Bryce Canyon National Park’s mesmerizing landscape will take your breath away. Hoodoos, intricate rock formations, and sandstone pillars cover the valley. Bryce, in southwestern Utah, is famous for having the ✨ largest population of hoodoos ✨ in the world. Learn how to spend one day in Bryce Canyon seeing this magical landscape.
Hoodoos, sometimes called fairy chimneys or goblins, are tall, thin rocks that rise up from basins in spire formations. Hoodoos also refers to witchcraft or voodoo. Once you see hoodoos in Bryce, you’ll understand why they have this mystical name.
Because Bryce is relatively small, you can easily cover the park in a day. I have gone to this park three times and each time I fall further in love with it. Despite the park’s small size, the landscape is truly impactful and memorable. Below you will find recommendations for the best way to spend your day in Bryce, tips on visiting, and details for planning your trip!
BRYCE CANYON IN A NUTSHELL
Short on time? Read this quick overview for your trip to Bryce Canyon with everything you need to know!
- Where to Stay: Stay in the two campgrounds or hotels like the Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
- Getting there: The closest airport is Cedar City Airport, but Las Vegas and Salt Lake City are other major airports to choose from.
- How to Get Around: Drive a car along the scenic road or take the free park shuttle during peak season from Spring through Fall. Rentalcars.com has the cheapest options for rental cars
- Best Time to Visit: Spring and Fall
- Things to Do: See sunrise or sunset over the hoodoos, hike Peekaboo Loop, and drive the scenic drive
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Table of Contents
Planning Your Trip to Bryce Canyon
How to Get to Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon is a tricky park to get to, if you’re not already in the area. The closest airport is Cedar City Airport, which is 90 minutes away in St. George, Utah. However, they only see a few flights a day. ✈️
The closest major airports are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, but they are both four hours away. So, you’ll definitely want to get a rental car if you’re coming from any of these locations!
However, Bryce Canyon is a wonderful destination to add on any road trip through South Utah. Especially, if you’re doing the Mighty 5 Road Trip 🚗. It’s about 2 hours from both Zion National Park and Capitol Reef National Park!
Things to Know Before You Go
💵 Bryce Canyon National Park has a $35 fee per vehicle that lasts a week. You can also use an interagency pass to get in like your America the Beautiful Pass.
❄️ Trails in the park can get icy in the winter, so pack a pair or microspikes and be prepared for snow.
☀️ The weather is variable in Bryce from fall through spring. While some days may be sunny, others can bring snow. So, check weather conditions before you go. While, thunderstorms are common in the summer.
⛺️ There are two campgrounds in Bryce Canyon: North campground and Sunset Campground. While North is open all year, Sunset is closed in the winter. They do take advance reservations, but they also have some availability when you arrive.
🦮 Pets are not allowed on the trails in Bryce Canyon and are only allowed on paved areas of the park like parking lots, campgrounds, and roads.
⚠️ During the winter, there are some trail closures due to icy conditions. You can check trail conditions and closures on the NPS website.
🍃 Remember to follow the Leave No Trace Principles. As always, you want to leave nature looking better than you found it
Getting Around Bryce
Bryce is one of the few parks that is easy to get around. The Bryce Canyon scenic drive is 18 miles and has most of the sights right off of it. So, you can either drive or take the free park shuttle.
The free park shuttle 🚌 runs from April through October and typically stops at each stop every 15 minutes. So, it’s a great way to get around the park and not deal with parking especially in peak season. It’s also the only way to see the Bryce Amphitheater during those times of year.
You can also book a guided tour to Bryce Canyon here!
Best Time to Visit Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon is beautiful year round, so visiting depends on what you want to see!
Spring and Fall are arguably the best times of year to visit Bryce Canyon. Due to the smaller crowds, trails being open, and pleasant temperatures. If you want to see everything Bryce has to offer, then this is the perfect time to visit.
Now, summer is the most crowded time of year, because it’s when most people take vacation. While it’s still gorgeous there, you may have to contend with longer wait times, afternoon thunderstorms, and high temperatures.
I’ve actually visited Bryce twice in the winter and I think it’s one of the most stunning sights. 🤩 There’s nothing that compares to seeing the contrast of snow on the red hoodoos. But, it is much quieter and some things are closed. That being said, there’s plenty to do.
Where to Stay Near Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon is fairly remote, but there are a few great places to stay near the park! You can choose from camping, glamping, or staying in a lodge.
There are two campgrounds in the park 🏕: North Campground and Sunset Campground. While North campground is open all year, Sunset closes in winter. You can check reservations in advance, or show up and see if there is availability.
Lodge at Bryce Canyon is just steps away from Bryce Amphitheater and a great historic hotel. But, there are a few other options that are just outside of the park as well!
Best Lodging Near Bryce:
One Day Bryce Canyon Itinerary
Now that you know how to plan your trip, it’s time to get into the one day Bryce Canyon itinerary! Below you will find everything that you can do in just one day in Bryce. It’s definitely one of those parks that you can feel as if you’ve seen most of the highlights in a day.
Watch the Sunrise
I highly recommend that you wake up early for the sunrise over the hoodoos 🌅. The sunlight casts a low glow over the valley, while the various hues of purple, orange, and red wash light up the sky.
The best spot in the park to see sunrise is ironically Sunset Point. For different vantage points, you can walk from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point. This was the first time we saw the park’s landscape and we were left in awe. The sunrise at Bryce is magical and there is no better time to see the park than sunrise!
Trek Through the Hoodoos
Getting down into the hoodoos is one of the best things to do in Bryce! There’s nothing quite like staring up at these wild rock formations. Hues of oranges and reds contrast the bright blue sky overhead. Choose from one of the many great hikes that you can do in just a few hours 🥾!
I’ve done the Navajo Loop & Queen’s Garden Trail a few times and it’s one of my favorites. It’s a great way to get down into the hoodoos and it’s not too long of a hike, so it’s the perfect thing to add to one day in Bryce!
Best Hikes in Bryce:
- Navajo Loop/Queen’s Garden Trail (2.9 miles)
- Fairyland Loop Trail (8 miles)
- Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail (5.2 miles).
Drive through Bryce Canyon Park
Because Bryce is fairly small, you can see plenty of the park simply by driving through it 🚗 or taking the free shuttle. If you get out at the lookout points, you will see different perspectives of the hoodoos that cover the valley.
Luckily, if you take the free shuttle, it stops every 15 minutes. So, you can easily get off take some photos and then get back on to continue your journey and choose your favorite spot!
Best Bryce Viewpoints:
End Day with a Sunset
Of course if you’re staying for the day, then you’ll want to watch the sunset 🌄 somewhere special. Sunset Point is the best point for both sunrise and sunset. End your day and your time in the park by watching the sky transform the hoodoos below at this spot.
Final Tips for Visiting Bryce Canyon
Let me know if you found this one day itinerary helpful!
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