterfall in the summer months or a cool ice cave in the winter.
The trailhead for Mossy Cave is located outside of the main section of Bryce Canyon National Park, and you don’t have to pay a park fee to enter. The trailhead is located between mile markers 17 and 18 on the road between Bryce Canyon National Park and Tropic. You will see restrooms and a small brown sign at the parking area. The trail itself is very well-marked and easy to follow.
The Fairyland Loop
Fairyland Loop is an 8-mile hike that covers a lot of territory. Throughout the 8 miles, you will see a lot of unique hoodoos and viewpoints! One of the best things about this trail is that it is much more secluded than many others.
The trail begins at Fairyland Point, which can easily be found on a map. From Fairyland Point, you will hike approximately 8 miles, seeing a wide variety of views.
I love this hike because you start out looking up at the hoodoos from the bottom of the canyon, and you end up looking down at the hoodoos and the area you hiked below. The perspective really changes!
The Rim Trail–Sunrise Point to Sunset Point
The Rim Trail hike is a short and fun way to see the iconic Bryce Canyon Hoodoos. You can hike a one-mile round trip along the rim from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point or vice versa, depending on what trailhead you park at. If you decide you want to go further, there are a lot of adjoining trails to explore!
The Best Time of Year to Visit Bryce Canyon
The best time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park depends on your preferences and the type of experience you are seeking. Here are some considerations for different seasons:
- Spring (April to June):
- Spring is a popular time to visit as temperatures are generally mild, ranging from 20°F to 60°F (-7°C to 16°C).
- The park comes to life with wildflowers, and the air is crisp and refreshing.
- Some trails may still have patches of snow, but overall, it’s a great time for hiking without the intense summer heat.
- Summer (July to August):
- Summer is the peak tourist season, with daytime temperatures ranging from 40°F to 80°F (4°C to 27°C).
- Longer daylight hours allow for extended exploration, and most trails are accessible.
- Expect larger crowds, so plan to start your activities early in the day to avoid congestion.
- Fall (September to October):
- Fall is a popular time for visiting national parks, including Bryce Canyon.
- Daytime temperatures range from 20°F to 70°F (-7°C to 21°C).
- The park is less crowded compared to summer, and the changing colors of the foliage add to the scenic beauty.
- Winter (November to March):
- Winter is a quieter time with fewer visitors, but some services and facilities may be limited.
- Snow blankets the hoodoos, creating a magical winter landscape. The park is open year-round, but some roads and facilities may close during heavy snowfall.
- Winter temperatures can range from 0°F to 40°F (-18°C to 4°C).
Keep in mind that Bryce Canyon’s high elevation (around 8,000 to 9,000 feet) means that temperatures can vary, and conditions can change rapidly. Check the weather forecast and road conditions before your visit. Additionally, consider making accommodations and activity reservations in advance, especially during peak seasons. Each season offers a unique perspective of Bryce Canyon, so the best time to visit depends on your preferences for weather, crowd levels, and the type of experience you’re seeking.
Bryce Canyon’s Unique Geology
Bryce Canyon is best known for its beautiful rock formations. The park’s main claim to fame is its tall orange hoodoos and rock spires. The difference between a hoodoo and a rock spire is that hoodoos have a unique totem pole shape, while rock spires rise up like tapering towers. Both formations are beautiful and can be seen throughout the canyon!
Hoodoos are a naturally occurring, extremely rare geologic feature. Hoodoos are formed by ice wedging. Ice wedging occurs when water seeps into the spaces in between sandstone rock formations and freezes when the temperatures lower. The freezing causes the rock to expand, and the expansion breaks apart the rock. The ice-wedging process first breaks giant sandstone chunks into walls, and then windows, and then hoodoos! The northern section of Bryce Canyon is home to the most populated section of hoodoos in the world! The hoodoos at Bryce Canyon range in size from that of a human to heights exceeding a 10-story building.
If you love the geology of Bryce Canyon, you might also want to check out Cedar Breaks National Monument. Cedar Breaks is located in Brian Head, Utah (a ski town) and is about an hour and a half away from Bryce. The canyon at Cedar Breaks is not as big as Bryce Canyon, but it’s in a cool area and worth seeing.
The Legend of To-When-An-Ung-Wa
Before Bryce Canyon was a National Park, it was home to the Piute People, and they have their own story for the canyon’s hoodoos. Legend has it that long before the Paiute people lived in the area, the land was inhabited by the To-when-an-ung-wa or the Legend People.
The To-when-an-ung-wa were greedy, and they did not respect the earth; they would drink up all of the rivers, leaving no water for the other creatures during the summer. And in the fall, they would eat up all the pine nuts, leaving no food for the winter. The To-when-an-ung-wa upset the creatures of the canyon, so called upon Coyote–a very powerful spirit.
Coyote was a notorious trickster, so he invited the To-when-an-ung-wa to a special feast. The To-when-ah-ung-wa accepted the invitation and came dressed in their finest apparel and painted faces. When they sat down to eat, Coyote began turning his guests to stone. They fled in terror, scrambling over the edge of the plateau and toppling over one another, creating the many different sizes and shapes of hoodoos that we see today.
Leave It Better than You Found It
Always remember to do your part to keep the area beautiful by packing in everything you pack out and not changing the landscape. Remember to respect nature and follow ethical practices when engaging in outdoor activities. Always leave a place better than you found it, and practice the principles of Leave No Trace. Enjoy your time exploring the trails and discovering the area’s hidden treasures!