Ever since we passed through Utah on the way to Yellowstone National Park last year, Steven and I have been itching to get back to this red-rock state. Beyond the wide open spaces, Utah boasts five national parks and seven national monuments! So it was only natural that one of our first stops was Bryce Canyon National Park. Woohoo for hoodoos!
(In all fairness, Bryce Canyon wasn’t our first Utah park on the list — it was actually Zion National Park. However because of COVID, Zion was closed at the time.)
About Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in Southern Utah, nestled between Zion National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It’s best known for its stunning, sculpted hoodoos (irregular spires of rock formations) and colorful hues that shift from shades of oranges, reds, pinks, yellow and creams, depending on the time of day. These geological wonders exist on every continent, but Bryce Canyon boasts the largest concentration found anywhere on Earth.
Named a national monument by President Warren G. Harding in 1923, the history of Bryce Canyon really dates back to 1915, when J.W. Humphrey, a U.S. Forest service supervisor, was transferred to Panguitch, Utah. After an employee recommended that J.W. view the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau (now known as Sunset Point), the forest supervisor was amazed. Mr. Humphrey sent photos back to officials in Washington D.C. and with the Union Pacific Railroad, and the rest is history!
“You can perhaps imagine my surprise at the indescribable beauty that greeted us, and it was sundown before I could be dragged from the canyon view. You may be sure that I went back the next morning to see the canyon once more, and to plan in my mind how this attraction could be made accessible to the public.”
–J.W. Humphrey
Today, Bryce Canyon is the 12th most visited national park, with nearly 36,000 acres of natural hoodoo formations, pink cliffs, dense forest land and beautiful meadows.
The week we arrived, Bryce Canyon National Park was just opening up in the midst of COVID. We were all navigating travel and interactions in a new, mid-pandemic world — where face masks and hand sanitizer was becoming the new normal. It also just happened to be our first national park experience during this time, so we weren’t quite sure what to expect.
What we found was that park rangers were taking precautions seriously. The visitor center was partially open, with all of the exhibits partitioned off. Much of their merchandise — and ranger interaction — all took place outside. We were lucky enough to score Junior Ranger books, as well as a few postcards to send back to family.
After getting a lay of the land from a park ranger, we drove deeper into Bryce Canyon National Park and discovered one of the most incredible places we’ve ever seen! There are just some places that you MUST see in person, and Bryce Canyon is one of those. So vast and so beautiful. If you’re limited on time, but want to see a lot of the park, driving the 18-mile park road offers up stellar views. Be sure to stop at all of the lookouts!
Best Family-Friendly Hiking in Bryce Canyon
If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, we’ve listed some of our favorite hikes in Bryce Canyon. There are lots of great, kid-friendly hiking trails in Bryce Canyon. As with any hike, especially in the warmer months, make sure to pack a backpack full of snacks and water.
Lower, Mid and Upper Inspiration Points
Distance: 0.6 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: 134 feet
This is a super short trail that offers up absolutely stellar views of the amphitheater. It’s an easy, paved path with three gorgeous viewpoints of the hoodoos, each higher and more beautiful than the previous. The top viewpoint is the most stunning viewpoint in Bryce Canyon. The sheer height and magnitude has a dizzying effect — but absolutely one of the greatest views we have ever seen! (Did I mention the views?!)
Sunset Point to Sunrise Point
Distance: 1.1 mile (out and back) | Elevation Change: 82 feet
This is a quick and easy paved walkway between two epic view points. Panoramas from each point take in large areas of Bryce Amphitheater and beyond. Great for photos, and you can also take your dog if you stay on the pavement! Most folks will also cover this ground if hiking Navajo Loop, Queens Garden, Peekaboo Trail and others. Get to the trailhead early — this is one area where parking tends to fill up fast.
Bristlecone Loop Trail
Distance: 1 mile (loop) | Elevation Change: 200 feet
Accessible from Rainbow Point at the southern tip of Bryce Canyon National Park, Bristlecone Loop Trail allows you to immerse yourself in the highest portion of the park, reaching elevations over 9,100 feet! On this trail, you’ll pass by up to 1,800-year-old Bristlecone Pines and take in vistas reaching into the Four Corners area. It’s a simple, easy loop that’s perfect for families. And if your kiddos are like ours, they’ll love spotting the various flora, as well as squirrels, chipmunks, woodpeckers, grouse and birds!
Mossy Cave Trail
Distance: 0.8 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: 300 feet
This was one of our favorite hikes within Bryce Canyon National Park. At the time of our visit, it had low traffic given its location as the northernmost trail in the park. It appears that is no longer the case — park rangers are actually recommending that you do not visit the trail between 10am-6pm due to the high traffic. As with any trail, it’s good to do some homework before to know what you’re getting into.
Mossy Cave is 0.4 miles in length one-way, and forks to provide access to Water Canyon in one direction and in the other, a view of a sheltered overhang known as Mossy Cave. As evidenced by its name, Mossy Cave is filled with mosses in the summer and icicles in the winter.
Do yourself a favor and after visiting Mossy Cave, head towards Water Canyon, where you can access a small waterfall. If you’re like us, you can also go further down a trail along the canyon that offers up some awesome views. Perfect for a picnic! It’s also pretty unique. Between 1890 and 1892, Mormon pioneers labored with picks and shovels to carve an irrigation ditch from the East Fork of the Sevier River, through the Paunsaugunt Plateau, into this canyon.
Queen’s Garden Trail
Distance: 1.8 miles (out and back) | Elevation Change: 320 feet
We hiked the Queen’s Garden Trail on our last day in Bryce Canyon National Park. We arrived at the Queen’s Garden Trailhead full of energy and excitement… but that was quickly replaced by anxiety. It was a Saturday, and we weren’t prepared for the droves of park visitors, ready to hike the same trail as us. We decided to go for it anyways and while the trail was awesome, there were probably 200 other people huffing and puffing up and down the hills. (Mind you, this was our first day around a lot of people since news of the pandemic broke.) Needless to say, we tried to keep our distance as much as possible and hiked to the end and back. There were a LOT of people who weren’t adhering to social distancing in a way that had us like ?. As weird as it was for all of us, it was still a good hike — and one that showed us our comfort limits in this new normal. I highly recommend this one — just make sure to check it out on a weekday.
Navajo Loop Trail
Distance: 1.3 miles (loop) | Elevation Change: 550 feet
This was my No. 1 hike I wanted to do while in Bryce Canyon. Unfortunately for us it was closed due to a rock slide during our stay. Maybe next time! If it happens to be open now, the Navajo Loop Trail provides the best views of Thor’s Hammer, Two Bridges, and the bottom of Wall Street on this short but steep trail. Wanna make this one stretch out a bit longer? Combine Queen’s Garden & Navajo Loop to form a 2.9-mile loop.
Where to Camp
There are several options for camping near Bryce Canyon National Park, depending on what you’re looking for.
Dispersed Camping in Dixie National Forest
For most of our week-long stay, we dispersed camped on nearby public land in Dixie National Forest. If you’re looking for a quieter and more primitive camping experience, then this might be for you. It’s also free!
We stayed at two dispersed sites with established fire rings. There are quite a bit to choose from, but keep your eyes peeled because there are many parts of the national forest where camping is not allowed. Our first site was quite a bit deeper into the woods, about a 30 minute drive from Bryce Canyon. After staying a few nights, we decided to aim for a closer spot — and ended up being about 10 minutes from the park entrance. Both dispersed sites offered up incredible solitude!
There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. Please keep in mind that it’s imperative to know that when dispersed camping, there is no one who’s going to come clean up after you. Do you part and pack it in, pack it out with all of your trash to leave it better for the next campers coming after you. (That includes your soiled toilet paper!) For more info on camping in Dixie National Forest, click here.
Ruby’s RV Park & Campground
On our last full day in the area, we stayed a night at Ruby’s Inn so we could get showers (not coin-operated either — woohoo!) and do some laundry. It’s a very large RV park, with nearly 300 spots for full RV hookups, dry camping or tent camping. There’s also an inn or cabins for those who are looking to visit without the full “camp” experience. You can even stay inside of a teepee!
Ruby’s Inn also has an incredible history within the community of Bryce Canyon City. After visiting the area with his family in 1916, Reuben C. (Ruby) Syrett was so impressed with the canyon rim that they not only took full advantage to tell people of the canyon’s beauties, but they also became hosts to its visitors. Three years later, Ruby received permission from the state of Utah to build a lodge — best known as “Tourist’s Rest” just a half mile outside of the park. Ruby’s Inn is still family owned today! There’s also a restaurant, post office and general store just a short walk away from the campgrounds. For more info on rates and availability, visit brycecanyoncampgrounds.com/.
We hope you found our overview on this national park helpful! Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions!
