Bryce Canyon sits atop the Grand Staircase in southern Utah and provides endless views and photographic opportunities. Thor's Hammer, found just below Sunset Point, is the most recognized and photographed formation in one of America's most unique national parks.
We continue our scenic drive from Zion National Park through the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel to the incredible Bryce Canyon National Park (UT-9E and UT-89N).
(Important Note: If you are traveling in an RV (or vehicle) that is larger than 11'4" tall or 7'10" wide, please look up (online) the exact restrictions and limitations in place regarding the use of this tunnel.) You may need to go around the tunnel to reach Bryce Canyon National Park by using a more Northern route. The trip from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park is 83 miles and will take approximately 2 hours when using the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel.
When we arrive in Bryce Canyon City (which is not large), we usually stay at one of the local hotels. Our favorite is the Best Western Plus – Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel. This hotel is very nice, in a great location, and has a wonderful free Breakfast every morning. It is also located right across the street from the famous Ruby's Inn, Restaurants, and Gift Shop.
Ruby's Inn Cowboy Buffet and Steak Room Restaurant has an All You Can Eat Salad/Food Bar Buffet that is to die for! So, make sure you stop there for either lunch or dinner. Also, their gift shop is huge and well worth the stop, so you can really shop!! Bryce Canyon City also has a lovely rock, fossil, and mineral store (Bryce Canyon Rock Shop), which I love to buy and collect! So, I never miss stopping and shopping for a little while in their rock shop. All of these locations are within walking distance from our hotel. There are some other larger towns nearby where you can stay overnight, like Panguitch or Tropic, but we have always stayed in Bryce Canyon City!
Bryce Canyon is well known for its fantastic assortment of strange and beautiful Hoodoos! What exactly is a Hoodoo? The scientific description defines a Hoodoo as a "relatively soft rock topped by a harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements." All I know is that they are stunningly beautiful to behold, and there are so many of them! This National Park has the most beautiful mazes, pinnacles, spires, fins, and, of course, hoodoos.
After getting your maps at the Visitor's Center, take a leisurely walk along the "Rim Trail" to gaze at the unique formations in the "Bryce Amphitheatre." Bryce has 14 scenic lookout points you can drive to in a total of only 18 miles. You will want to take your time at each stop and enjoy the fantastic scenery. My husband loves this National Park. Therefore, we always take plenty of pictures.
If you have plenty of time and are not rushed, we recommend you hike the Park's most popular 3-mile trail, the "Queens/Navajo Combination Loop Trail." You will not be disappointed! Walking this hiking trail, you will be walking very close to the hoodoos, while looking up at the top of the canyon! To say the least, the views are incredible, and you will not be able to put your camera down! However (and this is very important), remember that you have to hike back out of the canyon! There are no elevators available to help you out of the canyon! You will have to hike back up the distance you hiked down. The hike back up the canyon consists of many steep "switchbacks" and an elevation change of 600 feet to the top. If you decide to take this hike (and we've done it twice!), you will encounter what I believe is some of the most beautiful and amazing scenery out West, including "Thor's Hammer"!
Many lookout points have benches available for you to sit and gaze in wonder at the scenery before you! The lookouts are all on the road's left side as you drive South. The Park suggests that you move in a southerly direction towards Rainbow Point and then stop at the lookouts on the way back (going North) so all the stops will be on the right side of the road and easier to pull into when you stop. Also, an important note for all the amateur photographers out there: remember that everything at Bryce Canyon faces East, so the sunrises are much better than the sunsets in this Park!
A free shuttle is also available in the Park to take you to the 14 scenic lookout points if you want to avoid driving to each one yourself. We have never used the shuttle at Bryce Canyon because we like to move to each scenic lookout in our car. To date, we have never encountered a parking area that has been totally full. We have always been able to park at each scenic stop when visiting this Park.
If you want a total workout and want to walk directly into the canyon on a couple of great trails, hike down the switchbacks and take the "Queen's Garden Trail" (1.8 miles) or the "Navajo Loop Trail" (1.3 miles).
If you love stargazing, Bryce Canyon National Park is also a great place to be at night! Bryce Canyon received an International Dark Sky Association certification and has "Dark Rangers" that lead nighttime telescope tours into the Park so you can gaze at the stars and Milky Way to your heart's content. And, for all those Cowboys out there, Bryce Canyon also has horse tours that take you down into the canyon, so you do not have to hike it! Let's hear a big "Yahoo" for that!!
Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park never ceases to amaze us whenever we visit the Park. We have encountered all different kinds of weather. So, remember that Bryce Canyon sits at 8,000 feet above sea level and can be very cold, windy, and have snow on the ground while other National Parks are warmer. So, depending on the time of the year you visit this Park, please check the weather forecast before going! We have experienced some crisp and cool temperatures with perfect bright blue skies, very cold and windy conditions, and rain and an inch of snow in early May! So, ensure you are ready for everything (weather-wise) when visiting this Park! However, we always have a tough time driving by Bryce Canyon National Park without stopping for at least half a day. So, bring your jackets (and maybe even some hats and gloves) when you visit this Park, but, most of all, keep your cameras (and cell phones) at the ready for some pretty awesome and amazing "Kodak Moments!" Our's are below!
My next article will talk about Capitol Reef National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. Capitol Reef may not be one of Utah's most visited National Parks, but it is worth your time to stop and see it! We accidentally found Dead Horse Point State Park (located just West of Moab). We had a few hours to kill before checking into our Moab hotel, so we stopped by this State Park on a whim. We were delighted that we did, and so will you…SEE YOU SOON!
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