Bryce Canyon is my favorite of the Utah Mighty Five National Parks. While the jaw-dropping overlooks of the bright orange pillars are enough to elicit gasps, the best way to truly experience the park is by hiking!
The trails in Bryce Canyon are some of the most unique hikes you’ll find inside a National Park. From natural arches and colorful hoodoos to desert waterfalls and ancient bristlecone pine trees, the diversity on these Bryce Canyon hikes is unreal.
In this guide, I’ll be sharing the six best hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park. These amazing Bryce Canyon trails traverse through the frontcountry and the backcountry while highlighting the very best of the park.
⚠️ REMINDER: As always, practice exemplary trail etiquette and leave no trace when recreating outdoors.
Things to Know Before Your Visit
- Entrance into the park is $35/per vehicle. The pass is valid for 7 consecutive days. If you’re going to be spending your time at the other Utah Mighty Five National Parks, I’d suggest investing in an $80 annual National Parks pass. It’ll pay for itself after visiting 3 parks!
- There is a free shuttle that runs through the park from April through October so you won’t have to worry about finding a parking spot.
- The best time of year to visit Bryce Canyon National Park is spring and fall but the park is open year-round.
Tips for Hiking in Bryce Canyon
- Pack the 10 essentials. No matter what length of trail(s) you’ll be hiking, it’s important to always carry the 10 Essentials in your backpack.
- Start early and stay late. Bring a headlamp and prepare to hike in the dark because this park gets crowded during the day.
- Leave no trace. As you should in every destination, leave no trace. Read my guide on how to practice the leave no trace principles when you’re hiking and camping.
6 Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks so much for your support!
1. Figure 8 Combination (Queen’s Garden, Navajo & Peek-a-Boo)
- Distance: 6.4 miles
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 1,575 feet
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- Pet Friendly: No (Dogs are allowed on the Rim between Sunrise and Sunset Points, but they cannot enter the amphitheater).
The Figure 8 Combination combines the three best trails in the entire park into one giant loop. The Queen’s Garden, Navajo, and Peek-a-Boo loops showcase the very best of the Bryce Canyon amphitheater.
So if you feel like straying from the rim and delving into the canyon, look no further than this quintessential Bryce Canyon hike – The Figure 8 Combination.
Wander further and further from the crowds by heading deep into the canyon and twisting around some of the most jaw-dropping natural features you’ll ever see.
→ READ NEXT: How to Hike the Figure 8 Combination in Bryce Canyon
2. Fairyland Loop
- Distance: 7.9 miles
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 1,558 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Pet Friendly: No
The Fairyland Loop is the best trail in Bryce Canyon in terms of scenic views and low crowds. Since this trail is long and quite a distance from the popular Queen’s Garden and Navajo trails, many choose not to venture to this side of the park.
Along with the Peek-a-Boo section of the Figure 8 Combination, the Fairyland Trail offers some of the most scenic views of the rock spires and the most solitude in Bryce Canyon.
→ READ NEXT: Ultimate Utah National Parks Itinerary
3. Rim Trail
- Distance: 10.7 miles
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Elevation Gain: 1,587 feet
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- Pet Friendly: Dogs are only allowed between Sunrise and Sunset Points.
The Rim Trail is yet another quintessential hike in the park and probably the most hiked.
It is the most-hiked trail due to its easy accessibility (there are many parking areas), magnificent views (there are views at every point of this trail), and ability to customize the hike to visitor’s needs (there are multiple shuttle stops along the route).
Don’t miss the Sunrise Point to Sunset Point portion of the trail; it’s only 0.5 miles long one-way, and you’ll be treated to some of the best views of the hoodoos below! These points are also great spots to watch the sunrise and sunset, as the names suggest.
See where Bryce Canyon ranks on my Utah National Parks Ranked Best to Worst blog!
4. Bristlecone Loop
- Distance: 1 mile
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 88 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet Friendly: No
This trail is often overlooked for a couple of reasons: one, it’s away from the main amphitheater with all of the colorful, jaw-dropping hoodoos, and two, it may not be “in your face” impressive.
But this trail is definitely worth hiking! For one, it gives you an excuse to cruise the 18-mile scenic drive in the park, which many visitors choose to dismiss. Along the scenic drive, you’ll pass by incredible pull-offs from the park entrance to Rainbow Point, where this hiking trail is located. And two, you’ll be wandering through the oldest trees in the world.
The trail is accessible from Rainbow Point, the highest elevation point in the entire park.
→ READ NEXT: Complete Guide to Exploring Bryce Canyon National Park
5. Mossy Cave Trail
- Distance: 0.9 miles
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Elevation Gain: 121 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet Friendly: No
This is the northernmost trail in the park. While the trail is technically inside Bryce Canyon’s park boundaries, the trailhead is located right outside the entrance station. It makes a good first hike or last hike as you enter or exit the park.
The Mossy Cave trail is one of the lowest-elevation hikes in Bryce. Along this riverside hike, you’ll come across a grotto and a waterfall, making you feel worlds away from the Bryce Canyon amphitheater.
6. Under-the-Rim Trail
- Distance: 22.4 miles
- Type of Trail: Point-to-point
- Elevation Gain: 4,366 feet
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- Pet Friendly: No
If you’re ready to step into the backcountry, look no further than this epic hike!
Under-the-Rim Trail connects Bryce Point with Rainbow Point, offering seven campsites and wild forested views along the way.
Under-the-Rim is worth the hike for the sweeping views that pop up unexpectedly around each corner, the magnitude of solitude it offers, and the unique perspective of Bryce that it gifts hikers: bottom-up, instead of top-down.
While most first-time visitors seek the bright orange hoodoos of the amphitheater found in trails like the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden, seasoned hikers and returning Bryce Canyon visitors should consider experiencing the backcountry forest of the National Park that is accentuated with views of distant, dramatic cliffs.
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
