3 day itinerary in Bryce Canyon

Agua Canyon

Agua Canyon has prominent hoodoos - "The Hunter" and "Rabbit."

At Agua Canyon two prominent hoodoos command attention. On the left, is the taller of the two towers, "The Hunter." To the right is a hoodoo commonly referred to as the "Rabbit" or alternatively the "Backpacker."

Mossy Cave

Mossy Cave trail: unique start to end hill direction route.

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 (most day hikes in the park begin with a descent and end with a climb). It is also the northernmost hike in the park, located just off of SR 12 as it winds its way through the park boundary.

Inspiration Point

"Birds-eye view of rock spires at Inspiration Point."

Along with Bryce Point, Inspiration Point provides a birds-eye view of the world's largest collection of rock spires called "hoodoos" found within the Bryce Amphitheater.

Sunrise Point

Sunrise Point overlooks Bryce Amphitheater, spectacular throughout day. Walking time.

Sunrise Point is the northernmost of the four major viewpoints that overlook the iconic Bryce Amphitheater. Though this point along with Sunset Point was named to entice early Lodge visitors to easily accessible points along the rim at both times of day, this view is equally spectacular at daybreak and day's end.

Sunset Point

View famous hoodoos at Sunset Point for breathtaking sunset colors.

Sunset Point offers vistas of some of the most famous and breathtaking of Bryce Canyon's hoodoos. Nowhere are the colors of Bryce Canyon's rock better displayed than from Sunset Point.

Black Birch Canyon

Incorrect park names, Black Birch Canyon misnomer.

The park has its share of misnomers (Mossy Cave isn't a cave, the canyon isn't really a canyon...) and Black Birch Canyon would be another.

Bristlecone Loop Trailhead

Short path through trees to 1.0 mi easy loop.

A short path through fir and pine leads to the easy 1.0 mi/1.6 km Bristlecone Loop, as well as the 8.8 mile (14.2 km) backcountry Riggs Spring Loop and 23 mile (37 km) Under-the-Rim Trail. Though the Bristlecone Loop trail only climbs 200 feet (61 m) and is rated as Easy, be sure to carry water, wear ankle-supporting footwear, and postpone your hike if lightning is expected.The Bristlecone Loop reaches elevations over 9,100 feet (2778 m). Here you will pass by bristlecone pin

Bryce Canyon Association Bookstore

501(c)(3) non-profit supports Bryce Canyon National Park since 1961.

Bryce Canyon Natural History Association (BCNHA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the official nonprofit partner of Bryce Canyon National Park and Dixie National Forest, operating retail shops and visitor centers within the park, and surrounding national forest lands. Since 1961, BCNHA has provided over nine million dollars in support.

Bryce Canyon General Store

Store near Sunrise Point offers food, drinks, camping supplies, souvenirs. Closed Jan-Mar.

The General Store is located near Sunrise Point and North Campground. It serves "grab-and-go" hot and cold foods such as pizza, soup, ice cream, and sandwiches. Beverages such as soda, water, beer, and coffee are also available. Visitors can also find restrooms, showers, camping supplies including firewood, and souveniers. The General Store is typically closed between January and March.

Bryce Canyon Lodge

Iconic historic lodge near Bryce Amphitheater. 114 rooms, including cabins.

The Lodge at Bryce Canyon is one of the park's most iconic historic structures. The Lodge and its surrounding motel structures are located a short walk from the park's iconic Bryce Amphitheater, and offer 114 rooms including lodge suites, motel rooms, and cabins.

Bryce Point

Bryce Point offers stunning views of park, 10-minute walk.

Perhaps the most iconic of all the Bryce Amphitheater's four major viewpoints, Bryce Point provides a soaring view of the park's most popular area. The view and the park share the same namesake, Ebenezer Bryce, who settled in the Paria Valley in 1870. Bryce was a shipbuilder who journeyed west with Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers to assist in the construction of buildings essential to community life throughout the new land. Bryce lived here for only five years, but in t

Fairyland Loop Trailhead

The Rim Trail is 5.5 miles, Fairyland Loop 8 miles, strenuous.

The Rim Trail This is the northern end of the 5.5 mile (8.9 km) Rim Trail that begins in the south at Bryce Point. Fairyland Loop The Fairyland Loop is a strenuous 8 mile (12.9 km) loop.

Fairyland Point

Shuttle does not go to Fairyland Point. Hoodoos in Fairyland Canyon.

The shuttle does not provide service to Fairyland Point. Fairyland Point is the northernmost viewpoint along the rim of the Paunsagunt Plateau within the park. The hoodoos (irregularly eroded rock spires) that fill Fairyland Canyon are younger than those further to the south in the main Bryce Amphitheater.

Farview Point

Farview Point has views of Navajo Mountain and Henry Mountains.

Farview Point is appropriately named. Navajo Mountain, 90 miles away on the border of Utah and Arizona, can be seen on all but the worst days. To the east, beyond the Table Cliff plateau, you may be able to see the more pointed peaks of the Henry Mountains, 84 miles away.

Healthy Forest wayside

Forest is a community of diverse life; balance is crucial.

Look into the forest. It is more than just trees; it is a woodland community of animals, plants, and insects that thrives when the ecosystem is balanced. Over one hundred years of fire suppression changed the balance, composition, density, and health of the forest, increasing the chance of severe wildfires, disease spread, and insect infestation. Trees in a dark or over-crowded forest are smaller, weaker, and more susceptible to disease and parasites.

High Plateaus Institute

Field institute operated by park in partnership for courses and research.

The High Plateau Institute is a field institute operated by the park in cooperation with its non-profit partner, the Bryce Canyon Association. The institute aims to provide an opportunity for field courses and research for this high plateau region of which the park is but a part.

Historic Western Cabins

Bryce Canyon Lodge: built 1925-1929 in National Park rustic style.

Between 1925 and 1929, the Bryce Canyon Lodge, 15 deluxe, and 67 standard cabins were built in the National Park Service rustic style. In 1987, the lodge and deluxe cabin area became a historic district and a National Historic Landmark.

Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area

Preserves Mormon settlement heritage through community-led efforts.

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area preserves the natural, historical, and cultural heritage legacies and contributions of Mormon settlement in the West. The heritage area accomplishes this through community-led efforts to connect with the past by telling the Mormon pioneer story.

Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge misnomer, actually a natural arch, formed by ice.

Like some other features in the park, Natural Bridge is not what its name would suggest. Natural bridges are formed by the movement of a stream or river cutting through rock. The impressive feature seen here is instead a natural arch, or window, formed primarily by the expansion of ice in cracks deep within.

Navajo Loop Hike the Hoodoos

Hoodoos hike: exercise and scavenger hunt with special reward.

Hike the Hoodoos Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!

Navajo Loop Trailhead

Navajo Loop Trail switches down, ends at Sunset Point. Two sides.

The iconic Navajo Loop Trail begins and ends at Sunset Point, travelling by switchbacks down 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, the Two Bridges side and the Wall Street side. The Two Bridges side is open year-round, however the Wall Street side is closed in months when precipitation combines with freezing overnight temperatures.

Paria View

Paria View overlooks amphitheater, walking time not specified.

A viewpoint for those who want to experience the quieter side of the park, Paria View overlooks a more than 500 ft (152 m) deep amphitheater formed by the headwaters of Yellow Creek, which drains east and south to the Paria River.

Peek-A-Boo Loop Hike the Hoodoos

Hiking program with scavenger hunt and special reward at Bryce Canyon.

Hike the Hoodoos Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!

Peekaboo Loop, Hat Shop, and Under-the-Rim Trail Trailhead

Trails descending from Bryce Point: Peekaboo, Hat Shop, Under Rim.

Here the Peekaboo Loop, Hat Shop, and Under the Rim Trails all descend from the Bryce Point area.

Piracy Point

Two buttes resemble sailing ships; walking time not provided.

With a little imagination two large buttes appear as sailing ships engaged in a naval battle. Another origin for the name might from from the fact that this point overlooks the Sheep Creek drainage system to the north and the Willis Creek drainage system that collects all run-off from Rainbow Point south from here. The northern extent of the Willis Creek drainage is beginning to be diverted toward Sheep Creek in a process called "stream piracy". This is when a river drainage

Ponderosa Canyon

Ponderosa Canyon named after huge Ponderosa Pines, 150 ft. tall.

Ponderosa Canyon is so named because of the huge Ponderosa Pines on the canyon floor. Some of these trees measure more than 5 ft. in diameter and exceed heights of 150 ft.

Queens Garden Hike the Hoodoos

Exercise with scavenger hunt in Bryce Canyon, "I Hiked the Hoodoos!"

Hike the Hoodoos Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!

Queens Garden Trailhead

Moderately strenuous hike, 0.9 miles with unique hoodoo.

One of the park's most popular trails, the Queen's Garden trail descends and bends 0.9 miles (1.4 km) along a ridgeline down to a unique hoodoo said to resemble Queen Victoria. Of the six trails that descend into the Bryce Amphitheater, the Queen's Garden Trail is considered the least strenuous; though due to the park's high elevation and steep grades in some areas, it is still categorized as a moderately strenuous hike.

Rainbow Point

Highest park viewpoints, sea-level raised by tectonic uplift, Colorado tributaries.

At 9,115 ft (2,778 m) this and Yovimpa Point are the highest viewpoints in the park. Tectonic uplift has lifted this entire scene from sea-level over the course of the last 20 million years to later be dissected by tributaries of the Colorado River.

Riggs Spring Loop Trailhead at Yovimpa

Explore Bryce backcountry on 8.8 mile Riggs Spring Loop trail.

Experience the solitude of Bryce's forested backcountry on the Riggs Spring Loop. Descending from the rim, this 8.8 mile (14.2 km) trail meanders through forests and raised promontories, offering stunning views of pink-hued cliffs in the distance.

Rim Trail Bryce Point Trailhead

Southern end of 5.5 mile Rim Trail starting at Bryce Point.

This is the southern end of the 5.5 mile (8.9 km) Rim Trail that begins in the south at Bryce Point and ends in the north at Fairyland Point.

Swamp Canyon

Transition from hoodoo-filled Bryce Amphitheater to steep cliffs, walking time included.

Swamp Canyon completes the transition from the hoodoo-filled Bryce Amphitheater to the steep cliffs and buttes that characterize the scenic drive and southern end of the park.

Swamp Canyon Loop Trailhead

4.0 mi/6.4 km loop, walking 3-4 hours, moderate hike.

The moderately strenuous 4.0 mi/6.4 km Sheep Creek/Swamp Canyon Loop begins here. The trail descends 647 ft/198 m to the canyon floor on a 3 - 4 hour hike. The loop is created by combining the Sheep Creek Connector Trail with 1.1 mi/1.8 km of the Under-the-Rim Trail and the Swamp Canyon Connector Trail.

Tower Bridge and Fairyland Loop Trailheads

Moderate difficulty trail with excellent views of distant park features.

Similar in difficulty to the Queen's / Navajo Combination loop, but far less travelled, the Tower Bridge trail provides excellent views of Boat Mesa, Sinking Ship, and other distant features within and outside the Bryce Amphitheater area of the park.

Tropic Trail Trailhead

Tropic Trail unique access Bryce Amphitheater, lower elevation forest hike.

One of the least-travelled front-country trails in the park, the Tropic Trail provides a unique point of entry into the Bryce Amphitheater area of the park. While all other hikes in this area begin on the rim and descend into the amphitheater, the Tropic Trail begins in lower elevation forest and steadily climbs to its intersection with the Peekaboo Loop, Navajo Loop, and Queen's Garden Trails.

Under-the-Rim and Riggs' Spring Trailhead

Under-the-Rim Trail: 22.9 miles. Agua Canyon Connector Trail closed.

The Under-the-Rim Trail is approximately 22.9 miles (36.9 km) from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point. Connecting trails offer access from the park's Scenic Drive and intersect the Under-the-Rim Trail at Swamp Canyon, and Whiteman Bench. Agua Canyon Connector Trail **is closed** until further notice due to storm damage.

Visitor Center

Visitor center offers driving & hiking directions, weather forecasts, Ranger programs.

The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center might be one of your first stops when visiting Bryce Canyon National Park. Here you can obtain driving and hiking directions beyond those available on this website, weather forecasts, a current schedule of Park Ranger guided programs, Junior Ranger booklets, and information on area services including lodging, dining and other attractions.

Wall of Windows Hike the Hoodoos

Hike Hoodoos for exercise and scavenger hunt with rewards.

Hike the Hoodoos Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!

Whiteman Connecting Trail Trailhead

Escape to Bryce's backcountry on 22.9 mile trail. Stunning views.

Experience the solitude of Bryce's forested backcountry on the Under the Rim Trail. Descending from the rim, this 22.9 mile (37 km) trail meanders through forests and meadows, offering stunning views of pink-hued cliffs in the distance.

Yovimpa Point

Yovimpa Point, highest viewpoint in the park, with Rainbow Point.

Along with Rainbow Point, Yovimpa Point is one of the highest viewpoints in the park. Tectonic uplift has lifted this entire scene from sea-level over the course of the last 20 million years to later be dissected by tributaries of the Colorado River.

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