Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park: The Complete Guide for 2024

Perched on the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is renowned for its otherworldly landscape of vibrant red rock formations and towering hoodoos. This natural amphitheater, carved over millennia, offers visitors a surreal and awe-inspiring experience. From planning your visit and navigating the park to uncovering its geological wonders and unique wildlife, we’ll provide you with all the essential tips and insights to ensure an unforgettable adventure in this remarkable natural wonder.

If you are planning a trip to Bryce Canyon National Park and need some help planning your trip, this is our starter guide for visiting Bryce Canyon National Park. We often have detailed, in-depth guides to Bryce Canyon National Park trip planning and will link to these where appropriate to make your trip planning as easy as possible.

The article will discuss all aspects of visiting Bryce Canyon National Park, including:

• Maps of Bryce Canyon National Park
• General Information about Bryce Canyon
• How to Make the Most of Your Visit
• Best Things to do in Bryce Canyon
• Nearby National Parks

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Articles about Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park Lodging

• Bryce Canyon Camping
• Best Salt Lake City RV Rentals

Itineraries for Bryce Canyon National Park

Downloadable Itineraries for Bryce Canyon National Park

• Mini 2-Day Bryce Canyon & Zion National Parks Itinerary
• Mini 7-Day Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Zion National Parks Itinerary – May 15 to October 15
• Mini 7-Day Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Zion National Parks Itinerary – October 15 to May 15
• Mini 7-Day Utah National Park Itinerary
• All Access Pass, including all Current and Future Digital Downloads

Looking for an itinerary specially designed for you? Let National Park Obsessed’s founder design the perfect itineary just for you. Get a Custom National Park Itinerary Here. Or do you just want to chat 1-on-1 with a Natioanl Park planning expert? Book a National Park Travel Consultation.

Bryce Canyon National Park Activity Guides

• Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail Guide

Road Trips that Include Bryce Canyon National Park

• Ultimate 7-Day Utah National Park Road Trip

Other Articles featuring Bryce Canyon National Park

• Best National Parks for Non-Hikers
• Best National Park Day Hikes

Map of Bryce Canyon National Park

Click on the Bryce Canyon Map above to download the official brochure map. If you’d like a PDF copy of this Bryce Canyon Map click here.

Bryce Canyon National Park Basics

• Region: Southwest / West Coast
• State: Utah
• Park Size: 35,835 acres (55.99 sq miles) (145.02 sq km)
• Location: Garfield and Kane Counties
• Closest Cities: Tropic and Panguitch, Utah
• Busy Season: April to October
• Visitation: 2,461,269 (in 2023)
• Funniest 1-Star Review: We left Zion early to make sure we saw Bryce – that was a mistake. Bryce is not nearly as interesting or spectacular. At Bryce you feel like you are seeing the same rocks from 20 different angles.
• Official Website: NPS.gov

How much does Bryce Canyon National Park Cost?

Bryce Canyon National Park costs the following:

• 7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $35
• 7-day Motorcycle Pass – $30
• 7-day Individual Pass – $20

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When is Bryce Canyon National Park Open?

Bryce Canyon National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Bryce Canyon National Park?

Yes, pets are welcome in Bryce Canyon National Park but are limited to developed areas such as roads, parking areas, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Pets are not allowed on the trails in the park. Please review the Bryce Canyon Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Bryce Canyon.

• Pets are only permitted on paved surfaces in the park; this includes:
  • Campgrounds
  • Parking lots
  • Paved roads
  • Paved viewpoint areas (all viewpoints except Piracy Point)
  • On the Rim Trail between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point
  • On the paved Shared Use Path between the park entrance and Inspiration Point
• Pets are not permitted on trails or unpaved viewpoints (Piracy Point), in public buildings or on public transportation vehicles (shuttle bus). These regulations also apply to pets that are carried.
• Pets must always be on a leash; the leash must be no longer than 6 feet.
• Pet owners may not leave pet(s) unattended or tied to an object. Pets may not be left in vehicles while their owners hike. Be aware that idling and generator use is not permitted in park parking lots.
• Pets may not make unreasonable noise.
• Pet owners are required to pick-up after their pets (excrement and other solid waste).

Where are Bryce Canyon National Park’s visitor centers?

• Bryce Canyon Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Land Acknowledgment

The park, now known as Bryce Canyon National Park, is on Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Southern Paiute and Pueblos land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

How Much Time Should I Spend Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park?

If you have a couple of hours in Bryce Canyon National Park, drive to Rainbow Point and hike Bristlecone Loop Trail.

If you have one day in Bryce Canyon National Park, sunrise at the Bryce Amphitherter and hike some combination of the Peekkaboo/Queen Gardens/Navajo Loop Trail.

If you have two days in Bryce Canyon National Park, hike the Fairyland Loop Trail.

If you have three or more days in Bryce Canyon National Park, hike portions of the Under-the-Rim Trail.

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Things to do in Bryce Canyon National Park

Hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park

• Fairyland Loop Trail – 7.8 miles (round trip) – 1,550 ft elevation gain – A lesser traveled loop trail that visits the Chinese Wall, Tower Bridge, and some tall hoodoos.
• Peekaboo Loop Trail – 5.2 miles (round trip) – 1,453 ft elevation gain – This spectacular hike through the Bryce Amphitheater with views of Wall of Windows.
• Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail – 2.9 miles (round trip) – 650 ft elevation gain – The park’s most popular loop. This trail visits Queen Victoria, Thor’s Hammer, and Two Bridges.
• Figure 8 Loop – 6.3 mile (round trip)-1,500 ft elevation gain – This loop trail combines the above two trails into one long loop.

Best Things to Do in Bryce Canyon National Park

• Watch the sunrise
• Paria View
• Junior Ranger Badge
• Bryce Scenic Drive
• Hike to Sunrise Point
• Horseback Riding

Best Things to See in Bryce Canyon National Park

• Fairyland Point
• Bryce Point
• Sunset Point
• Inspiration Point
• Thors Hammer
• Natural Bridge

Best Guided Tours of Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park Wildlife

• Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
• Uinta Chipmunk
• Mule Deer
• Clark’s Nutcracker
• Side-Botched Lizard
• Steller’s Jay

Where to stamp your National Parks Passport Book in Bryce Canyon National Park?

The National Park Passport Book is the BEST and cheapest National Park souvenir. Every National Park Obsessed person should have one of these books.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT stamp your government-issued passport.

There are two official stamps for Bryce Canyon National Park. Here is the list of National Park Passport Stamps you can get in Bryce Canyon National Park:

• Bryce, UT
• NPS Centennial

Bonus Stamps

• 100 1923 – 2023
• 1923-Centennial-2023 (No Border)
• Bryce Canyon Lodge And Deluxe Cabins
• Bryce National Park Canyon With Hoodoo
• Junior Ranger
• OCT 14, 2023 Annular Eclipse

Bryce Canyon National Park Passport Stamp Locations

Here are all the locations to find the Bryce Canyon National Park Passport Stamps. Not every stamp is available at every location.

• Bryce Canyon Lodge Info Desk (BONUS ONLY)
• Visitor Center

National Parks Near Bryce Canyon National Park

National Park Service units within a 4 hours drive

• Capitol Reef National Park
• Cedar Breaks National Monument
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Great Basin National Park
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area
• Navajo National Monument
• Pipe Spring National Monument
• Rainbow Bridge National Monument
• Timpanogos Cave National Monument
• Zion National Park

National Park Service units within an 8 hours drive

• Arches National Park
• Aztec Ruins National Monument
• Canyon De Chelly National Monument
• Canyonlands National Park
• Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
• Castle Mountains National Monument
• César E. Chávez National Monument
• Chaco Culture National Historical Park
• City of Rocks National Reserve
• Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
• Death Valley National Park
• Dinosaur National Monument
• El Malpais National Monument
• El Morro National Monument
• Fossil Butte National Monument
• Golden Spike National Historical Park
• Grand Teton National Park
• Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
• Hohokam Pima National Monument
• Hovenweep National Monument
• Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Minidoka National Historic Site
• Mojave National Preserve
• Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Natural Bridges National Monument
• Petrified Forest National Park
• Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
• Tonto National Monument
• Tule Lake National Monument
• Tuzigoot National Monument
• Walnut Canyon National Monument
• Wupatki National Monument

Final Thoughts on Bryce Canyon National Park

Do you have any questions about Bryce Canyon National Park, let us know in the comments below or need help planning your National Park trips. Let me know in the comments or join me in my National Park Trip Planning Community!

Pin for Later: The Complete Guide to Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park in 2024