At the bottom, you can see a short detour to the Queen's Garden, where you'll find a hoodoo resembling Queen Victoria.Īt this point, the trail joins with Navajo Loop and eventually begins a gradual ascent up the canyon. From Sunrise Point, the trail winds down the canyon on the Queen's Garden trail, with fabulous perspectives at every turn. The best way to do this hike is in a clockwise direction beginning at either Sunrise or Sunset Point. It's long enough and diverse enough to give you a good feel for the park but easy enough that anyone in reasonable shape can do it.Īlthough this a technically easy hike on a solid and obstacle-free path, the park ranks this hike as moderate, but this is likely due to the length of the trail and the elevation. The total length of the hike is 2.9 miles, and the elevation gain is about 600 feet. This hike takes in outstanding views from the rim and then descends along ridges into the canyon and meanders among the towering hoodoos. The Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop is the most popular hike in Bryce Canyon National Park, running through the most spectacular section of the park. Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop Combination Trail Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop Combination Trail | Photo Copyright: Lana Law Hit the trails with our list of the best hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park.ġ. The best time to visit Bryce Canyon is from May to September. In spring and early summer, snow lingers up here, particularly in the higher areas of the park. Prepare for changing temperatures throughout the day. The freeze/thaw cycle plays havoc with the trails, and trail closures are frequent.īryce Canyon is high, much of the park is above 8,000 feet, and the weather is cooler than surrounding areas. Below is a list of easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes, all of which offer outstanding views and are well worth the effort.īe sure to check the park website prior to your visit, especially if you are visiting in the spring. Hikes in Bryce Canyon range from easy paved paths to heart-pounding half-day trails. Bryce Canyon National Park | Photo Copyright: Lana Law Mixed into the scene are a scattering of huge pines, dwarfed by the size of the stone formations that surround them. Hard-packed paths on the tops of ridges wind their way through a fairy-land forest of towering hoodoos. A bowl of glowing orange and gold hoodoos beckons as you gaze out over the main amphitheater from Sunrise or Sunset Points, and see the twisting trails that snake through the canyon. These two spur roads close after snow levels begin to require plow removal, but remain accessible for hikers, cross-country skiiers, and snowshoers.The dramatic scenery of Bryce Canyon National Park is an enticing landscape for hikers. There are only two roads that are closed to vehicle traffic for the entire winter season: the 1 mile (1.6 km) road leading to Fairyland Point and the 0.3 mile (0.5 km) road leading to Paria View. Along the first three miles of the main road, the Bryce Amphitheater area (which includes Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point) is the first area to be plowed, so it remains accessible even during temporary closures of the scenic southern drive. Closures typically last a day or more, depending on snowstorm durations. Winter Road Closuresįollowing 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. The road is fully open to Rainbow Point (Mile 18 of 18). For road conditions outside the park, visit Check the Alerts above for current road conditions and closure messages.
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