11 Top-Rated Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park

The dramatic scenery of Bryce Canyon National Park is an enticing landscape for hikers. A bowl of glowing orange and gold hoodoos beckons as you gaze out over the main amphitheater from Sunrise or Sunset Points, and see the twisting trails that snake through the canyon.

Hard-packed paths on the tops of ridges wind their way through a fairy-land forest of towering hoodoos. Mixed into the scene are a scattering of huge pines, dwarfed by the size of the stone formations that surround them.

Hikes in Bryce Canyon range from easy paved paths to heart-pounding half-day trails. Below is a list of easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes, all of which offer outstanding views and are well worth the effort.

Be sure to check the park website prior to your visit, especially if you are visiting in the spring. The freeze/thaw cycle plays havoc with the trails, and trail closures are frequent.

Bryce Canyon is high, much of the park is above 8,000 feet, and the weather is cooler than surrounding areas. Prepare for changing temperatures throughout the day. In spring and early summer, snow lingers up here, particularly in the higher areas of the park. The best time to visit Bryce Canyon is from May to September.

Hit the trails with our list of the best hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park.

See also: Where to Stay near Bryce Canyon National Park

1. Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop Combination Trail

The Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop is the most popular hike in Bryce Canyon National Park, running through the most spectacular section of the park. This hike takes in outstanding views from the rim and then descends along ridges into the canyon and meanders among the towering hoodoos.

The total length of the hike is 2.9 miles, and the elevation gain is about 600 feet. It's long enough and diverse enough to give you a good feel for the park but easy enough that anyone in reasonable shape can do it.

Although this a technically easy hike on a solid and obstacle-free path, the park ranks this hike as moderate, but this is likely due to the length of the trail and the elevation.

The best way to do this hike is in a clockwise direction beginning at either Sunrise or Sunset Point. From Sunrise Point, the trail winds down the canyon on the Queen's Garden trail, with fabulous perspectives at every turn. At the bottom, you can see a short detour to the Queen's Garden, where you'll find a hoodoo resembling Queen Victoria.

At this point, the trail joins with Navajo Loop and eventually begins a gradual ascent up the canyon. On the last section of Navajo Loop, two trails lead up to Sunset Point; the most popular is Wall Street; the second option is Two Bridges. Both of these eventually lead to a series of switchbacks, where you gain considerable elevation over a short distance.

The trail pops up at Sunset Point, and if you've parked at Sunrise Point, you can walk along the paved Rim Trail back to where you started.

2. Sunset Point to Sunrise Point

If you have limited time in the park and only want to do one quick and easy walk, this is the place to do it. This paved walking trail, which is part of the Rim Trail, runs along the top of the canyon and looks out over the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater and one of the most impressive vistas in Utah.

Burnt orange and cream banded hoodoos rise up from the floor and walls of the canyon, and in the background rolling hills give way to distant mountains. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Navajo Mountain, 80 miles away.

Looking out from this trail, you can also see sections of the Queen's Garden trail as it snakes along the ridges off to the left, as well as the switchbacks of the Navajo Loop Trail to the right. Great photo opportunities present themselves all along this half-mile walk (one mile return trip).

Bryce Canyon Lodge, the only accommodation in the park, is located just behind Sunrise Point. You can start this hike right from your room if you're staying here.

3. Fairyland Loop

If you are looking for a longer hike, consider the Fairyland Loop. This path takes you on a wonderful route through hoodoos and along ridges that provide awesome views and close-up looks at the strange formations.

In some sections, the trail feels like a canopy walk through a forest of hoodoos, putting you at eye level with balancing rocks on the tops of spires. The orange, gold, cream, and pink hues are particularly vibrant along this trail.

If you want, you can add on a spur to Tower Bridge, which can also be done as its own separate hike.

Fairyland is an eight-mile hike, with an elevation gain of approximately 2,300 feet. Although it is not technically difficult, it is listed as strenuous by the park due to the distance and elevation.

If you are camping at Bryce's North Campground, you can pick up the trail right from the campground. Otherwise, you can start from Fairyland Point or Sunrise Point, although starting from Sunrise Point will mean adding a bit of distance to the hike.

4. Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail

This 5.5-mile trail is a nice alternative to the busier Queen's Garden and Navajo Trails. A steep descent takes you into the depths of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, through massive hoodoos.

One of the highlights along Peek-A-Boo Loop is the Wall of Windows, where arches and cracks in the upper portions of connecting hoodoos frame the blue sky behind. With more than 1,500 feet of elevation gain, most of it occurring over a very short distance, this is a strenuous hike.

This hike can be combined with the Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop, in what is referred to as The Figure 8 Combination Trail, for a 6.4-mile double loop that will give you a more complete tour of the amphitheater.

5. Queen's Garden

Queen's Garden is an easy, out-and-back, 1.8-mile trail, but the views in each direction are completely different, making it feel more like a loop trail. This is comparable in beauty and diversity to the Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop Combination Trail, but less than half the distance, making it perfect for anyone short on time.

The hike descends from Sunrise Point, along the tops of mud and limestone ridges that wind down into the canyon. Colorful hoodoos rise up all around you, and the ridges are dotted with pine trees.

The trail is a moderate width in most sections, and although there are drop-offs on one or both side of the ridges, they are not sheer cliff walls, just steep slopes of crumbling rock and mud.

In a couple of places, you pass through man-made arches. This trail is incredibly scenic, with photo opportunities everywhere. At the far end of the trail is the Queen's Garden, where a dense patch of pines provides lovely shade for a few benches. From here, you can look up to see a hoodoo that resembles Queen Victoria sitting on her throne. Head back on the same trail to return to the parking area.

6. Navajo Trail

Navajo Trail leads through similar topography as the Queen's Garden, with multihued hoodoos rising up on all sides as you walk down into and through the amphitheater, below Sunset Point. The main difference between the two hikes is Navajo's steeper grade and greater elevation gain.

This is a 1.3-mile hike with 550 feet of elevation gain over an extensive series of heart-pumping switchbacks. The park rates this hike as moderate, but if you take your time, it's an easy trail. The trail begins at Sunset Point.

7. Bristlecone Pines Hike

Bristlecone pine trees are not a common sight in this area of Utah, but this hike will give you a chance to see some of these ancient trees, some of which are 1,800 years old. The trail meanders through a forest of blue spruce, Douglas fir, and white fir, and offers incredible views over the canyon. Watch for birds and other wildlife.

Bristlecone Pines hike begins at Rainbow Point, at the south end of the scenic drive through the park, which is also the highest area in the park. The elevation here reaches 9,100 feet, but fortunately this one-mile loop trail has less than 200 feet of elevation gain, making it an easy hike.

The temperatures up here can be cooler than other areas of the park, and snow tends to linger. As a result, this hike may be inaccessible through the winter and into the spring.

8. Tower Bridge

If you aren't up for the entire Fairyland Loop Trail, consider the out-and-back Tower Bridge Hike. This trail covers a portion of the Fairyland trail, before veering off on a spur to a dramatic stone structure known as the Tower Bridge.

Bristlecone pines can also be seen along this three-mile hike as it weaves through hoodoos and past a colorful stone wall called the Chinese Wall.

This is a moderate out-and-back hike with 800 feet of elevation gain and some shade near the Tower Bridge.

9. Mossy Cave

As the name suggests, this hike leads to a cave, which is really more of a moist overhanging shelf. The real beauty of this easy trail is the waterfall and river cutting through the landscape at the base of the hoodoo-covered hills.

The trail follows the river most of the way, crossing a bridge at one point, and then climbs up to the mossy cave. Along the ascent, the trail splits. To the left is the cave and to the right is an overlook with views over the falls and river.

Mossy Cave is outside of the park gates, along highway 12, towards the town of Tropic, making it a nice, brief stop if you are on your way to Capitol Reef National Park. The total distance of this out-and-back hike is just under one mile, with an elevation gain of 300 feet.

10. Hat Shop

The Hat Shop is named for the white rocks perched precariously on top of the hoodoos along the hike. This trail is perfect for hikers who have done many of the other trails in the park and are just looking for an uncrowded trail. It's also a good choice for anyone looking for a physical challenge.

This four-mile in-and-out trail is a steep thigh- and knee-buster, and only for those in good shape.

The trail descends sharply into the canyon past the hoodoo formations. At the bottom, turn around and look up 1,000 feet to see the return trip ahead of you. The views look different in each direction. Pause along the way to catch your breath and check out the vista over the Paria River Valley and the Kaiparowits Plateau.

11. Sheep Creek/Swamp Canyon

If you've had your fill of hoodoos and canyons or just plain crave a bit of solitude, consider the Sheep Creek/Swamp Canyon hike. This route traverses the quieter backcountry area of the park that few visitors ever see. It's also a pleasant place, as you'll see running water, which isn't always the case on hikes at Bryce Canyon.

Sheep Creek/Swamp Canyon is one of the best hikes to do in the spring. Owing to its location and the fact that some parts of the trail have been affected by past wildfires, the area bursts into color in the spring with wildflowers. At this time, be aware of the bees and wasps that are busy doing their pollinating work. You'll also have a good chance of spotting wildlife back here; deer are the most frequently spotted.

The trail is considered moderate, with a total distance of 4.3 miles and an elevation gain/loss of 800 feet. The best routing is to head clockwise. The trail is part of the Under the Rim Trail.

Where to Stay near Bryce Canyon National Park

In the Park:

• The only accommodation option in the park is the historic Bryce Canyon Lodge, with a quaint and rustic charm. Set amid huge pines trees are a number of luxury stone and wood cabins and a more traditional hotel style complex. The dining room makes a nice stop for lunch or dinner regardless of whether or not you are staying at the lodge.

Bryce Canyon City:

• The closest town to Bryce Canyon is Bryce Canyon City, just under three miles from the park. The best option here is the Best Western Plus Ruby's Inn, which is much more than just a standard hotel. The property has a Western theme and offers cowboy shows in the evening and casual entertainment in the lobby, as well as horseback riding; mountain biking; and a variety of guided tours, including helicopter tours. Ruby's also operates a general store, restaurant, large campground, and much more. It is a huge operation in Bryce Canyon City, and you can't miss it.

Budget and Mid-Range Options Nearby:

• For more reasonably priced lodging, it's best to base yourself in the towns of Tropic (15 minutes away) or Panguitch (30 minutes away). In Tropic, Bryce Pioneer Village offers basic small rooms, a pool, and complimentary breakfast.
• In Panguitch, the Western-style Quality Inn Bryce Canyon is conveniently located on the highway, east of the city, towards Bryce Canyon, and features comfortable rooms.
• For a more budget-friendly option, try Church's Blue Pine Motel, right in the town of Panguitch.

Camping:

• For the best places to camp, see our article on the Best Campgrounds near Bryce Canyon.

Bryce Canyon National Park - Climate Chart

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Exploring Utah's Hiking Trails and Campgrounds: Hikers with more time should consider stopping off at some of Utah's other great hiking destinations. At the top of the list is hiking in Zion National Park. To discover less well-known, less crowded, but almost equally impressive scenery, check out the hiking trails around St. George. You'll also find great campgrounds around Zion and St. George.

For a more comprehensive look at things to see and do in state, have a read through our articles on the Best Hikes in Utah, the Best Parks in Utah, and the Top Attractions in Utah. Travelers heading north should not miss a stop at Arches National Park, and the nearby town of Moab.