Bryce Canyon National Park: Top sites to see on a quick visit
Bryce Canyon might not get the hype of other National Parks, but that does not mean it should be overlooked. This is such an amazing National Park featuring one of the most amazing landscapes in the country. You absolutely need to make sure this park is on your list of places to visit in the US. If you are only there for a short visit, these are my recommendations for things to do.
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Sunset Point Overlook
If you arrive at Bryce Canyon late, you should still head into the park to check out Sunset Point Overlook. This overlook lets you see many of the amazing hoodoos that comprise Bryce Canyon. You can see some of the Navajo Loop Trail and the popular Thor’s Hammer landmark. If you have more time, there are several other viewpoints worth visiting including Bryce Point, Inspiration Point and Sunrise Point. After viewing these overlooks, be sure to rest up for a long hike the following day. If you arrive early in the day, you can complete the following hike first and then take time to visit these viewpoints later in the afternoon.
Hike Navajo Loop/Peekaboo Loop/Queen’s Garden Trails
This hike is listed as the Figure-8 Combination in the Bryce Canyon Visitor Guide. The visitor guide recommends doing this hike clockwise, but my dad and I did it counterclockwise so we could drop down the famous Wall Street section first. As you begin hiking, you get a decent view of the famous hoodoo known as Thor’s Hammer. You then drop down the many switchbacks that make up the Wall Street section of the Navajo Loop. You have likely seen numerous photos of the Wall Street stretch before. This is a very busy section, so getting photographs without a lot of other visitors in the frame might be quite challenging.
Once you have dropped down to the bottom of the canyon, take the Peekaboo Loop connector trail over to Peekaboo Loop. If you have the stamina for a long hike, I definitely recommend hiking the Peekaboo Loop. You pass so many amazing landscape formations including the Wall of Windows. There are also numerous decent photo opportunities of the surrounding hoodoos and some cool looking switchbacks along this route. Once you complete the Peekaboo Loop, head towards Queen’s Garden Trail to climb up and out of the canyon.
Queen’s Garden also has many amazing features worth stopping to admire and photograph. One of these is the Queen Victoria feature that is said to resemble the profile of Queen Victoria seated in a gown. You might have to use your imagination to see this representation. The way up out of the canyon is relatively steep, so be sure to rest often and bring plenty of water. You can also do this route clockwise like the National Park Service recommends. Just reverse directions from what my dad and I did and begin at Queen’s Garden first. For downloadable maps and trail conditions, check out the Alltrails page for this trail.
Looking down at Thor’s Hammer from the start of the Navajo Trail
Another view of Thor’s Hammer (center of image) before heading off to Wall Street
Hiking down the famous Wall Street stretch of the Navajo Loop Trail
Make sure to look up and around as you hike as the views are spectacular almost anywhere you are in the canyon
Looking up at the Wall of Windows from the Peekaboo Loop
The formation that is said to look like Queen Victoria? I would really love to know who first saw the resemblance.
Trail Length and Difficulty
The National Park Service’s visitor guide lists this as 6.4-mile hike, but my GPS recorded 7.73 miles to complete this hike and walk the Rim Trail back to the parking area for Navajo Loop. The total ascent on the hike was also 1,837 feet, making for quite a difficult hike. It took my dad and I about 5 hours and 23 minutes to complete the hike, so this hike will take up a good chunk of you day in the park. When we visited in mid-June, the temperatures were still quite cold overnight and very moderate during the day. Keep in mind that this is also a high-elevation park with elevations averaging over 8,000 feet above sea level. If you are not acclimated to higher elevations, you might want to consider a shorter hike, and you should make sure to keep an eye out for any symptoms of altitude sickness.
A Shorter Alternative
If you are short on time or just desire a shorter hike, you can just complete the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Trail. The National Park Service visitor guide lists this as a 2.9-mile hike, but I would plan on it being a little longer by the time you factor in hiking the Rim Trail to get back to your vehicle. This is officially the most recommended hike in the park, so you definitely cannot go wrong with opting to do this shorter length hike.
If You Visit Bryce Canyon:
Bryce Canyon is a very remote National Park, so lodging choices are mostly limited to Bryce Canyon City. There are also some vacation rentals in the nearby towns of Cannonville, Hatch, and Tropic. If you stay in Bryce Canyon City, I recommend checking out the Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel. This hotel is moderately priced and provides quick access to the park. The hotel also has a really nice outdoor swimming pool and hot tub. You can read more about my wonderful stay at this hotel here.
For dinner in Bryce Canyon City, you cannot beat the Cowboy’s Buffet & Steak Room at Ruby’s Inn. The steaks and salad bar at this restaurant are absolutely mouthwatering. Ruby’s Inn also features a large grocery store and souvenir shop if you realize you are missing anything during your stay or want to pick up food and snacks before your visit to Bryce Canyon.
