Bryce Canyon Itinerary
Bryce Canyon Itinerary
Bryce Canyon National Park is just 70 miles from Cave Lakes Canyon, making it an ideal day trip. In less than 90 minutes you can make the scenic drive along Highway 89 to Scenic Byway 12 to reach this distinctive national park. Bryce Canyon National Park can be explored in a day or less if you aren't planning to do any extended hiking.
An 18-mile scenic drive runs north-south through the park, with thirteen overlooks that offer breathtaking views in every direction. Get an early start so you can take advantage of sunrise washing over the hoodoos that stand at attention in Bryce Amphitheater, the scenic heart of Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Point and Sunrise Point are the best viewpoints to do this. If you're getting started a bit later, nearby Inspiration Point and Sunset Point provide incredible views of Bryce Amphitheater throughout the day as changing light and shadows wash over the hoodoos. Sunset Point also offers an incredible view of Thor's Hammer, the tallest hoodoo in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Check out the view from the rim, then consider descending into Bryce Amphitheater for a different perspective. The moderately strenuous 1.5-mile Navajo Loop Trail follows a series of switchbacks to the canyon floor, where you'll discover a pair of 700-year-old Douglas firs nestled in the narrow slot known as Wall Street. At this point you can ascend back up Navajo Loop Trail, or continue along the easier 1.8-mile Queens Garden Trail that crosses the floor. The trail climbs back up to the rim at Sunrise Point, where a short walk along the paved Rim Trail will get you back where you started.
If you don't have time to hike below the rim, don't worry. The scenic drive through the park can be completed in half a day and takes you to more than a dozen scenic viewpoints. Highlights of the Bryce Canyon National Park scenic drive include Rainbow Point (the highest point in the park at 9,115 feet), Ponderosa Point, Black Birch Canyon, Paria View, Bryce Point, and Natural Bridge.
You can head straight to Rainbow Point at the southern end of the scenic drive and work your way back, or stop at overlooks along the way to Rainbow Point and revisit your favorites on the return trip. The 1.1-mile Bristlecone Loop trail at Rainbow Point leads to expansive views of the southern end of the park. A nearby spur trail leads to Yovimpa Point where you can see the multi-colored cliffs of the Grand Staircase and a stand of ancient bristlecone trees. The Bryce Canyon National Park visitor center and museum is located near the park entrance and offers an informational film and exhibits about Bryce Canyon's colorful geologic history. It's a great starting or ending point, and you can inquire here about back country permits and trails. A side trip to Fairyland Point, about a mile from the park entrance, offers colorful and dramatic vistas. You can do this on your way in or out. If you have time to spare, longer hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park include Fairyland Loop (8.25 miles) and Peek-a-boo Loop (5.5 miles). The backcountry Under the Rim Trail (23 miles) requires an overnight permit. Rhe Mossy Cave trail is an easy, 1-mile hike perfect for families, located just outside the national park boundaries. It leads to a waterfall where you'll have an excellent view of Bryce Canyon.
Bryce Canyon National Park is just 70 miles from Cave Lakes Canyon, making it an ideal day trip. In less than 90 minutes you can make the scenic drive along Highway 89 to Scenic Byway 12 to reach this distinctive national park. Bryce Canyon National Park can be explored in a day or less if you aren't planning to do any extended hiking.
An 18-mile scenic drive runs north-south through the park, with thirteen overlooks that offer breathtaking views in every direction. Get an early start so you can take advantage of sunrise washing over the hoodoos that stand at attention in Bryce Amphitheater, the scenic heart of Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Point and Sunrise Point are the best viewpoints to do this. If you're getting started a bit later, nearby Inspiration Point and Sunset Point provide incredible views of Bryce Amphitheater throughout the day as changing light and shadows wash over the hoodoos. Sunset Point also offers an incredible view of Thor's Hammer, the tallest hoodoo in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Check out the view from the rim, then consider descending into Bryce Amphitheater for a different perspective. The moderately strenuous 1.5-mile Navajo Loop Trail follows a series of switchbacks to the canyon floor, where you'll discover a pair of 700-year-old Douglas firs nestled in the narrow slot known as Wall Street. At this point you can ascend back up Navajo Loop Trail, or continue along the easier 1.8-mile Queens Garden Trail that crosses the floor. The trail climbs back up to the rim at Sunrise Point, where a short walk along the paved Rim Trail will get you back where you started.
If you don't have time to hike below the rim, don't worry. The scenic drive through the park can be completed in half a day and takes you to more than a dozen scenic viewpoints. Highlights of the Bryce Canyon National Park scenic drive include Rainbow Point (the highest point in the park at 9,115 feet), Ponderosa Point, Black Birch Canyon, Paria View, Bryce Point, and Natural Bridge.
You can head straight to Rainbow Point at the southern end of the scenic drive and work your way back, or stop at overlooks along the way to Rainbow Point and revisit your favorites on the return trip. The 1.1-mile Bristlecone Loop trail at Rainbow Point leads to expansive views of the southern end of the park. A nearby spur trail leads to Yovimpa Point where you can see the multi-colored cliffs of the Grand Staircase and a stand of ancient bristlecone trees. The Bryce Canyon National Park visitor center and museum is located near the park entrance and offers an informational film and exhibits about Bryce Canyon's colorful geologic history. It's a great starting or ending point, and you can inquire here about back country permits and trails. A side trip to Fairyland Point, about a mile from the park entrance, offers colorful and dramatic vistas. You can do this on your way in or out. If you have time to spare, longer hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park include Fairyland Loop (8.25 miles) and Peek-a-boo Loop (5.5 miles). The backcountry Under the Rim Trail (23 miles) requires an overnight permit. Rhe Mossy Cave trail is an easy, 1-mile hike perfect for families, located just outside the national park boundaries. It leads to a waterfall where you'll have an excellent view of Bryce Canyon.
Itineraries
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