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Bryce Canyon is the smallest nationwide park in Utah and is ideal for a day journey, both from Zion Nationwide Park (as we did) or in the event you’re passing by on an extended street journey.
Its compact measurement makes it simple to go to Bryce Canyon in at some point. Even with half a day, you’ll be capable of admire the magical hoodoos (twisty spires of rock) from varied viewpoints above and take a hike amongst them in Bryce Amphitheatre.
On this submit, I share our Bryce Canyon 1 day itinerary plus tricks to take advantage of your go to and a map with all of the locations talked about.
Contents
Attending to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park
Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park is in southwestern Utah and is finest reached in your personal automobile.
Or you may take a day tour from Las Vegas.
Listed here are the distances from close by locations to Bryce Canyon Customer Centre:
- Bryce Canyon Metropolis – 5 minutes / 2 miles
- Springdale (for Zion Nationwide Park) – 1 hour 50 minutes / 85 miles
- Torrey (for Capitol Reef Nationwide Park) – 2 hours / 108 miles
- Moab (for Arches Nationwide Park) – 4 hours 20 minutes / 249 miles
- Las Vegas, Nevada – 4 hours quarter-hour / 272 miles
- Salt Lake Metropolis – 4 hours quarter-hour / 273 miles
We made our Bryce Canyon day journey from Zion Nationwide Park as a part of an extended street journey. See our Southwest street journey itinerary for in every single place we went.
We determined to not keep in a single day in Bryce to keep away from having to vary inns.
We stayed at Cable Mountain Lodge in Springdale, which has the best location proper subsequent to Zion’s park gates. The lodge has unbelievable mountain views, a pool and sizzling tub, and rooms have kitchenettes.
Should you’d fairly keep nearer to Bryce (particularly to see the dawn and sundown), try Bryce Canyon Lodge within the park (closed in winter) or Greatest Western Plus within the tiny village of Bryce Canyon Metropolis simply outdoors the park.
We left Springdale at 6.30am and arrived in Bryce at 8.15am. An early begin is all the time advisable to benefit from the parks earlier than they get too busy.
On our winter go to, we left in the dead of night and noticed the dawn on the best way. The primary part of the drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon is on the Mt. Carmel Freeway Scenic Drive.
It’s a really winding street previous hovering rocky peaks. As you go by Zion’s East Entrance, you’ll want to indicate your park go.
The remainder of the drive is much less scenic however simple and quiet.
When to Go to Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon is open year-round. Spring and fall are one of the best occasions to go to for milder climate with out summer time crowds, though it doesn’t get as busy as Zion.
Winter is the quietest time to go to. We beloved our journey in mid-February, regardless of temperatures of 14ºF (-10ºC). With 4 layers we have been in a position to keep heat when mountaineering.
Bryce usually sees snow and the hoodoos look particularly magical right now. The park hadn’t had snow for a number of weeks on our journey, however there was nonetheless some left in shadier areas.
Trails are icy in winter so mountaineering footwear or boots with good traction are important. I additionally extremely advocate traction gadgets that connect to your footwear for further grip (they promote them on the customer centre).
We used Kahtoola Microspikes, which have been implausible and stopped us from slipping on the steep icy sections of the path.
Observe that some roads, trails, and restrooms shut in winter, however there’s nonetheless loads to do. Test the Bryce NPS web site for updates.
Bryce Canyon 1 Day Itinerary At A Look
Right here’s what we did throughout our at some point in Bryce Canyon:
- Sundown Level
- Stroll to Dawn Level alongside rim
- Hike Queens Backyard & Navajo Loop Path
- Bryce Level
- Inspiration Level
Throughout our 4 hours within the park we solely visited the primary three miles and noticed loads. You don’t must drive far to see one of the best components of Bryce.
In case you have longer, you may lengthen your hike on the Peekaboo Path and drive to Rainbow Level, essentially the most distant viewpoint.
What to Do in Bryce Canyon in One Day
Customer Centre
You’ll go by the Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park entrance gates simply earlier than the customer centre. Right here you’ll must pay the doorway price ($35 for 7 days per automobile).
I like to recommend shopping for an America the Stunning Nationwide Parks annual go for $80 in the event you’ll be visiting different Utah parks like Zion. You should purchase it upfront from REI to save lots of time or on the gate.
The customer centre is the plain first cease to make use of the restrooms, verify present situations, and get any recommendation for visiting the park. There’s a retailer (with a number of primary snacks) and a water bottle refill station.
In winter, the customer centre and Sundown Level are the one locations with open restrooms on this at some point Bryce itinerary. Within the hotter months, you’ll additionally discover them at Inspiration Level.
Sundown Level
Bryce Canyon has one 18-mile fundamental street, the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, that runs by the park.
You possibly can simply drive this throughout your at some point at Bryce Canyon and cease on the many viewpoints to look into Bryce Amphitheatre.
The primary overlook is Sundown Level. You don’t have to be right here on the finish of the day to benefit from the spectacular show of vibrant hoodoos, spires of eroded rock that attain up from the perimeters of the canyon.
Bryce has the best focus of hoodoos on the planet, and it truly is not like wherever we’ve seen earlier than.
Dawn Level
There’s no car parking zone at Dawn Level, however it’s a flat, simple 0.5-mile stroll alongside the rim from Sundown Level with extra nice views on the best way.
Dawn Level had an particularly good view of the snow-covered parts of the amphitheatre.
Queens Backyard and Navajo Loop Hike
Dawn Level is the start line for one of the best at some point hike in Bryce Canyon.
I extremely advocate mountaineering down into the amphitheatre in case you are in a position. Getting up near the hoodoos is even higher than admiring them from above.
The preferred hike is the Queens Backyard and Navajo Loop path, which is 2.9 miles (4.6 km) with 600 toes (183m) of elevation acquire. This took us about 1.5 hours.
There are many alternatives to adapt it for an extended stroll. We added on an additional hour (half-hour every method) on a part of the Peekaboo Path, however you may do the entire loop (often called the Determine Eight Path) for a complete hike of 6.3 miles (round 3.5 hours).
It’s finest to go clockwise beginning with the Queens Backyard Path because it’s the gentlest path into the canyon.
We completely beloved this hike. It feels otherworldly as you rise up near the hoodoos and admire all their completely different shapes and colors from vibrant orange to pale pink.
Strolling by arches within the rocks is particularly enjoyable.
The Queens Backyard Path was simple and nicely fashioned. There was no ice on our go to, however it may be very snowy in winter—traction gadgets are advisable and verify AllTrails for the most recent situations.
After a flat stroll on the backside of the canyon, the junction to go up Two Bridges got here too quickly for us, so we wandered down the Peekaboo Path till the Arch Rock.
Peekaboo includes a climb and is way quieter and snowier (we’d not have managed with out our microspikes). We beloved the tranquillity and views.
After returning the best way we got here, we started the toughest a part of the hike—the climb up Two Bridges. It took longer than we anticipated (35 minutes), however the views made it worthwhile.
Look out for the namesake Two Bridges, down a slim rock passageway, and additional up, the distinctive Thor’s Hammer hoodoo.
After some steep switchbacks, we completed at Sundown Level the place we’d left our automobile.
Another path to Two Bridges is Wall Avenue, which is narrower and simply as steep, however it’s closed in winter. Each find yourself at Sundown Level.
By the point we completed at 11.15am, the path and viewpoint have been a lot busier, so an early begin is nicely price it.
Bryce Level
From Sundown Level we drove 5 minutes to the subsequent two viewpoints, each of which have been quieter.
Bryce Level is at the next elevation than Sundown and Dawn Factors and offers a sweeping overview of the Bryce Amphitheatre. It’s only a brief stroll to the lookout.
Within the hotter months, you possibly can hike the Peekaboo Loop Path from right here (the connecting path is closed in winter).
Inspiration Level
At 8100 toes, Inspiration Level offers one other birds-eye view of the colorful hoodoos.
There’s a brief flat stroll to the decrease lookout or a steeper (very icy in winter) stroll as much as two extra overlooks.
Inspiration Level is a lovely spot to see the dawn and is much less crowded than Dawn Level.
You may as well stroll to Inspiration Level on a 0.7-mile (every method) portion of the rim path from Sundown Level and even proceed 1.5 miles additional to Bryce Level.
Rainbow Level (Optionally available)
We left the park after Inspiration Level, however when you have a full day, you may drive half-hour additional into the park to Rainbow Level.
This part of the park previous Bryce Amphitheatre is named the Southern Scenic Drive.
There are a number of viewpoints on the best way together with Pure Bridge. Rainbow Level and Yovimpa Level are the very best lookouts within the park at 9115 toes.
Map of Bryce Canyon
Can You Go to Bryce Canyon and Zion in One Day?
In case you have simply at some point for each Zion Nationwide Park and Bryce Canyon, it’s doable to see them each, however I extremely advocate spending longer in Zion if doable.
It will work finest in the event you spent the night time earlier than in Springdale, go to Zion within the morning, drive to Bryce within the afternoon, and spend that night time close to Bryce.
Alternatively, in case you are in Las Vegas, you may take today tour to Zion and Bryce, which incorporates an non-compulsory hike in Bryce however not in Zion.
With simply half a day in Zion, I like to recommend being on the path as early as doable and mountaineering up the West Rim Path to Scout Lookout (and maybe persevering with to Angels Touchdown in the event you get a allow and are courageous/match). The hike ought to take round 2-3 hours.
Though mountaineering the Narrows (by the Virgin River) is superb, I feel it’s an excessive amount of to mix with Bryce.
In order for you a neater and shorter hike, head up the Watchman Path as a substitute. This 3.3-mile return path begins from the customer centre (so that you don’t have to fret about getting the shuttle) and takes round 1.5 hours.
After your hike, drive by East Zion and cease on the Canyon Overlook Path for a surprising view. Enable round 45 minutes for this (together with time to benefit from the vista).
Maybe eat a picnic lunch on the overlook earlier than persevering with the drive to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park (1.5 hours away).
In Bryce, you possibly can cease on the overlooks talked about above, and when you have the power, hike the Queens Backyard/Navajo Loop. If you’re staying close by, benefit from the sundown at one of many viewpoints.
It will be a protracted, tiring day, however it’s doable to see Bryce and Zion in at some point.
Is it Value Visiting Bryce Canyon in One Day?
Sure, completely! Sooner or later in Bryce Canyon is right for the highlights of the park together with a number of beautiful viewpoints and a hike into the canyon to rise up near the hoodoos.
Bryce’s rock spires are very completely different from the landscapes in Zion Nationwide Park, and we’re so glad we made the day journey to see them.
Two days in Bryce would have allowed extra time for mountaineering and the possibility to see the dawn and sundown, however when you have restricted time, at some point is sufficient for this compact however beautiful park.
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