Skip to content

Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park

A winter storm clearing from the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, leaving behind snowfall melting in the crevices. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park is considered a smaller park compared to other national parks, but the hiking is equally beautiful and sublime as any trail you’ll find. Below is a short list of the best hiking Bryce Canyon National Park has to offer.

Queen’s Garden

The Queen’s Garden Trail is the must-do hike of Bryce Canyon National Park. Dropping into a mesmerizing bowl of salmon colored hoodoos, the trail shows off the beauty of the parks features, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with them. Whether you’re planning on hiking just one trail, or all of them, this one remains first on everyone’s list for good reason.

Navajo Loop

Nearly as popular as the Queen’s Garden Trail, the Navajo Loop features stunning scenery complete with a high-rising slot canyon. The orange switchbacks descending into this favorite feature have become a common sight on social media, showing hikers descending into an otherworldly landscape. The loop also provides a nice getaway into the ponderosa pine forest, and is frequently connected with the Queen’s Garden Trail.

A hiker admires the Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Peek-a-Boo Loop

The explorative 8 mile Peek-a-Boo Loop will satisfy most visitors yearning for more immersion into hoodoo landscapes. Filled with fascinating features, this loop throws every kind of wild and surreal shape out that the hoodoos and erosion factors can produce. For those craving more from the park, be sure to give this one a go.

Fairyland

For those that have done the primary three trails in the park and are itching for more, the Fairyland Loop has you covered. Passing through even more bizarre landscapes littered with hoodoos, the nearly 10 mile strenuous loop brings eager hikers past numerous other features, all while giving them a taste of solitude as well in an otherwise bustling park.

Sunset light on hoodoos in Fairyland Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Bristlecone

The Bristlecone Loop is the shortest hike on this list. At only 1 mile, the loop doesn’t offer the signature views and features you’d expect from Bryce Canyon National Park, but it does feature a xxxx year old bristlecone pine tree that deserves to be seen and admired. Passing through a lush high desert forest, the trail is an easy escape to a relic from the past.

Under the Rim

The Under the Rim Trail is the longest maintained trail in Bryce Canyon National Park, stretching from the south end of the park to the north, consistently living up to its name. The 23 mile trail wanders through the signature hoodoos as well as lengthy groves of ponderosa pine trees, giving hikers a full taste of the landscape that creates this unique area.

Conclusion

There’s always plenty more to explore and discover, so definitely head out and see what you can find. Just because a hike isn’t on this list doesn’t mean it might not wind up becoming one of your new favorites!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All content © Copyright Mike Cavaroc, Free Roaming Hiker & Free Roaming Photography

Mike@FreeRoamingPhotography.com