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13 Best Things to Do in Bryce Canyon in 2025
If you’re planning your first visit to Bryce Canyon National Park in 2025, you probably have a few questions, like what are the absolute must-sees in Bryce Canyon? What if I’m not a big hiker? And if you’re anything like us, what in the world is a hoodoo? We’re here to answer these questions and more to help you plan an incredible trip to one of Utah’s best parks! Let’s dive into the 13 best things to do in Bryce Canyon in 2025!
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1. Go Hiking in Bryce Canyon
As you explore Bryce Canyon National Park, its iconic hoodoos (those mesmerizing, totem-pole-shaped rock spires sculpted by millions of years of erosion) will have you constantly reaching for your camera.
Although we can’t name a single “bad” hike in the park, choosing which ones to hit can be tough, especially with limited time. Here were some of our favorites:
- Our Favorite Hike Overall: Fairyland Loop is a 4-5 hour hike through the northern end of Bryce Amphitheater. You’ll pass tons of iconic formations from Boat Mesa to Tower Bridge, all with a bit more solitude than hikes in the central part of Bryce Canyon.
- Best Bang for your Buck: Figure 8 Combination Hike combines three trails in one. In 3-4 hours, you can hike the Queen’s Garden, Navajo Loop, and Peekaboo Loop trails, some of the top in the park!
- Top Short Hike: Bristlecone Loop was our favorite short hike overall. At just over a mile (1.8 km), this loop trail is the highest elevation trail in the park, at 9,100 feet, which affords you some amazing views. On the clearest of days, you can even see the Grand Canyon on the horizon! Keep in mind, this trail is located outside of the hoodoos. If you’re on a time limit, we recommend sticking to the main Bryce Amphitheater area, opting for a short hike like Sunrise to Sunset.
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Participate in the Hike the Hoodoos Program
If you’re a fan of a good challenge, Bryce Canyon has this super cool initiative called Hike the Hoodoos to encourage hiking in the park. To participate, you need to hike at least 3 miles of participating trails and use your junior ranger booklet to sketch the “Hike the Hoodoos” benchmark markers you pass to prove it. Then, you can earn a reward back at the Visitor Center at the end of your trip!
💡 For more hiking inspo, check out our related articles:
Our 7 Favorite Short and Easy Hikes in Bryce Canyon
The 11 Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park in 2025
2. Bike (Or Walk) the Shared-Use Path
The Shared-Use Path (also known as the Multi-Use Path) is a 5-mile (8 km) paved car-free road inside of Bryce Canyon National Park that runs from the shuttle station just north of the park to the Visitor Center, Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, and Inspiration Point—and this is just the section within the park! The full road extends outside of the park, running by Dixie National Forest, Bryce Canyon City, and Red Canyon, making it a total of 18 miles.
Bikes are not allowed on any of Bryce Canyon’s hiking trails, but are welcome to explore the park’s paved surfaces like this shared-use path. There are bike racks available at viewpoints and facilities along the path. If at any point you get tired, Bryce Canyon’s shuttles can carry up to 2 bikes. Standard bike and e-bike rentals are available near the lodge at the historic Service Station.
🐕 Dogs Allowed Too: Dogs are also allowed on this paved path throughout the park, along with the paved section of the Rim Trail from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point! These were the only two “trails” in the park where we were able to walk our dog, Ollie.
3. Go Wildlife Viewing
We love looking for wildlife whenever we explore a National Park, and Bryce Canyon offered some fantastic wildlife-watching opportunities! During our visit, we were fortunate enough to spot the adorable Utah Prairie Dog (a threatened species, making the sighting extra special!), a few graceful Pronghorns (North America’s fastest land animal, with a 300-degree visual range!), some Mule Deer, a Raven, and some Mountain Bluebirds and Steller’s Jays to top it all off.
Wildlife viewing here, as in any park, changes with the seasons, so it’s always a great idea to check with park rangers upon arrival for current expectations on animal activity. As a general rule of thumb, the best times to see most wildlife are during dawn and dusk, when they are typically most active.
ℹ️ Do Not Feed Wildlife: Please remember that it is a violation of federal law to feed any wildlife in the park and surrounding areas. It does them more harm than good by feeding them.
4. Join a Guided Ranger Tour
Varying from sit-down talks to dynamic walks, ranger tours are offered every day of the week in Bryce Canyon National Park, staffing and availability permitting. They are one of our favorite, if not our favorite, ways to learn about a park! To give you an idea of their programming, some of the ranger tours and special events in Bryce Canyon include:
Some programs require same-day reservations, so be sure to go into the Visitor Center and check the Ranger Programs for that day to see what’s on the schedule. You can also check their online calendar of events in advance to see what’s going on before you arrive.
5. Ride the Bryce Canyon Shuttle
The free Bryce Canyon shuttle is an excellent, free way to navigate the park, especially if you prefer to avoid the hassle of finding a parking spot during the busy season (typically April to mid-October). While the buses themselves offer fewer direct scenic views than some other park shuttles (think: Zion National Park), the good views are almost always a short, easy walk from each stop.
This shuttle is a convenient, frequent service (running every 15 minutes) that reduces congestion, allowing you to maximize your time exploring Bryce’s amphitheater. Check the National Park Service website for its current operating schedule if you’re visiting in the shoulder or off-season, as it doesn’t run year-round.
6. Learn About the Park at the Visitor Center
Don’t skip the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center! Beyond a place to use the bathrooms and refill water bottles, it houses a fantastic museum and shows one of the best park films we’ve seen to date! The film beautifully illustrates Bryce Canyon’s changing seasons and explains how its unique flora and fauna adapt to the varied environments, providing some great context for your visit.
Another great way to learn about the park is by participating in the Junior Park Ranger Program. This initiative is a fantastic, engaging way for kids (and adults!) to learn about the park through completing an activity booklet, exploring the museum, attending a presentation, or watching the park movie. Once you complete one of these requisites, you will be sworn in as a Junior Ranger at the Visitor Center and receive a special badge!
7. Go Stargazing at Night
Bryce Canyon National Park is an official International Dark Sky Park, making it a great destination for stargazing and astrophotography. We woke up at 3 AM to get into the park by 3:40 AM and enjoyed about two hours of astrophotography from Inspiration Point and Sunset/Sunrise Point. The combination of a clear sky and a new moon meant it was almost pitch black, revealing the Milky Way in incredible detail!
If you’re planning a visit in June, Bryce Canyon traditionally hosts an annual Astronomy Festival for one weekend every June. This free event offers daytime activities, constellation tours, expert-led telescope viewing, astrophotography workshops, and more! More information on Bryce Canyon’s programming page.
⚠️ Watch the Edge: If you’re interested in astrophotography, be extra careful when setting up camera gear near ledges overlooking the hoodoo-filled amphitheaters when dark out.
8. Go Horseback Riding
For a truly unique way to experience Bryce Canyon, consider going horseback riding into the amphitheater! We saw several visitors exploring the trails this way, and it looked like a blast. Concessioners like Canyon Trail Rides offer 2 to 3-hour horse rides for $85 and $125, respectively, providing a fantastic way to see the canyon from the saddle, just like the pioneers would have!
🐎 If you plan to bring your own horse or mule, find regulations on Bryce Canyon’s official Horseback Riding page.
9. Drive the Southern Scenic Drive
One of the best ways to experience Bryce Canyon’s best views without extensive hiking is to drive the 18-mile (29 km) road throughout the park. The first 3 miles (4.8 km) of this road goes through the Bryce Amphitheater, and the next 15 miles ( 24 km) turn into what is known as the Southern Scenic Drive. Along this picturesque route, you’ll find 9 main pull-offs and viewpoints, like Natural Bridge Overlook or Agua Canyon Overlook.
While some scenic glimpses are visible from your car, the most breathtaking panoramas typically require parking and taking a short walk to the viewing areas. Take your time at each stop. Although some hoodoo formations might initially seem similar, no two hoodoos are the same!
🤳🏼 Download the NPS App on your phone and go to Tours for a free driving tour of Bryce Canyon!
10. Get Pizza at Valhalla
After a long day of hiking, enjoy some fresh pizza at Valhalla Pizzeria and Coffee Shop. That’s right—pizza right inside the park! This pizza and coffee shop is located just outside the Bryce Canyon Lodge in a small, no-frills building. There’s a nice outdoor area if the weather is good and you want to eat outside. Otherwise, there are about 10 tables inside.
🍕 Business Hours: Valhalla Pizza is open every day from 7 AM to 8 PM.
11. Go on a Guided Experience
We always make it a point to check experiences on platforms like GetYourGuide to see if there’s anything that catches our eye. Here are some of the top experiences we found in Bryce Canyon and the surrounding area, if you’re looking to jump on an experience you won’t forget:
- Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bryce Canyon – For $69 per person, join this 3-hour guided bus and walking tour that takes you past Fairyland Canyon, Natural Bridge, Thor’s Hammer, and more!
- Bryce Canyon City Guided ATV/RZR Tour – For $95 per group of 2, hop on this 1-hour off-road ride in an ATV around the Bryce Canyon Rim.
- Bryce Canyon City: Wagon Ride to the Rim of Bryce Canyon – For $40 per person, jump into a wagon for a 50-minute ride through Dixie National Forest to the rim of Bryce Canyon National Park, with stories of the Old West and its cowboys!
12. Watch the Sunrise from Sunrise Point
You can’t leave Bryce Canyon without having seen the sun rise over the hoodoos at least once. Sunrise Point, as the name suggests, is an amazing sunrise watching lookout on the Rim Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park. Check the expected sunrise time during your visit and get up early to watch the sun slowly peek its head over the horizon!
13. Explore Bryce Canyon in Winter
If you’re visiting Bryce Canyon during the winter months, enjoy winter activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even winter hiking! We have never visited the park during the winter, so we can’t speak to these experiences ourselves, but we’ve attached links to more information about each of these activities over on NPS.
🌤️ When To Visit Bryce Canyon National Park
Choosing the best time to visit Bryce Canyon often depends on your preferences for weather, crowd levels, and facility access, as each season offers a unique combination of these factors. Here’s a breakdown of each:
- Winter in Bryce Canyon – For a truly magical, quiet experience, winter transforms the hoodoos into a snowy wonderland, but some roads and facilities may be closed. Always check the current forecast and road conditions before your trip.
- Summer in Bryce Canyon – While most people visit during the summer for pleasant days (60s-80s F), be prepared for frequent afternoon thunderstorms in July and August and more crowds.
- Spring and Fall in Bryce Canyon – The shoulder seasons of spring and fall (we visited in late April) offer a fantastic balance of fewer crowds and comfortable temperatures, though snowstorms aren’t unusual as early as October, and nighttime temperatures fall below freezing from October through May.
⌛ How Long Should You Spend in Bryce Canyon?
While you can definitely hit Bryce Canyon’s main highlights in a whirlwind full day, and many people do, we highly recommend setting aside 2 to 3 days for your visit. This gives you plenty of time to tackle more challenging hikes like the Navajo Loop or Fairyland Loop, explore some of the park’s lesser-known corners, and generally explore at a more relaxed pace.
🚗 How to Get to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is located next to Bryce Canyon City, Utah. Driving is the easiest way to reach the park, and is how we came in, but other options exist:
- By Car – Located 4 hours from Las Vegas to the south or Salt Lake City to the north, Bryce Canyon is reached primarily via I-15 connecting to US-89, which then leads to scenic Highway 12 and ultimately Utah Highway 63 into the park.
- By Plane – The closest major airports are Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Salt Lake City, Utah, both requiring a 4-hour drive to the park. From either airport, you can rent a car into the park.
- By Public Transport – Public transport to Bryce Canyon from outlying cities is virtually nonexistent, though private shuttle services or bus tours from Las Vegas can be arranged. The park shuttle does connect Bryce Canyon City with the park, with a stop outside of Ruby’s Inn Campground, so parking in town and shuttling into the park is an option.
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🏨 Where to Stay Near Bryce Canyon National Park
There are options to stay both within and outside of Bryce Canyon National Park, from free BLM land to in-park camping to full-service hotels. Here’s the breakdown!
How to Stay Inside Bryce Canyon
- Bryce Canyon National Park Campgrounds — Bryce Canyon has two campgrounds within its grounds, North Campground (open year-round) and Sunset Campground (closed in winter). Reservations can be made via recreation.gov, and sites cost $30/night for groups up to 6. No hookups at either.
- Bryce Canyon Lodge — The Bryce Canyon Lodge is the only lodging in the park with hotel-like accommodations. Prices per room vary between $90 to $150 per night.
Options Outside of Bryce Canyon
- Free Campgrounds — Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping and Red Canyon Boondock Camping are two free campgrounds on public land within a 15-minute drive from the park. We stayed at Dixie and loved it!
- Paid Campgrounds — There are a plethora of paid campgrounds and RV parks just outside the park, like Ruby’s Inn Campground and RV Park, The Riverside Ranch, and Bryce Canyon Log Cabins. These are great options if you’re looking for electric hookups.
- Hotels — If you’re looking for a very comfortable stay, consider this Best Western just 4 minutes away from the park, or Bryce Pioneer Village, 15 minutes from the park.
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💰 How Much Does a Trip to Bryce Canyon National Park Cost?
Depending on your travel style, the cost of a trip to Bryce Canyon National Park can vary. The biggest costs for us usually end up being lodging, private tours, and any rentals. Here’s a breakdown of the main costs so you know what to expect. Factor in your personal gas and food expenses at the end.
🎫 Consider investing in the America the Beautiful pass for $80 like we did if you’re planning on travelling to several parks within the year.
| Fee | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Park Entrance | $35/vehicle | Both North and Sunset Campgrounds within the park cost $30/night. Prices for private campgrounds like the ones we listed above come at a bit higher price, but do offer more amenities like hookups. |
| Paid Camping | $30-$70/night | If you’re looking for the most comfort, expect to pay $90 and up per night for a lodge, hotel, or adjacent accommodation. |
| Lodge or Hotel | $90-$300/night | Parking within the park is free with entry, but can fill up quickly in the popular season. Even if staying in Bryce Canyon City, most hotels include parking. Some people might need to pay, but it’s rare. |
| Horseback Riding | $85-$125/person | Costs for a 1.5-2 hour or 3-hour ride with concessioners like Canyon Trail Rides. |
| Park Shuttle | Free | This is included with your park admission fee. |
| Parking | Free | Both North and Sunset Campgrounds within the park cost $30/night. Prices for private campgrounds like the ones we listed above come at a bit higher of price, but do offer more amenities like hookups. |
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🪧 Learn More: Protect the Hoodoos
Hoodoos don’t last forever; they lose 2-4 feet every 100 years on average! This process can be sped up if visitors even walk up to the base of a hoodoo, weakening the clay slopes protecting its foundation. As visitors, the most impactful way we can help is by sticking to the trails and adhering to Leave No Trace Guidelines.
If you wish to go a step further, consider financially supporting conservation organizations like the National Parks Conservation Association or the Bryce Canyon Association. The latter supports education, programming, research, and infrastructure within Bryce Canyon specifically. You can support them by buying from their Visitor Center Bookstore or by becoming a friend of the park. 💚
📰 Related Articles
- Our 7 Favorite Short and Easy Hikes in Bryce Canyon
- 11 Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park in 2025
- More Coming Soon!
📺 Watch on YouTube
🔎 Ready to Explore Bryce Canyon National Park?
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