Travelling through Utah is like being transported to another planet. The orange landscape is full of awe-inspiring views and bizarre rock formations. It’s like nowhere else in the world. While in Utah, an absolute must visit on any road trip is Bryce Canyon. This small park is home to some of the most other-worldly landscapes. Due to its small size, visiting in a day is easily doable. In this post, I’ve shared an itinerary for how to spend one day in Bryce Canyon National Park including some of the best hikes.
I visited Bryce Canyon as part of a road trip through Utah to visit the ‘Mighty Five’ – the five national parks of Utah. Each of the five national parks in Utah are unique and Bryce Canyon National Park is no exception. It might be the smallest national park in Utah (and one of the smallest in the USA), but it’s by no means less mighty. With its peculiar rock formations and collection of hoodoos, Bryce Canyon is one of the most unique and beautiful places in all of Utah.
Bryce Canyon National Park only covers 36,000 acres. This means the park can easily be explored in one day, and even half a day at a push. I spent a whole day exploring the park, and this felt like a good amount of time.
What are the hoodoos?
A hoodoo is a tall and narrow spire formed by erosion. Trust me when I say Bryce Canyon is full of hoodoos. Hoodoos can be found around the USA and the world, but Bryce Canyon has the highest concentrations of hoodoos on the entire planet.
Everywhere you look in Bryce Canyon you can see hoodoos. They are what make the park so famous and unique.
What is the best time of year to visit Bryce Canyon National Park?
Bryce Canyon can technically be visited all year round, but some seasons have more benefits than others.
Visiting Bryce Canyon in the Summer
The summer is one of the best times to visit Bryce. The days are long and hiking opportunities plentiful.
Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park in the summer isn’t always the best idea, though. The summer means there will be thousands of people visiting the park every day. This means parking can be difficult and the hiking trails can be crammed. The temperature can also be high (80f/26c) and with exposed trails, shelter from the sun isn’t easy.
Visiting Bryce Canyon in the Winter
Most people would rule out visiting Bryce Canyon in the winter. Several of the trails are closed and the remaining ones are often covered in snow making hiking tricky.
However, winter is a magical time in Bryce National Park. You might not get to do all the hiking trails, but seeing the orange landscape covered in snow is a magical sight. The shorter days also makes catching the famous sunrise or sunset in the park a little easier.
The other benefit of visiting Bryce National Park in the winter is fewer crowds. If you want some peace and serenity, consider a winter trip to Bryce Canyon.
Visiting Bryce Canyon in April or October
April and October are the shoulder seasons and arguably the best time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park.
The crowds aren’t quite at their peak, and most the trails will be open. There can still be some snow or ice in these months, but generally they are a fantastic time to visit. I went in October and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Planning a road trip through Utah? Check out this 5-day Utah itinerary.
How to get to Bryce Canyon National Park
The nearest airports to Bryce Canyon are Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Bryce is a solid four hour drive from both, but they are the best options for starting a road trip in Utah. Pheonix is another airport to consider.
If you have the budget, there is a small regional airport in Bryce which you can charter planes to fly into.
For most, hiring a car is the best option. Bryce Canyon is a remote park which sits on Utah’s Highway 12.
Parking at Bryce Canyon National Park
You can take your own car into Bryce Canyon and park in one of the parking lots including at the visitor centre or sunrise point. However, if you want parking, get there as early as you can, even before sunrise.
Parking is extremely limited, so be prepared to wait for parking to become available.
Once you’ve paid for access to the park, you also have access to a free shuttle service (April to October). This means you can move around the park without having to worry about constantly moving your car and finding more space.
Find out about the Bryce Canyon shuttle here.
How much is entry to Bryce Canyon?
You’ll need to buy a pass to enter Bryce Canyon. As of Aug 2023, it costs $35 to take a car into the park, and an additional $20 per person after this.
You can opt to buy an annual pass for $70, or a pass which gives you access to all the National Parks for $80.
The latest information on entry fees is here.
How to spend One Day in Bryce Canyon National Park
Watch the sunrise
To kick off your epic day in Bryce Canyon, head to Sunrise Point to watch… you guessed it – the sunrise! The sunrise here was one of the best sunrises I’ve ever seen in my entire time travelling. It was spectacular.
The spot is only about 1 mile from the visitor center down the main road. It’s a popular spot so be sure to get there nice and early to secure parking and a good view.
Sunset Point is another brilliant spot for sunrise (as well as sunset). Fewer visitors assume it’s good for the sunrise, so it’s often much quieter. It’s not a far walk.
Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail
After the sunrise, use the early start to take advantage of the quieter trails and head straight to the Navajo Loop Trail. This trail is one of the most famous in Bryce Canyon and all of Utah meaning it can get incredibly busy so it’s good to get there before the crowds.
You can opt to just do the Navajo Loop trail which is 1.5miles (2.4km). It starts from the sunset point and leads you down the famous switchbacks known as “Wall Street”. This is one of the most famous spots in the park so be sure to hit the trail early.
You can add on the beautiful Queen’s Garden Trail which I highly recommend. This extends the hike to 3.1miles (5km). It takes you through the sublime Bryce amphitheatre and gets you up close and personal with those famous hoodoos. You can then head back up the valley to sunrise point completing the loop.
This is by far one of my favourite hikes in all of Utah. If you’re planning to hike with children in Bryce, the Queen’s Garden Trail is a great option.
Bryce Point and the Peekaboo Loop Trail
Next up is another hike which starts from Bryce Point – an epic viewpoint for the famous hoodoos. If you’ve already had enough hiking, stopping here for the views is still a must.
If you do want to do another hike, the Peekaboo Loop Trail is a fantastic option. This is a 5.2 mile (8.3km) hike. It gives you similar views to that of Queen’s Garden but tends to be a little quieter.
You can link this hike with Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop, but I didn’t do it that way.
Extra hike: Fairyland Loop Trail
If you have the time or want a more challenging hike, the Fairyland Loop Trail is considered the longest and most challenging hike in Bryce Canyon.
The hike is almost 8 miles (13km) in length and takes you right down into the depths of the valley. I unfortunately didn’t have the time to do this, but here’s all you need to know about hiking the Fairyland Loop Trail.
The Rim Trail
If you don’t want to hike down into the valley, but want to see as much as you can then a walk along the rim trail is a great option.
The trail stretches for 5.5 miles (8.9km) from Bryce Point to Fairyland Point, but you can walk as little or as much as you want to. Sunrise Point and Sunset Point are both on the trail, so you could even just walk between them.
Stop at Inspiration Point
If you haven’t had your hoodoo fix, make a quick stop at Inspiration Point. There are some fantastic views of the valley.
Extra: Rainbow Point
Not as many people head to Rainbow Point as it requires a long drive down to the end of Bryce Canyon Road. If you have the time, it’s worth the visit. I went the evening before my full day in Bryce to make sure I had time for everything.
There is a short 1.3 mile (2.1km) loop trail. You get great views of the cliffs which form the hoodoos, and also the forest which is full of Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir and White Fir.
Tips for visiting Bryce Canyon National Park
Here are some tips for your visit to Bryce Canyon:
- Arrive early: Bryce Canyon is the smallest of Utah’s national parks, but it still draws in the crowds. Arrive early to avoid the worst of the crowds. This also means you can hike before the heat reaches its peak.
- Leave no trace: remember to leave nothing behind. Any trash should be taken home with you.
- Bring plenty of water and food: despite the park’s popularity, there are limited places to buy refreshments or food in the park. Make sure you bring anything you need with you.
- Watch the sunrise: this was mentioned above, but watching the sunrise at Bryce Canyon is one of my all-time favourite travel memories. Don’t miss out on this incredible experience.
Check out my ultimate packing guide for the Utah National Parks to make sure you have everything you need.
Can you camp in Bryce Canyon?
Bryce Canyon has two campsites. The North campground and the conveniently located Sunset campground.
The North campground is open all year round, but you’ll need to make a reservation during the summer months.
Sunset campground is open from April to October and operates on a first come first serve basis.
Both accommodation RV camping and tents. Find out more about camping in Bryce Canyon here.
Accommodation in Bryce Canyon
If you’re hoping to stay in Bryce Canyon and not camping, you’re best option will be The Lodge at Bryce Canyon. You need to book early though, millions of people head to Bryce every year and accommodation is sparse.
Outside of the park is the small town of Bryce. There are a few accommodation options here. I recommend using Booking.com to see what’s available.
Visiting Arches National Park? Check out my guide for how to spend the perfect day in Arches.
