Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is a United States National Park in Utah's Canyon Country. Some 35,835 acres (14,502 ha) or 56 mi² (145 km²) in extent, the designated area around the spectacular Bryce Canyon (not actually a canyon, but rather a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion) became a United States National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a National Park in 1928. The park is one of the most popular in Utah, with nearly one million people visiting each year to take in Bryce's spectacular scenery.

The area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1875 and was known to have described the canyon as "a hell of a place to lose a cow". President Warren G. Harding proclaimed Bryce Canyon a national monument on June 8, 1923. On June 7, 1924, Congress passed a bill to establish Utah National Park, when all land within the national monument would become the property of the United States government. The land was acquired and the name was restored to Bryce Canyon. On February 25, 1928, Bryce Canyon officially became a national park.

Bryce Canyon consists of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. The erosional force of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater have shaped the colorful limestone rock of the Claron Formation into bizarre shapes including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called "hoodoos." The varied colors of the rocks and rock formations contribute to the spectacular views.

Bryce lies at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, varying from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,440 to 2,740 m), whereas the south rim of the Grand Canyon sits at 7,000 feet (2130 m) above sea level. Bryce Canyon National Park therefore has a substantially different ecology and climate, offering a contrast for visitors who visit all three parks in a single vacation.

Bryce Canyon is home to 59 species of mammals including mule deer, elk, gray fox, black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, marmots, ground squirrels and pronghorn antelope. 175 different species of birds have been documented to frequent Bryce Canyon National Park, including swifts, turkeys, red-tailed hawks, swallows, jays, nuthatches, ravens, eagles and owls.

When visiting, do not, under any circumstances, feed the wildlife or allow wildlife to obtain human food. Animals which obtain food from humans often become aggressive, will sometimes get ill or even die due to a change in diet, and most seriously stop foraging for natural foods and frequently starve to death in winter months when human food is no longer available.

From April through October the park's weather is relatively mild, with pleasant days, cool nights and occasional thunderstorms. Temperatures drop during winter months, with many clear sunny days reflecting off of the deep snowpacks. The park boasts some of the world's best air quality, offering panoramic views of three states and approaching 200 miles of visibility. This, coupled with the lack of nearby large light sources, creates unparalleled opportunities for stargazing.

Private, non-commercial vehicles must pay a $30 entrance fee that is good for 7 days. For individuals (applies to motorcycles, bicyclists, or individuals traveling on foot) the fee is $12 for 7 days. The entrance fee includes free and unlimited use of the park shuttles during the summer.

• Visitor Center. Just past the entrance, the Visitor Center makes a good first stop with park rangers on hand to answer questions, exhibits and a film about the park. Bookstore and gift shop on-site.
• Sunrise Point. Near the Bryce Canyon Lodge, Sunrise Point provides an inspiring view of the canyon amphitheater, with light best at (surprise!) sunrise.
• Sunset Point. A short hike from Sunrise Point along the Rim Trail, and also accessible by car, Sunset Point offers an alternative view of the canyon amphitheater with best light occurring at sunset.
• Inspiration Point. Another viewpoint accessible by car or from the Rim Trail, Inspiration View's name is well-deserved. Photography from this overlook is best at sunset.
• Bryce Point. One of the most dramatic overlooks in the park, Bryce Point offers a tremendous panorama of the hoodoos and the surrounding landscape. It is accessible either by car or along the rim trail.
• Natural Bridge. Formed from an eroded hoodoo, the natural bridge is an interesting feature, although it may not impress those expecting an enormous natural arch.
• Rainbow Point. At the end of the park road, Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point provide lookouts onto more hoodoos and also allow access to park trails including the Under the Rim Trail and the Riggs Spring Loop Trail.

Visitor Center. Just past the entrance, the Visitor Center makes a good first stop with park rangers on hand to answer questions, exhibits and a film about the park. Bookstore and gift shop on-site.

Sunrise Point. Near the Bryce Canyon Lodge, Sunrise Point provides an inspiring view of the canyon amphitheater, with light best at (surprise!) sunrise.

Sunset Point. A short hike from Sunrise Point along the Rim Trail, and also accessible by car, Sunset Point offers an alternative view of the canyon amphitheater with best light occurring at sunset.

Inspiration Point. Another viewpoint accessible by car or from the Rim Trail, Inspiration View's name is well-deserved. Photography from this overlook is best at sunset.

Bryce Point. One of the most dramatic overlooks in the park, Bryce Point offers a tremendous panorama of the hoodoos and the surrounding landscape. It is accessible either by car or along the rim trail.

Natural Bridge. Formed from an eroded hoodoo, the natural bridge is an interesting feature, although it may not impress those expecting an enormous natural arch.

Rainbow Point. At the end of the park road, Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point provide lookouts onto more hoodoos and also allow access to park trails including the Under the Rim Trail and the Riggs Spring Loop Trail.

Bryce has many hiking options that range from easy, fairly level paved trails to multi-day backpacking trips. (All map points below are for the trailhead.)

• Rim Trail. (11.0 miles round trip). Leading along the cliff edge from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point, this trail is paved in portions and accessible from numerous overlooks. Most park visitors will hike at least a portion of the trail to enjoy the views.
• Mossy Cave. (0.9 miles / 1.5 km round trip). Accessible from highway 12, this easy trail leads past a waterfall and up to a cave, with views of hoodoos along the way.
• Bristlecone Loop. (1.0 miles / 1.6 km round trip). This trail starts from Yovimpa Point and leads through a coniferous forest to a nice view on the cliff's edge.
• Navajo Loop. (1.3 miles / 2.2 km round trip). One of the most popular trails in the park, leading through the heart of the Bryce Amphitheater past formations such as Thor's Hammer and Wall Street. The trailhead is at Sunset Point.
• Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop Combination. (2.9 miles / 4.6 km round trip). A popular loop trail that starts from Sunrise Point and finishes at Sunset Point, passing through much of the Bryce Amphitheater along the way.
• Tower Bridge. (3 miles / 4.8 km round trip). A trailhead north of Sunrise Point follows a portion of the Fairyland trail to a natural arch.
• Hat Shop. (4 miles / 6.5 km round trip). Departing from Bryce Point, this trail descends 900 feet to some interesting rock formations.
• Swamp Canyon Loop. (4.3 miles / 7.2 km round trip). This loop trail starts from the Swamp Canyon overlook and briefly joins with the Under-the-Rim trail before returning.
• Peekaboo Loop. (5.5 miles / 8.8 km round trip). A trail shared with horses and leading through formations within Bryce Amphitheater. It is accessible from the Queen's Garden trail.
• Fairyland Loop. (8 miles / 12.9 km round trip). The Fairyland loop trail starts at Fairyland Point and loops into the Bryce Amphitheater near Sunrise Point before returning.
• Riggs Spring Loop. (8.5 miles / 14.2 km round trip). The Riggs Spring Loop Trail (8.8 miles round trip) from Yovimpa Point has four backcountry sites.
• Under-the-Rim. This trail extends 23 miles from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point and has eight backcountry campsites.

Rim Trail. (11.0 miles round trip). Leading along the cliff edge from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point, this trail is paved in portions and accessible from numerous overlooks. Most park visitors will hike at least a portion of the trail to enjoy the views.

Mossy Cave. (0.9 miles / 1.5 km round trip). Accessible from highway 12, this easy trail leads past a waterfall and up to a cave, with views of hoodoos along the way.

Bristlecone Loop. (1.0 miles / 1.6 km round trip). This trail starts from Yovimpa Point and leads through a coniferous forest to a nice view on the cliff's edge.

Navajo Loop. (1.3 miles / 2.2 km round trip). One of the most popular trails in the park, leading through the heart of the Bryce Amphitheater past formations such as Thor's Hammer and Wall Street. The trailhead is at Sunset Point.

Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop Combination. (2.9 miles / 4.6 km round trip). A popular loop trail that starts from Sunrise Point and finishes at Sunset Point, passing through much of the Bryce Amphitheater along the way.

Tower Bridge. (3 miles / 4.8 km round trip). A trailhead north of Sunrise Point follows a portion of the Fairyland trail to a natural arch.

Hat Shop. (4 miles / 6.5 km round trip). Departing from Bryce Point, this trail descends 900 feet to some interesting rock formations.

Swamp Canyon Loop. (4.3 miles / 7.2 km round trip). This loop trail starts from the Swamp Canyon overlook and briefly joins with the Under-the-Rim trail before returning.

Peekaboo Loop. (5.5 miles / 8.8 km round trip). A trail shared with horses and leading through formations within Bryce Amphitheater. It is accessible from the Queen's Garden trail.

Fairyland Loop. (8 miles / 12.9 km round trip). The Fairyland loop trail starts at Fairyland Point and loops into the Bryce Amphitheater near Sunrise Point before returning.

Riggs Spring Loop. (8.5 miles / 14.2 km round trip). The Riggs Spring Loop Trail (8.8 miles round trip) from Yovimpa Point has four backcountry sites.

Under-the-Rim. This trail extends 23 miles from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point and has eight backcountry campsites.

The park is a mecca for landscape photographers, with clear air and incredible scenery making for amazing photographs. Offseason trips may be best in order to avoid crowds, although the best light for photographing the amphitheater occurs during the long days of summer, with the light just after sunrise and before sunset best for bringing out the colors of the rock. Additionally, like much of the Southwest the Bryce Canyon landscape offers great opportunities to experiment with panorama photos.

Guests wanting to join a guided horse riding trip can do so during the spring, summer and fall.

• Canyon Trail Rides, Tropic, UT, +1 435 679-8665 or +1 435 834-5500. 2-hour and 4-hour trips are available on either horses or mules into Bryce Amphitheater along the Peekaboo trail.
• Ruby's Inn, +1 435 834-5341. Half day, full day, and 1 ½ hour rides, including the Thunder Mountain Ride.

Canyon Trail Rides, Tropic, UT, +1 435 679-8665 or +1 435 834-5500. 2-hour and 4-hour trips are available on either horses or mules into Bryce Amphitheater along the Peekaboo trail.

Ruby's Inn, +1 435 834-5341. Half day, full day, and 1 ½ hour rides, including the Thunder Mountain Ride.

The visitor center has a well-stocked gift shop featuring books, posters, and numerous other souvenirs. The general store (near Sunrise Point) offers food, camping supplies, and more souvenirs. There is also a gift shop within Bryce Canyon Lodge.

Outside of the park is a mind-numbing array of shops catering to tourists and offering treasures ranging from pop-tarts to bumper stickers.

The general store near Sunrise Point offers basic food supplies. Bryce Canyon Lodge has a dining room offering breakfast, lunch and dinner; reservations for dinner are required.

If you're staying late in the park to watch the sunset, keep in mind that nearly all restaurants close at 9 o'clock; the grocery store stays open for about an hour later.

Be especially careful with children around the canyon edges; drop-offs are steep and not all areas are protected by railings. During thunderstorms avoid isolated trees and open areas and, if possible, stay in your vehicle to protect against lightning strikes. There is little danger from mountain lions, but should one be encountered gather small children, back away slowly, and make yourself look as large as possible.

Altitude in the park reaches as high as 9,100 feet, so most visitors will experience some shortness of breath while hiking, and in extreme cases headaches and respiratory problems may be experienced. For those not used to the elevation, pace yourself and take a few days to acclimate before attempting any strenuous physical activity.

Unlike the other national parks of southern Utah, heat is not a major problem due to the park's high elevation. Temperatures rarely reach 90°F (32°C), even during the height of day in summer months.

Bryce Canyon National Park is near several other well-known parks and monuments, including Monument Valley, Grand Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, and Great Basin National Park.

• Zion National Park. Zion National Park is 78 miles west of Bryce National Park and offers incredible scenery amongst sandstone canyons.
• Red Canyon. Nine miles west of Bryce Canyon, Highway 12 passes through the floor Red Canyon allowing views up at hoodoos similar to those in Bryce Canyon without the need to climb down to their bases. The road also passes through two man-made arches. There are hiking trails in Red Canyon which are open year-round, weather permitting.

[[Zion National Park]]. Zion National Park is 78 miles west of Bryce National Park and offers incredible scenery amongst sandstone canyons.

Red Canyon. Nine miles west of Bryce Canyon, Highway 12 passes through the floor Red Canyon allowing views up at hoodoos similar to those in Bryce Canyon without the need to climb down to their bases. The road also passes through two man-made arches. There are hiking trails in Red Canyon which are open year-round, weather permitting.