6 Helpful Things to Know Before Visiting Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion’s wildly underrated next-door neighbor, is a fantasyland of orange turrets and lanky pinnacles. Tucked inside a vast amphitheater are thousands of these bizarre, weathered pillars and sprinkles of ancient pine trees.

The cherry on top of this spectacular scene? A backdrop of colorful banded mountain peaks. You won’t want to miss this incredible park!

Before visiting Bryce Canyon National Park, there are some things you should know. From shuttles and altitude to trail closures and frequently missed sections, here are six helpful things to know before visiting Bryce Canyon National Park.

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BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK AT A GLANCE

Before diving in, here are a few highlights for planning a trip to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Getting There: The closest major airports to Bryce Canyon are Harry Reid International and Salt Lake City International; both are 4-hour drives. Find affordable flights here.
Entrance Fee: $35/vehicle or FREE with an America the Beautiful Pass
Where to Stay: Camp in the park or stay right outside the park in the town of Bryce Canyon City.
How to Get Around: You’ll need to rent a personal vehicle to get to Bryce Canyon. A park shuttle operates during the busy season.
Best Time to Visit: May – September
How Long to Visit: 2-3 days (2 day itinerary here)

Table of Contents

6 Helpful Things to Know Before Visiting Bryce Canyon

hiking the figure 8 combination in bryce canyon national park

1. Some of the popular trails and roads close in the winter.

Due to the snowfall on the roads and the steep elevation on the inner amphitheater trails, the NPS closes a few trails and roads during the winter season.

Trails: Due to snow and rockfall danger, the Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop Trail and the Rim Trail between Inspiration and Bryce Points are CLOSED for the entire winter season. (The Two Bridges side of the Navajo Loop Trail remains open).

Roads: The 1-mile road leading to Fairyland Point and the 0.3-mile road leading to Paria View close after snow levels begin to require plow removal. Hikers, cross-country skiers, and snowshoers can still access these roads.

Also note that after snowstorms, the main park road closes temporarily at mile marker 3 to allow snow plow crews to clear snow from the higher elevations of the park’s scenic southern drive. Closures usually last a day or more, depending on the snowfall level and duration.

The Bryce Canyon amphitheater is the first area to be plowed, so it remains accessible even during temporary closures of the scenic southern drive.

Check the updated Current Conditions page for road statuses before you go!

2. The park sits at a high elevation.

Bryce Canyon is a high-altitude park. Elevation in the park ranges from around 8,000 feet to over 9,000 feet above sea level.

At 8,000 feet, oxygen levels are about 75% of what’s found at sea level. As a result, the risk of altitude sickness climbs.

If you are driving from Zion or Arches, you will be going from 4,000-5,000 feet of elevation to 8,000-9,000 feet, which could be jarring to your body and could cause altitude sickness. Symptoms include headaches, vomiting, dizziness, and muscle aches.

To avoid altitude sickness, drink a gallon of water daily and limit your exertion. Hiking 5 miles in Bryce Canyon will require more effort on your heart and lungs than in a lower-elevation park.

3. A shuttle is available but you don’t have to use it.

The park shuttles make 14 stops in Bryce Canyon City and Bryce Canyon National Park. (Refer to the map above!) It stops roughly every 15 minutes at hotels, campgrounds, the visitor center, the lodge, and points of interest along the Bryce Canyon amphitheater.

But shuttle use isn’t mandatory! Personal vehicles are allowed inside the National Park.

See the current shuttle schedule here.

4. Sunset Point isn’t just for sunset.

Sunset Point and Sunrise Point are two overlooks along the amphitheater, separated by a half-mile hiking trail.

Both provide similar east-facing views, so don’t worry about being at Sunrise Point for sunrise and Sunset Point for sunset. There isn’t a bad spot to see either along the rim of the amphitheater!

5. The Rainbow Point bus tour has been discontinued.

natural bridge in bryce canyon national park

beautiful overlook at bryce canyon national park rim

The park service used to provide free daily guided tours to Rainbow Point (the southern end of the 18-mile scenic drive), but unfortunately, this service is no longer available.

The only way to get to Rainbow Point now is by personal vehicle. Rainbow Point is 18 miles from the park entrance.

Don’t worry – the drive is worth it! There are plenty of scenic overlooks along the route. I’ll mention those next.

6. There’s more to the park than the amphitheater.

While you shouldn’t miss the main attraction, the Bryce Canyon amphitheater, and the popular trails, Navajo and Queen’s Garden, let me tell you about some of the other beautiful parts of this National Park that are frequently missed or overlooked!

First, don’t miss the 18-mile scenic road that travels from the park entrance to the southernmost part of the park. This is a picturesque drive that leads to the highest elevation point in the park – Rainbow Point! Along the way, make sure to stop at scenic overlooks like Agua Canyon and Natural Bridge.

Did you know the world’s oldest trees sit inside Bryce Canyon National Park? And so many visitors miss the opportunity to see them!

These trees are found on the Fairyland Loop and the Peekaboo Loop, but the oldest bristlecones are found at Rainbow Point. At the southern end of the park, there is a 0.6-mile trail called the Bristlecone Loop that meanders through a forest of these ancient trees.

Also outside of the amphitheater is a sparkling waterfall and a grotto! Mossy Cave Trail, a 1-mile hike, is located 5 miles from the main park entrance off UT-12.

And if you’re into backpacking, don’t miss the exciting backcountry trail system in Bryce! Under-the-Rim and Riggs Spring both traverse new and exciting places in the park.