Bryce Canyon National Park Day Trip

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the smaller US National Parks in southern Utah; however, it still possesses some amazing natural phenomena. Bryce consists of a vast collection of rock formations called hoodoos. The rocks are shades of red, orange, and white. While nearby Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon are notable for the vast, expansive canyon views, Bryce Canyon National Park is something completely different. The number and structure of the hoodoos will make visitors think they are on another planet. The following is a complete guide to a day trip to Bryce Canyon National Park that can be done as part of a Zion National Park Itinerary or on its own..

Arriving at Bryce Canyon

Because Bryce Canyon is a smaller national park, most visitors are coming from another national park or city. Some popular destinations that are combined with Bryce Canyon are listed below.

• Zion National Park – located approximately a 1-hour and 50-minute drive away. Given that about 45 minutes of this drive is spent actually crossing Zion National Park, this isn’t that far away.
• Grand Canyon National Park – located approximately a 2-hour and 40-minute drive away.
• Arches National Park/Canyonlands National Park – located approximately a 4 hour and 15 – 20 minute drive away. Based on this distance, it’s not generally recommended to take a day trip between Arches and Bryce.

The easiest drive is from Zion National Park. That is why it is recommended as a day activity when visiting Zion. While about an hour’s drive longer, Bryce would still be doable as a day trip from the Grand Canyon. However, I wouldn’t do Bryce as a day trip from Arches or the Canyonlands. Make Bryce Canyon an overnight destination if either of these is your origin.

Entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park

Entering Bryce Canyon National Park will be like most other US national parks. However, since Bryce is a fairly small park, all traffic moves through one entrance and exit on Highway 63. The pass for entrance to Bryce National park is $35 per private vehicle. This pass is good for 7 days; although, the vast majority of people don’t visit Bryce for that long. Like all other national parks, visitors can also use an “America the Beautiful” annual pass or an Interagency Senior Pass to gain entry.

Assuming that visitors want to do the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Trails, hikers should attempt to find parking near Sunrise Point or Sunset Point. Both Sunrise Point Road and Sunset Point Road have parking on the sides. In addition, Sunrise Point Road circles the North Campground General Store. This area has several small parking lots as well if there isn’t space along the road.

Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Combination

Two of the most popular trails in Bryce Canyon National Park are the Queen’s Garden Trail and the Navajo Loop Trail. Many times these trails will be combined into one hike. The Queen’s Garden Trail intersects the middle of the Navajo Loop so this makes for a great combination.

Anyone deciding to hike this trail needs to start at Sunrise Point with the Queen’s Garden Trail. Both the Queen’s Garden Trail and the Navajo Loop Trail spend the majority of their time down in the Bryce Canyon amphitheater. This means that there are large down and up elevation changes at the end of each of these trails. The Queen’s Garden elevation change is a long steady climb or descent. The Navajo Loop elevation change consists of short, steep switchbacks. The vast majority of people will prefer to go up the switchbacks over a shorter distance.

The combination of Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail is a 3.1-mile loop. Most people will be able to hike the combination in about two hours. The point at which the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail meet is about halfway through the overall hike. They join at a large flat and open spot at the bottom of the amphitheater. This is a great spot to stop for a break or to enjoy a lunch.

Throughout both trails, visitors are walking in, around, and among the many hoodoos that make Bryce Canyon famous. The geological formations are nothing else than other-worldly. At several points, the trails take hikers underneath archways and past fissures. The large numbers of hoodoos are what create the surreal landscapes here, and these trails allow everyone to get up close and personal with these geological wonders.

Equipment for the Hike

Queen’s Garden and the Navajo Loop trail are fairly easy. While these do have some elevation changes, the trails are well-maintained. Hiking boots are a good option but are not necessary for these trails. While the height of the boots will keep some of the sand out of your shoes, ankle support is not required. Ensure that whatever shoes are worn have substantial grip. The sand on top of the rocks can be a bit slippery, especially when descending.

The trails are also wide open, so shorts and a T-shirt are appropriate attire. Bryce Canyon is located at a fairly high elevation (much higher than Zion National Park). Therefore, the temperature at Bryce tends to be cooler than at Zion. Keep this temperature difference in mind when preparing to visit Bryce.

Other equipment that everyone should bring includes a backpack and water bottles. If you like to hike with hiking poles, include those in your equipment. Lastly, make sure you have your camera. You will want to capture the unique red, orange, and white landscape.

Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive

The second most recommended activity in Bryce Canyon is to drive Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive. Unlike the scenic drive in Zion National Park, this scenic drive is open to private vehicles. This allows visitors to drive almost the complete length of Bryce Canyon National Park. At a total round trip distance of 34 miles, the drive will take visitors one hour minimum without stops. However, as there are thirteen stops and viewpoints along the way, the journey will (and should) take longer. Each viewpoint is a great opportunity to pull over, step out of the car, and enjoy the views (or enjoy the views from the windshield of an air conditioned car).