Are you looking for the best hikes at Bryce Canyon National Park?

I hiked every single trail in the park during my road trip through Utah’s striking national parks (you can read about that adventure here). And holy cow – Bryce Canyon is a stunning national park!

My husband and I spend most of our free time hiking in national parks and have seen some breathtaking trails along the way.

But there’s one hike at Bryce Canyon National Park that immediately clocked in as one of our top 5 favorite hikes of all time.

But look at me already getting ahead of myself.

I’m not one for small talk so let’s just get to the good stuff. Read on to learn about the best hikes at Bryce Canyon National Park.

Note: Due to COVID, many visitor centers, ranger stations, and hospitality services may be closed or providing limited services. It’s always best to call ahead to make sure everything is open.

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Bryce Canyon Hiking Tips

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Practice Leave No Trace

• If you’re unfamiliar with Leave No Trace, it’s a measure to be a good steward of the land. You can read about the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.

Sunscreen

• The sun is intense and shade is minimal. I can’t tell you how many folks I saw nursing sunburns at the end of the day. I swear by this sunscreen, I discovered it in France and now buy it in bulk. You’ll never catch me without it!

Wear hiking boots with good traction

• Even though the trails are well maintained, jagged rocks and unstable soil are common. It’s easy to trip on the uneven surfaces, so set yourself up for success by wearing proper shoes.
• These are my hiking boots, and I’d sleep in them if I could.

Water, water, water

• Never underestimate how easily you may become dehydrated in the desert. Plan for 1 gallon of water per person, per day. Here’s the water bottle I’ve been using the past 6 years (yes, really).

Temperature shifts

• Unlike the other national parks we visited during our Utah road trip, Bryce was freezing in the morning. We weren’t prepared for the massive temperature shifts, mostly due to the high elevation (8,000 – 9,000 feet). This park is much cooler temperature-wise than its neighbor Zion.

Stay on trails

• Respect the abundance of life around you and stay on the trails to avoid harming fragile plants and animal habitat. Leave plants, rocks and artifacts where they are – it is illegal to remove anything from the park.

Hiking with pups

• Dogs are NOT allowed on trails or overlooks. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen hikers prep their cute pups for a hike before a ranger notices and tells them dogs aren’t allowed on trails – heartbreaking to watch.

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Bryce Canyon National Park Best Hikes

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Hike #1 | Navajo Loop Trail

• Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate
• Distance: 1.5 mile loop
• Elevation: 500 feet
• Estimated Hiking Time: 1 – 2 hours
• Trailhead: Sunset Point

The Navajo Loop Trail is often considered the most popular trail in Bryce Canyon National Park for a reason.

The impressive viewpoints from this trail expose you to a landscape unlike any other you’ve ever seen.

Vibrant shades of golden oranges and muted pinks engulf the jagged landscape and encourage you to explore every inch of this other-worldly terrain.

The well-maintained trail takes you from the rim (at Sunset Point) down to the valley floor through impressive hoodoo formations, such as Thor’s Hammer, Twin Bridges and Wall Street.

Make sure to wear proper shoes because the downhill part is slippery but don’t let that deter you, we saw so many small children and older folks enjoying the Navajo Loop Trail.

As long as you’re prepared with adequate water and proper shoes with good traction, you’ll be set. I guarantee that you are going to love this incredible hike at Bryce Canyon National Park.

If you only have time for one hike at Bryce Canyon National Park, this is it.

Of all the national parks we’ve had an opportunity to hike through (30+ and counting), we consider the Navajo Loop Trail at Bryce Canyon National Park one of our top 5 favorite hikes of all time.

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Hike #2 | Peekaboo Loop Trail

• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Distance: 5.2 mile loop
• Elevation: 1,500 feet
• Estimated Hiking Time: 3 hours
• Trailhead: Sunset Point

As if though the stunning hoodoo formations aren’t enough, there’s a good chance you’ll see horses while hiking Peekaboo Loop! This popular hike is for both hikers and horses.

The trail leads you through ever-changing hoodoo formations and offers popular views of the Three Wisemen, The Organ, the Cathedral (my favorite) and the Wall of Windows.

If you’re interested in seeing this trail via horseback, check out this helpful resource. Folks highly recommend this activity while visiting Bryce Canyon National Park.

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Hike #3 | Queen’s Garden Trail

• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Distance: 1.8 miles
• Elevation: 630 feet
• Estimated Hiking Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour

Another great hike, albeit similar in feel to the Navajo Loop – but cool regardless! This short and colorful trail takes you below the rim of the canyon and leads you to the Queen’s Castle and Gulliver’s Castle.

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Hike #4 | Fairyland Loop Trail

• Difficulty Level: Easy/moderate
• Distance: 7.8 mile loop
• Elevation: 1,500 feet
• Estimated Hiking Time: 4 hours

The Fairyland Loop Trail is a very popular hike in the park because of the jaw dropping panoramic views of the canyon and rock formations. Many of the folks we talked to mentioned this was the best hike they’ve ever done – which speaks for itself.

If you go early in the morning there’s ample shade, but if you’re hiking after 10am, I suggest bringing loads of sunscreen.

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Hike #5 | Hat Shop

• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Distance: 4 miles out and back
• Elevation: 950 feet
• Estimated Hiking Time: 3 hours

This stunning hike isn’t as heavily visited as the earlier ones, so if you’re looking for solitude – this is a safe bet! We only saw 4 other hikers during our trip.

The Hat Shop Trail takes you to interesting hoodoo formations that look like they’re wearing hats. But come prepared, there’s very little shade on this hike.

The most challenging part of this hike is the return trip – make sure to have plenty of water with you.

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Hike #6 | Rim Trail

• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Distance: 5.5 miles
• Elevation: 1,754 feet
• Estimated Hiking Time: 3 – 4 hours

Bryce Canyon’s Rim Trail encircles the the rim that encloses the incredible hoodoo formations that make up the park.

At 5.5 miles and with an elevation gain of 1,754, this trail will get your heart pumping! Thankfully there’s plenty well-maintained benches along the rim that offer reprieve along the trail.

What I like most about this epic hike at Bryce Canyon National Park is that it offer a unique aerial view of the hoodoo formations. Most of the other hikes on this list take you deep within the valley and expose you to the grandeur of the formations up close.

But from the Rim Trail you can see the extent of this impressive valley, giving you more appreciation for the landscape before you.

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Bryce Canyon National Park Hiking Info

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Best time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park

Weather-wise, Bryce Canyon has some serious temperature shifts! Keep that in mind as you plan your trip.

Based on our experience, September is the most ideal month to visit Bryce Canyon National Park.

• Summer:
  • Typically daily temps hover around the 80’s and make for great hiking weather. Just be mindful that summer rains are common starting late July and can leave you exposed to lightening. If you hear thunder, head back to your car.
• Fall/winter:
  • You can expect snow as early as October at Bryce Canyon. Snow adds to the landscape and makes it striking and beautiful, but it’s also harder to hike. During winter, temperatures dip below freezing.
  • Bring many layers, we were freezing in the mornings during our August visit, can’t imagine the chill of the winter.
• Spring:
  • Spring feels more like winter because it doesn’t start getting warm until May, you can expect snow from March thru April.

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Camping at Bryce Canyon National Park

There are two campgrounds to choose from: North (first come, first served) and Sunset (reservations accepted). Both are close to the Bryce Canyon Lodge and the Visitor Center.

For more resources about camping at Bryce Canyon National Park, check out this resource.

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Lodging near Bryce Canyon National Park

• Bryce Canyon Lodge (within the park)
• Best Western at Ruby’s Inn

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Restaurants near Bryce Canyon National Park:

• Ruby’s Inn Restaurant
• Bryce Canyon Coffee Company
• Stone Hearth Grill

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More Resources

• 10 BEST hikes at Mt. Rainier National Park
• 9 BEST Hikes in Redwood National Park
• Sequoia National Park in Winter (with video)
• 14 Things to do in Virgin Islands National Park
• 17+ Things to do in Death Valley National Park

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Best Hikes at Bryce Canyon National Park

In sum, the best hikes at Bryce Canyon National Park are:

1. Navajo Loop Trail
2. Peekaboo Loop Trail
3. Queen’s Garden Trail
4. Fairyland Loop Trail
5. Hat Shop Hike
6. Rim Trail (Sunrise Point to Sunset Point)

I hope you enjoyed this guide to the best hikes at Bryce Canyon National Park! Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions!

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Happy Hiking!

Antonina

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