THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Traveling to Utah? With so many parks to visit and sights to see, it’s hard to narrow down your itinerary. Well, if there’s one piece of advice I can give, it’s to not miss out on Bryce Canyon National Park. With one of the most unique landscapes I’ve ever seen, it’s something every Utah traveler needs to add to their list. Check out this ultimate guide to making the most of your time in Bryce Canyon below.

Checking out other parks in the area as well? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Utah here as well as My Favorite Hikes in Utah here.

Of all the parks in Utah that we went to, I believe that Bryce Canyon was the most beautiful and most unique, thanks to its unbelievable landscape. Throughout all of Bryce Canyon, there are these natural rock structures called HooDoos (pictured below) that are unlike anything I’d ever seen before. On every hike, you’ll stroll amongst these giant rocks and be in awe of your surroundings.

Escalante Yurts was our favorite place we stayed in all of Utah and was my first-ever glamping experience. Located about 45 minutes outside of Bryce Canyon National Park, the yurts are well worth the drive to and from the park daily. At the ‘glampsite’ you’ll find about a dozen yurts, hammocks, fire pits, and barbecues to enjoy your night. Each yurt also comes fully stocked with everything you’ll need – I’d even say staying here was more luxurious than any of the hotels or Airbnb’s we stayed at on the rest of our trip. Not to mention, because of its remote location, the stars are unbelievable at night.

I went in August…basically, just don’t go then. While there weren’t many crowds, the heat was so unbearable that I felt like I was focused on rationing water on most of my hikes rather than looking at the views. I’ve heard a great time to go is in the Fall once it’s cooled down or even in the dead of winter because snow looks beautiful on the HooDoos.

All of the National Parks in Utah come with an entrance fee, and if you’re going to be going to more than three parks during your time in the state, it’s cost-effective to buy the annual parks pass.

Fairyland Loop Trail is a must-see for those looking to get a birds-eye view of Bryce Canyon. Arriving at the canyon is somewhat like arriving at the Grand Canyon — you don’t see it coming and then suddenly you’re looking out over this stunning, expansive piece of land that looks eerily similar to Mars.

The Fairyland Loop Trail is an 8-mile loop that takes you around the rim of the canyon then down into it before returning back up. You can take the loop in either direction, but we recommend starting at the general store and navigating the rim section first because once you pop out of the canyon at the end, you’re not going to want to finish the last 2.5 miles around the rim.

Then we passed onto Peek-a-Boo Loop and finally to Queen’s Garden. As you may have noticed from yesterday’s hikes, none of the hikes of Bryce Canyon are particularly strenuous in that you aren’t increasing substantial elevation or exerting much energy at any point, but the dry heat and hot sun beating down on you make any somewhat flat trail that much more difficult.