Bryce Canyon National Park Things to Do

Whenever you drive from Zion NP to Bryce Canyon NP in Utah, you will pass Red Canyon. It's just some miles before BC NP entrance.
Not really a park, just the typical RED rock formation of Utah.

Make sure, you arrive or pass this Canyon at approx. 1-2 hours before sunset - the colors are incredible !

Sunrise Point is the first and northernmost viewpoint for Main Amphitheatre. The views are enormous, to Fairyland Canyon, Sinking Ship and down to Bryce Point.

From here also start 2 hiking paths – the longer Fairyland Loop (13 km) and the Queen Garden Trail (3 km), which can be done together with Navajo Loop Trail.

Agua Canyon’s most prominent hoodoos are called “The Hunter” (see picture) and “The Rabbit” or “The Backpacker” (see other tip).
Look at the Hunter’s green hat – made by the little trees which grow on it’s top.

In the background, you see the Cliffs’ typical “stripes” in pink and white.

The Fairyland Loop is a great place to escape the crowds at Bryce. This eight mile loop has a lot of ups and downs and will take you the better part of four hours but you will be rewarded with some amazing views, walk past incredible formations, and best of all get away from 90% of the people at the park.

We started at sunrise at Sunrise Point. I would do it from Fairyland next time. The hike in from Sunrise is in the shade in the morning and you would have great views on it from Fairyland if you did it early morning. Also, you get into the formations much more quickly from there. By the time we hiked all the way over, the sun was too high in the sky for great photos.

If you are in Bryce Canyon, you should take some time for hiking. The easiest trail is the Queen's Garden Trail, named after a rockformation that resembles Queen Victoria. This trail starts at Sunrise Point (3.0km; 1-2 hours roundtrip (way back is the same as way in). You can also do the combined Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop combination which is a 4.6km roundtrip from Sunrise Point through Queen's Garden and "Wall Street" up to Sunset Point and along the rim back to Sunrise Point.

Any of the Viewpoints are great of course. But the ones that should not be missed are the four central viewpoints: Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point and Bryce Point. These give you great and very different views of the "Main Amphitheatre" of the Bryce Canyon region.

86 miles northeast of Zion is Bryce Canyon National Park. Here, you enter on top of the canyon, so it may be a little chillier. Elevation ranges from 6,500 to 9,100 feet along the hiking trails so, research and be prepared. Most trails have loose rock and become VERY narrow in parts!! Yovimpa Point and Rainbow Point offer the most expansive views of the canyon! There are only a couple of campgrounds and a lodge which is only open from April to November. Overnight backpacking trips are allowed on the Under-the-Rim and Riggs Spring trails and both require a permit.
There is lodging outside the park in a town called Ruby's Inn.

There are so many trails to hike...from short, easy ones to long, strenuous ones to overnight hikes! You can't go anywhere here and have a bad view. As the elevation changes, so do the trees and flora. I strongly suggest getting away from the scenic overlooks and take a walk. You may be missing something!!