National park

Bryce Canyon National Park

By Insider’s Utah · Last updated: 12 October 2026

Bryce Canyon was the second stop on our Utah road trip. We hiked down among the hoodoos early in the morning, drove the scenic drive to Rainbow Point and went back into the park after dark for incredible night skies. This is our planning hub for the park.

Hoodoos from Sunrise Point, Bryce Canyon National Park

Entrance fee$35 per private vehicle for 7 days. Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person.

Park shuttleOptional and free with entry. Runs 3 April to 18 October in 2026 from Bryce Canyon City.

Scenic drive18 miles from the entrance to Rainbow Point, at 9,115 ft.

Base townBryce Canyon City, just outside the park entrance.

Top sights

Hike

Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop

If you only do one hike below the rim, make it this one. Start at Sunrise Point and go early, while the light’s good and it’s quieter.

Viewpoint

Sunrise and Sunset Points

You won’t see the sun drop from Sunset Point, but the last light turns the hoodoos gold.

Drive

Bryce Canyon scenic drive

18 miles along the rim to Rainbow Point, with Natural Bridge on the way. Allow time to stop.

Night sky

Stargazing

The night skies here are incredible. We went back into the park after dinner to see them.

Landmark

Thor’s Hammer

Bryce’s best-known hoodoo, seen from Sunset Point and the Navajo Loop.

Geology

The hoodoos

What the hoodoos are, how they formed and the best places to see them.

Hikes

All Bryce Canyon hikes

Rim Trail, Sunset Point to Sunrise Point1 mi · 34 ft · about 1 hour · Easy

Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop2.9 mi · 625 ft · 2 to 3 hours · ModerateWall Street is closed until further notice

Navajo Loop1.3 mi · 515 ft · 1 to 2 hours · ModerateWall Street is closed until further notice

Mossy Cave0.8 mi · 150 ft · 30 to 60 minutes · Easy

Peekaboo Loop, from Bryce Point5.5 mi · 1,560 ft · 3 to 4 hours · Strenuous

Fairyland Loop8 mi · 1,900 ft · 4 to 5 hours · Strenuous

Round-trip distance, elevation gain and times from the National Park Service. Most of the rim sits above 8,000 ft, so take it slowly if you’ve just arrived.

Where to stay

Full guide to staying near Bryce Canyon

Where we stayed · Bryce Canyon City

Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn

We weren’t blown away. It’s a bit tacky and touristy and the service wasn’t brilliant, but it’s only a couple of minutes’ drive from the park and reasonably priced.

Check prices on Booking.com

More places to stay

Hotels and campsites

Where we ate · Tropic

i.d.k. barbecue

Not in Bryce Canyon City, but worth the drive to Tropic for meltingly tender brisket. It’s closed on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The best restaurants near Bryce Canyon

Itineraries

Bryce Canyon

1 day in Bryce Canyon

Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop, the Rim Trail, the scenic drive, sunset, then stars.

Road trip

Utah national parks road trip

An eight-day loop through Utah’s national parks, with a route map and ideas for extra stops.

Map

Open in Google Maps

Before you go

Entrance fees: $35 per private vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, or $20 per person on foot or by bike, valid for 7 days. Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person; an America the Beautiful pass ($80 for US residents, $250 for non-residents) covers this for the holder and their car.
Shuttle: runs about every 15 minutes, 8am to 8pm from 9 May to 20 September and 8am to 6pm either side. It isn’t compulsory, but parking at the main viewpoints fills up.
Weather: the park is high, and snow is possible in October and from March to April. The Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop closes every winter.
Permits: you only need one to camp in the backcountry ($10 per permit plus $5 per person).
Roadworks: a shared-use path is being built along Bryce Point Road in 2026, with weekday flagging delays but no closures.
Current closures: Wall Street is closed after heavy rain, and other trails are muddy. Check the latest alerts before you go.

We check these details against the National Park Service whenever we update this page.