Nature

Bryce Canyon National Park

Thousands of orange stone spires stand packed together like a frozen crowd.

Utah
2 min read

Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0

Bryce Canyon guide: the Bryce Amphitheater viewpoints, the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trails, sunrise at Sunrise Point, stargazing, the shuttle and winter visits.

What to expect

Bryce Canyon is not really a canyon but a series of natural amphitheaters carved into the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Frost and rain have shaped the soft rock into hoodoos, the tall, thin spires that fill the Bryce Amphitheater in shades of orange, pink and cream. Nowhere on Earth has more of them.

A scenic drive of 29 kilometers runs along the rim to Rainbow Point at 2,778 meters, with Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration and Bryce Point close together at the northern end. The best way to feel the scale is to walk down among the spires: the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trails join into a loop of about 5 kilometers that starts and ends on the rim.

At 2,400 to 2,700 meters, Bryce is cooler than the other Utah parks and often snowy in winter, when red rock under white powder is a rare sight. Its dark skies are among the best in the country, and rangers lead astronomy programs and full-moon hikes in summer.

Bryce Canyon: top things to do

1Sunrise from Sunrise Point
2Navajo Loop and Queens Garden through Wall Street
3Thor’s Hammer from Sunset Point
4The view from Rainbow Point at the end of the scenic drive

Bryce Canyon: best time to visit

May–June and September–October. Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms; winter brings snow and few visitors.

Insider tips

Use the free summer shuttle; parking at the main viewpoints fills by late morning.
Trails climb back up at high altitude: go slowly and carry water.
Pack warm layers, since nights can be near freezing even in summer.

Fees, passes and parking

What	Price
Private vehicle	$35 per vehicle, 7 days
Motorcycle	$30 per vehicle, 7 days
Per person (on foot or bike)	$20 per person, 7 days
Annual pass for this park	$70 per year

America the Beautiful pass accepted: $80 a year for US residents, $250 for others (also covers the $100 fee).
Non-US residents aged 16+: $100 extra each, unless they hold an annual pass.
A free shuttle runs in summer between the town of Bryce Canyon City and the main viewpoints.
US residents enter free on a few fee-free days.

Checked Oct 26, 2026. Official prices