Bryce National Park

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Introduction:

Bryce is one of the most beautiful National Park in the US and it is a must visit if you are visiting is the southern part of Utah.







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Where? : 

Located in the southern part of Utah on highway 12, not so far north from Zion National Park.

The nearest town is Bryce Canyon City (that is more an hotels location near the park entrance), 30 minutes drive to the west there is the small town of Panguitch (on highway 89).

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What? : 

The major attraction of Bryce Canyon National Park is the stunning view of the red-pink towering Hoodoos rock formations. Here you can find the largest Hoodoos concentration found anywhere on Earth.

The hoodoos are perfectly located below the high rim plateau, when you will visit here you will be amazed by the natural huge amphitheater-like landscape below you.


Bryce Canyon National Park forms the eastern edge of a high plateau.

Over the years the Paria River system to the east erode the edge of the plateau and created this landscape. The upper resistant layers sediment cap the lower less resistant sandstone layers, this protects the underlying layers from further erosion, resulting in the spectacular hoodoos and spires that tower above the canyon floor.





When? : 

This park can be visit year round, it can be hot at summer but it is not as hot because it high altitude.

During winter, because its high altitude (8,000-9,000 ft of elevation), you can experience very cooled weather and snowstorms.

Most of the viewpoints and relatively the short/medium hikes are open also during snowstorm but visibility can be limited, and visibility is what bring you to this place.

We visit here several time during the summer and also during winter storms.



Due Note 1: The park is open 24 hours a day throughout the year. There are no advanced reservations required to enter Bryce Canyon National Park. You will need to pay the park entrance fee.


Due Note 2: Visitor Center hours: Winter hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spring - Fall hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Summer hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Due Note 3: You can sleep in the Bryce Canyon Lodge or you can find many hotel options just at the park entrance, or along highway 12 leading to the park. There is gas station, general stores and restaurants near the park entrance.


Due Note 4: There are two large campgrounds within the park and you can find other private location outside.

Due Note 5: Although not mandatory, because you can drive your car in all roads and viewing points, there is a free of charge shuttle service in Bryce Canyon. The shuttle provide transportation to the park's most popular overlooks, amenities and trails. The shuttle travels throughout the iconic Bryce Amphitheater area of the park from April through mid-October. You can combine the shuttle with your long hikes. Buses typically arrive at each stop every 15 minutes.


Due Note 6: You will not be the only one here.... over two million visitors come to Bryce Canyon National Park each year, most during the summer months. I visit here several times and unlike Zion National Park that can fill really crowded here it felt more relaxed. 

Due Note 7: If you’re planning on a summer hike, bringing plenty of water with you, sunscreen and a heat.

Due Note 8: For winter hiking, snowshoes or spikes for your shoos are highly recommended to avoid slipping on the ice, this with a walking pools will help you to overcome the ice conditions going down.





My thoughts: 

This is one of the best US National Parks we visit.

You can visit here by just visit at the amazing viewpoints over the amphitheater, hike sections of the Rim Trail, or take a 3 hours walk down "into" the landscape.

This is must visit park for people traveling to south of Utah.

I highly recommend visiting the rim viewpoints during sunset or sunrise, the light "paint" the hoodoos in strong color.

26 years ago I visited the far-south-end of the park, at the end of the road.

It was nice drive and overlooking viewpoint to the lower plains to the south, I do not remember this is as a "must".

I recommend staying near the entrance and explore the main park section.



 


The Visit:

Bryce canyon is a large park, but most of the recommendations are referring to the north section of Bryce Amphitheatre, not so far from the park entrance.


A short visit to the park can include driving to one of the rim viewpoints where you can see the amazing Bryce “Hoodoos Amphitheatre”.

Recommended viewpoints are: Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration and Bryce point.

There are parking lots not so far from each viewing point so you can dive, walk to the nearest viewing point and walk back to your car.

Another option is to park near one of the viewing point and walk along the Rim Trail.
you can walk as long as you want and enjoy the different perspective from each location.


It is highly recommended to hike down into the Amphitheatre where you get completely different perspective, interment and closeup interaction with the Hoodoos, Spires and Sandstone-fins, landscape.
An extensive interconnected network of trails covering the inner amphitheater makes it easy to combine trails and hiking all day or half of it.






Hikes:


A recommended ~3.5 miles loop trail is to start from Sunrise to Sunset viewpoints.

You can also do this hike in the opposite direction.


This is Queen’s garden trail to Navajo Loop Switchback.


You start by walking down into Queen's Garden Trail. This is not a difficult trail descending from the rim into the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater. Hike to the Queen Victoria hoodoo at the end of a short spur trail and experience the splendor of hiking amongst the hoodoos. After exploring this area  you will connect to the Navajo Loop that ascend with a series of switchbacks all the way up to Sunset Point.

Once you reach Sunset Point you can walk back to your hike starting starting point by the rim trail.

This hike will take you 2-3 hours depending how much you want to explore side trails.

Many years a go I hiked down Wall-Street switchbacks but it was close last time I visit here.


There are many other hikes in the main park section.

You can hike to the other side and reach Bryce point or hike to Bryce Canyon Tower Bridge or to Mossy Cave.

 

Most visitors stay around the Amphitheatre section, but you can continue further on into the park all the way to Yovimpa Point where you have nice view to south flat landscape below you. I was there only one time, 26 years ago and I do not remember this as a must visit location.



Location: Bryce Canyon City, UT 84764, USA

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