The Amazing Desert Southwest: Bryce Canyon

We recently made a wonderful one-week road trip through the Desert Southwest exploring some amazing landscapes including Bryce Canyon National Park.  Hoodoos and the Bryce Amphitheater are the stars of this relatively small, hands-on park.  Here are some observations and tips from our time there.
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Location:  Bryce UT

Amphitheater Dimensions:  12 miles (19 km) long, 3 miles (5 km) wide and 800 feet (240 m) deep*

Key Features:

• Hoodoos (rock pinnacles) - the largest group in the world
• Bryce Amphitheater - a giant bowl filled with dramatic hoodoos whose colors and mood change with every subtle variance of light and shade

From Bryce Point (south end of amphitheater)

From Peekaboo Loop Trail

Viewing:  Bryce Amphitheater is the main attraction and is relatively small and very easily accessible in a short amount of time.

• 5 Overlooks - You can drive to each of these overlooks along the top if the amphitheater with very short walks required from the parking areas
• Hiking
  • Rim Trail runs all the way around the rim of the amphitheater between the 5 overlooks (538-ft elevation increase north to south)
  • Navajo Loop (1.3 mi / 2.2 km round trip) - To appreciate its grandeur and dramatics, take this hike down into the amphitheater to be among the hoodoos and evergreens and experience Bryce from the ground up
  • ​There are numerous other hikes that can take up to a day if you like
• Horseback Rides

Navajo Loop Trail - Switchbacks to/from the amphitheater floor

Lodging:  

• Several options are right outside the park in or near Bryce UT
• We stayed at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort just outside the east entrance of Zion National Park and made the easy drive up to Bryce (76 miles/1.5 hours)
• Kanab UT is the largest town on the east side of Zion and is a great base for visiting Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon and other fantastic sites in the area
• St George UT

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Getting There

​Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southwestern Utah.  Drive times:

• Las Vegas Strip:  4 hours
• Salt Lake City UT:  4 hours
• ​Springdale UT/Zion west entrance:  1:55
• St. George UT:  2:20