Our Visit To Bryce Canyon National Park
We have been boondocking outside of Bryce Canyon National Park now for two weeks and it has quickly become our favorite national park we have ever visited.
We made it into the park on five different days and had a blast.
It’s the ninth national park we visited this year and even though we are leaving today I can’t wait to come back.
The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center is located near the entrance of the park. Their hours vary by season, but they generally open up at 8 am.
Restrooms and drinking water are available at the visitor center. You can also access the paved shared-use path from here.
A gift shop is located inside as well as a small museum. The park film, “A Song of Seasons” is 24 minutes long and plays on the hour and half hour throughout the day.
An information desk where rangers can answer any questions you have about the park can also be found inside. Be sure to pick up any maps or brochures you may want.
You can get your passport stamped, sign up your little ones for the Junior Ranger program, and don’t forget to sign your pets up to be B.A.R.K. Rangers.
The park does offer a free shuttle bus service to take visitors to popular sites in the park.
You do not have to use the shuttles, but parking lots are small here and were full by 10 am on two different days we visited.
You can get on the shuttle right outside the park and use it to come inside. Learn more about the shuttle here.
We didn’t use the shuttle because we always get into the park by 7 am so I don’t know how well it runs.
We hiked so many trails during our visit.
Mossy Cave was my favorite and one of the easiest hikes in the park. It’s a pretty canyon with a waterfall.
Fairyland Loop is absolutely gorgeous and a must if you are physically able to hike it. It’s over 8 miles long though and has 1,500 feet of elevation gain but completely worth it.
The Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail is about 6 miles long with 1,400 feet of elevation gain. It’s another great hike though.
The Queens Garden Trail and Navajo Loop Trail are two of the most popular hikes in the park for good reason. They are the easiest descents into the canyon, still hundreds of feet down though.
During the hike, you will encounter colorful hoodoos, towering rock formations, and the breathtaking views that Bryce Canyon National Park is known for.
If hiking isn’t your thing you can still see the beauty of the park by taking the Scenic Drive. There are numerous viewpoints to stop at along the way with amazing views.
To truly immerse yourself in this park though I think you have to take at least one hike into the canyon. It’s incredible walking among the hoodoos.
I will note that most of the hikes are rated moderate to strenuous because of their lengths and drastic elevation gains.
If you plan on doing lots of hiking be sure to participate in the Hike the Hoodoos! program.
We fell in love with Bryce Canyon National Park and after the first hike, it moved to the #1 spot on our national park list.
We cannot wait till our next visit to the park and highly recommend that everyone visits this national wonder at least once in their life.
