The Ultimate Guide to Camping in Bryce Canyon National Park

Are you planning to see the incredible hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park?  Are you ready to see incredible rocks during the day and epic skies during the night?  Bryce Canyon offers spectacularly dark skies with amazing views of the stars.  Camping overnight in Bryce is a special experience and gives you a jump on viewing the sunrises and sunsets of the park.

Sleeping in a tent is a must to try experience Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon Camping

Things to Know about Bryce Canyon Camping

• There is a 14-day camping limit during from May to October.  This limit is in effect park-wide.
• Be prepared for all types of weather.  Bryce Canyon is 8,000 feet above sea level.  It can be significantly colder than Zion.
• Most sites are first-come-first-serve. Sites fill up fast and any remaining first-come-first-serve spots will be claimed by noon during the height of summer.
• Each tent campsite can have up to 10 people (six adults). There is space for three tents and two vehicles at the campsite. The campsite has a picnic table. Many of the campsites have a fire pit. Please double check the fire regulations and ensure your fire is completely out before going to bed.
• Please do NOT leave any food, utensils out, or any scented items out. This includes toothpaste, toothbrush, chapstick. Pretty much put everything but what you are going to sleep into your car.  This includes your cooler. Wildlife have been known to raid campsites and human food is dangerous.
• Hammocks and slackline are NOT permitted to be hung from trees anywhere in the park.

Getting to Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is a centrally located park.  It is within driving distance of Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Phonxiz.  All three cities have an international airport and the concentration of national parks in the surrounding area makes it easy to visit multiple parks in one road trip.

Where to camp in in Bryce Canyon National Park?

Campgrounds in Bryce Canyon National Park

• North Campground
• Sunset Campground

Campgrounds near Bryce Canyon National Park

• Ruby’s Inn RV Park and Campground
• Bryce Canyon Pines Campground
• King Creek Campground
• Kodachrome Basin State Park
• Red Canyon Campground
• Cannonville / Bryce Valley KOA Holiday
• The Riverside Ranch RV Park
• Hitch-N-Post Campground
• Paradise RV Park & Campground

Bryce Canyon National Park Camping

** All Campground prices are valid as of February 24, 2019.

North Campground

North Campground is located near the entrance of the Bryce Canyon National Park.  This campground is located near the Visitor Center and provides access to Rim Trail and the epic views along the canyon rim.  There are two shuttle stops near the campground.  The North Campground Amphitheater hosts many ranger programs during the summer.  The campground provides access to Bryce Canyon Lodge and the General Store.

North Campground offers four loops.  Loops A and B are for RV campers. Loops C and D are for Tent Campers and smaller RV’s. Please do not drive a vehicle over 20 feet thru Loop C or D.

If you are arriving later in the afternoon, I highly suggest taking the first site you find to ensure you get a space. Check out the campground map to decided which loop you would like to start your space hunt. Sites can be hard to come by during the summer.  Upon arrival stop at the registration kiosk and get a pay envelope.  With the envelope in hand, start into the loop and see if you can find a site.  Each site will have a small post with a site number on it.  If there is a paper sub hanging from the post, the site is reserved even if no one is currently in the campground and no belongings are there.

When you find a site, pull in and fill out your envelope.  Insert your payment and rip off the hang tag.  Place the hang tag on the post and return the payment envelope to the registration kiosk.

Helpful Hint – If you are late getting into the campground. Checkout is 11:30.  If you see someone packing up, ask if they are preparing to leave.  If they are, go ahead and fill out the payment envelope and wait for them to finish and leave.

Sunset Campground

Sunset Campground is located about a 1.5 miles further into the park than North Campground.  This campground makes a great base for those wanting to photograph sunrise or sunset over Bryce Canyon.  It is a short walk from Sunset campground to Sunset Point.  It is a short drive over to Bryce Canyon Lodge.

If you are arriving later in the afternoon, I highly suggest taking the first site you find to ensure you get a space. Check out the campground map to decided which loop you would like to start your space hunt. Sites can be hard to come by during the summer.  Upon arrival stop at the registration kiosk and get a pay envelope.  With the envelope in hand, start into the loop and see if you can find a site.  Each site will have a small post with a site number on it.  If there is a paper sub hanging from the post, the site is reserved even if no one is currently in the campground and no belongings are there.

When you find a site, pull in and fill out your envelope.  Insert your payment and rip off the hang tag.  Place the hang tag on the post and return the payment envelope to the registration kiosk.

Helpful Hint – If you are late getting into the campground. Checkout is 11:30.  If you see someone packing up, ask if they are preparing to leave.  If they are, go ahead and fill out the payment envelope and wait for them to finish and leave.