6 Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon: Hoodoos, Bristlecones & Waterfalls!

Wandering through a sea of orange hoodoos. Strolling through a grove of the oldest trees in the world. Discovering a waterfall in the middle of the desert.

This is just a preview of what you can expect when you hike the jaw-dropping trails at Bryce Canyon National Park!

As someone who’s been to Bryce Canyon and hiked many of the trails, on the rim and in the amphitheater, I’m narrowing down the top six trails you absolutely cannot miss.

By hiking these six trails in Bryce Canyon, you’ll get to explore both the rim and the amphitheater, chase waterfalls, wander through ancient pine trees, and of course, explore those famous orange hoodoos that you can’t find anywhere else.

Happy hiking!

Table of Contents

6 Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon

hiking the figure 8 combination in bryce canyon national park

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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.

2. Fairyland Loop

Distance: 7.9 miles
Type of Trail: Loop
Elevation Gain: 1,558 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Pet Friendly: No

tower bridge in bryce canyon national park

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.

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 visitors’ 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.

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.