Let me just start by saying that Arches and Bryce Canyon are my favorite national parks in Utah. There, I said it! By the time I completed my hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park, I had fallen utterly in love with all the hoodoos, pine trees, and orangy-red tones.
And although Canyonlands is my third favorite from Utah’s Mighty 5, the Bryce Canyon landscape just hits differently.
If you want to visit the five national parks in Utah, I will go more in-depth on a 9-day itinerary to Utah’s national parks in a future post.
Where is Bryce Canyon National Park Located?
Bryce Canyon is one of the most unique national parks in the U.S. and it’s located on the Southwestern side of Utah. As a reference, from Bryce to Zion National Park, it’s a 1 hour and 17-minute drive via US 89 S.
The park is open year-round but some sections of the park are closed during the wintertime.
Is there a shuttle in Bryce Canyon?
Yes! There is a shuttle free of charge that takes visitors around the park from April to October. The shuttle takes you directly to some of the trails and most popular overlooks and helps to avoid having to deal with full parking lots.
What is the Best Hike in Bryce Canyon?
The easy hikes in Bryce Canyon can take you from 1 to 7.5 hours to complete. While the moderate trails can each take you from 1 to 4 hours.
Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park
Most of these hiking trails are inside the Bryce Amphitheater, except for Mossy Cave Trail which is located on the north end of the park.
1. Amphitheater Rim Trail
The Rim Trail connects Bryce Point to Fairyland Point. This one you can actually do in one of two ways.
Option 1: Hike from Bryce Point down to Sunrise Point. This is roughly a 3-mile hike and it will be paved from Sunset to Sunrise Point. It will take you about 2 to 2.5 hours to complete.
Option 2: Hike from Bryce Point down to Fairyland Point. If you choose this route, you have to be prepared. This is a 5.5-mile moderate hike that will take you through many elevation changes. Additionally, this is an out-and-back trail.
Meaning, that once you get to Fairyland Point, you can either turn around and head back or take the Fairyland Loop Trail back up to the Bryce Amphitheater Rim.
Depending on which way you choose to go, plan on having anywhere from 5 to 7.5 hours to complete the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail.
2. Sunset to Sunrise Point
This is the paved portion of the Rim Trail and it’s also the most family-friendly hike in the park. On this hike, you will enjoy the scenic views of the Bryce Amphitheater.
Difficulty: Easy | Length: 1 mile (0.5 miles each way) | Approx. hiking time: 1 hour
I’m ‘Team Sunrise at Bryce‘!
Which one are you?
3. Mossy Cave
To get here, you’ll want to ask for directions from the park rangers or grab a map at the visitor’s center. Sometimes the GPS doesn’t work due to a bad signal, so physical maps are best.
Difficulty: Easy | Length: 0.8 miles | Approx. hiking time: 1 hour
4. Queen’s Garden
Queen’s Garden is an out-and-back trail and not a loop. If you want to descend into the Bryce Amphitheater, this is the least difficult trail to do so.
Difficulty: Moderate | Length: 1.8 miles | Approx. hiking time: 1-2 hours
More Hikes in Bryce Canyon
5. Navajo Loop
Although it’s technically a loop trail, you can only complete the loop during the summertime.
The reason for this is because the loop takes you through the Wallstreet section and this is mostly open in the summertime.
Besides Wallstreet, you’ll also see Thor’s Hammer and Two Bridges on the Navajo Loop Trail.
Difficulty: Moderate | Length: 1.3 miles | Approx. hiking time: 1-2 hours
6. Queen’s Garden / Navajo Combination Loop
The Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Trail is the most popular hike in Bryce Canyon. Most of the people who come to Bryce, only complete this trail. Therefore, this turns out to be the most crowded trail in the park.
Just as the name suggests, this is a combination trail of the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop. During the winter, you will use Two Bridges to complete the loop.
I recommend starting this trail in the clockwise direction. This will make it easier to navigate the elevation changes.
Difficulty: Moderate | Length: 2.9 miles | Approx. hiking time: 2-3 hours
7. Fairyland Loop Trail- one of the hardest hikes in Bryce Canyon
The Fairyland Loop is a strenuous trail and one of the hardest hikes in Bryce Canyon. This is the only one in this list that is classified as a day hike.
In this loop, you will combine the plateau rim with long views of the Bryce Amphitheater. You’ll be surrounded by all the beauty of the hoodoos and an incomparable solitude since this is a less-crowded trail.
Difficulty: Strenuous | Length: 8 miles | Approx. hiking time: 4-5 hours
Bonus: Natural Bridge Overlook
In Bryce Canyon National Park, you’ll find a total of seven natural bridges. This one, in particular, can be viewed through an overlook and not via a hiking trail.
To get to the Natural Bridge Overlook, you will drive on the main road of the park up to Mile 12.5. It’s a spectacular view at an elevation of 8,627 ft and a great overlook for pictures!
Bonus: Dixie National Forest Red Canyon Tunnel
Either on your way to the park or on your way out, take the scenic route through the Dixie National Forest for some stunning views! Don’t forget to admire this beautiful red canyon tunnel along the way.
Which one of these hiking trails caught your attention the most? Let me know in the comments!
Yanitza is an avid adventurer with 15+ years of hiking experience and outdoor travel. As a PADI-certified scuba diver, she’s also passionate about ocean conservation. When she’s not exploring the great outdoors, Yanitza obsesses over The Vampire Diaries and dreams of traveling to Mallorca, Spain.
I believe that the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater is the single greatest site in my home state. Nice summary of the trails. I really need to hike Fairyland next time I’m down there. Haven’t done it yet – tend to run out of time when I’m in the area. So much to see!!!
Oh, I agree! There is so much to see! I can’t wait to go back and continue exploring and enjoying the beautiful views.