Bryce Canyon National Park is stunning and it’s a must see for anyone traveling the southwestern United States. Most visitors will plan their visits for the warmer months when hiking is more enjoyable and the weather is more pleasant. However, Bryce Canyon National Park is open all year round, so it’s still possible to visit the park in winter.
In this guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know about planning a visit to Bryce Canyon in the winter.
About Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is part of Utah’s Mighty Five. The canyon sits in southwestern Utah and is famous for its hoodoos. So what is a hoodoo? It’s a thin rock spire. There’s a handful of places in the world where you can find them. Bryce Canyon is obviously one of these places but you can also find hoodoos in Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park, some areas of New Mexico, and the Cappadocia region of Turkey.
Benefits of Traveling to Bryce Canyon in the Winter
The big benefit of traveling to Bryce Canyon in the winter is the lack of crowds. Sure, there will still be other tourists visiting the park, but it’s significantly less busy during the winter months. The lack of crowds also come with lower pricing, which is huge.
Disadvantages to Traveling to Bryce Canyon in the Winter
I can’t just ignore the disadvantages of traveling to Bryce Canyon in the winter. First, the weather is more volatile and it’s not uncommon to have snow, ice, and cold conditions. This is not ideal for hiking. Additionally, that weather can lead to closures of certain areas of the park, which is something I experienced on my visit.
If you don’t have your own vehicle, you’re out of luck. The free shuttle that links the town of Bryce to major stops along Bryce Canyon does not run during the winter months.
Tips for Bryce Canyon in the Winter
So you’ve decided that the benefits outweigh the risks of traveling to Bryce Canyon in the winter. Let’s talk about my tips to make sure that you can have a great visit.
Pack Layers
In general, it’s always a good idea to pack layers, but I think winter travel is even more important. The weather will change frequently and you need to have options. Plus, when you spend your entire day outside (like you will at Bryce Canyon National Park), it’s cold in winter.
Now, I should mention that I’ve lived in Wisconsin my whole life. While I found Bryce Canyon National Park cold during my visit on the very first days of March, I found it completely manageable.
I wore a pair of leggings with a pair of joggers over the top. I had a long sleeve shirt, a fleece, a puffy jacket, and a good wind/rain jacket on top. Plus, I had a hat and gloves. The only time I felt cold was when I took my gloves off to take some photos using my phone. But because I had so many other layers on, I never felt cold, nor did I ever feel too warm. For me, it was the perfect amount of layers.
Another good reason to pack layers is the fact that the temperatures and weather conditions on the canyon rim may be drastically different than those at the bottom of Bryce Canyon.
During my trip to Utah, there were 20 mile per hour winds nearly every day of my trip. When standing on the canyon rim, the wind was there, it was powerful, and wow could it be cold (specifically at Bryce Point). However, when I hiked into the canyon, I hardly noticed the wind. The canyon walls gave fantastic protection. I never felt cold while hiking, even when I was stood still taking photos. Along the top of the rim, it was very cold with the wind.
Check the Current Conditions
Yes, you can talk to the rangers when you arrive at the park for advice, but it’s a good idea to look ahead. The National Park Service keeps their website up to date with information about the park. This includes current conditions including road closures and the status of hiking trails.
Take a look before you leave for your trip and the day before you to the park.
The Shuttle May Not Be Running
Depending on when you visit, the shuttle may not be running. In general, the shuttle stops running in late October and doesn’t resume until early April. That’s different than what you’ll see at nearby Zion National Park, so make sure you look ahead and determine if the shuttle is even an option for you.
The Main Scenic Drive Can Close
When the shuttle isn’t running, you’ll need your own car. However, just because you have your own car doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to see everything at Bryce Canyon National Park. There’s limited snow plowing at Bryce Canyon after snow storms. Because of this, the main scenic drive may be closed on your visit.
When I visited Bryce Canyon, it had snowed the day before my visit. There were a handful of roads plowed, but the main scenic drive (Bryce Canyon Road) was closed at Bryce Point Road. This meant that there were only four open view points for visitors. We could visit Sunset and Sunrise Points, as well as the rim walk the connects these points. Then we could visit Inspiration Point and Bryce Point (both accessible from Bryce Point Road).
There’s numerous viewpoints further along Bryce Canyon Road, but with the road closed, all of these other points were inaccessible. Because I hiked into the canyon, I was still able to have a good visit to Bryce Canyon National Park, but if you’re only planning to do the scenic overlooks, I’d think twice about visiting in winter.
Ask the Rangers for Advice
Every national park will have a desk where rangers can offer advice and give you advice for your visit. Bryce Canyon National Park is no different. For winter, especially if there’s been some recent snow, it’s a good idea to stop by. They’ll be able to give you information about what to expect on the trail and how to stay safe. Plus, they’ll also have advice for what is open and how to best spend your time.
Pack Your Winter Hiking Gear
I’ve already talked about packing your layers, but let’s talk about other gear. Specifically, I recommend packing a set of micro spikes and trekking poles. Now, this isn’t 100% mandatory. I saw plenty of people hiking at Bryce Canyon without either of these, but these will help you to stay safe as you hike into the canyon.
Micro spikes are a set of metal spikes that attach to the bottom of your shoes and give you more traction as you walk. If you’ve never experienced snow before, it can be slippery so these micro spikes just help to give you an extra bit of stability.
Trekking poles help to give you an extra hand. Typically I use trekking poles to take some of the pressure off my knees while doing steep inclines or declines, but for snow, it just helps to give you an extra sense of balance.
While I recommend bringing your own, the Visitor Center gift shop did have several options for sale.
How Long Do You Need at Bryce Canyon National Park
Honestly, I think you can get away with only budgeting a half day at Bryce Canyon. Sure, you could really take your time at each view point, or do some other hikes into the canyon, but I think at most, one day at Bryce Canyon is plenty.
If you choose to do a half day at Bryce Canyon, consider combining it with one of the other amazing parks nearby. You could visit Grand Staircase Escalante, Zion National Park, or Capitol Reef National Park. Plus, there are also a handful of state parks nearby as well.
No matter if you spend the full day at Bryce Canyon National Park or split your day with one of the other nearby parks, you’ll be sure to have a good time.
Nearby Bryce Canyon National Park
Since I feel like you can adequately do justice to Bryce Canyon National Park with just one day, here’s some great ideas for how to spend the rest of your day.
Zion National Park – Many visits to Bryce Canyon will also include a stop at Zion National Park. When you’re done at Bryce Canyon, drive two hours to Zion National Park and start exploring.
Grand Staircase Escalante – This national monument is nearby Bryce Canyon and has more great scenery. I haven’t made it here yet, but it’s definitely on my list.
Capitol Reef National Park – Depending on the direction of your road trip, if you came from Zion National Park, head out early to Capitol Reef National Park, a park that I wish I had had more time at.
Pink Coral Sands State Park – This was on my list as a possibility, but I never made it out here. That said, if you’re interested in sand dunes and all of the fun you can have with them (ATVs, sand boarding, etc.), check out this nearby state park.
Where to Stay at Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon City sits just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. You’ll find the Ruby’s Inn hotel, a handful of restaurants, a general store, gas station, and Bryce Canyon Shuttles (operating seasonally). Admittedly, it’s going to cost a bit more to stay here as it’s literally the only hotel in town, but if you can limit your visit to just one night, it’s not as bad. Plus, you are so close to the entrance of the park, making it easy to visit for sunrise and/or sunset.
If Bryce Canyon City is out of your price range, you’ll have to stay a bit further away. The town of Panguitch, UT is a 25 minute drive away and has a few budget hotel options.
My Visit(s) to Bryce Canyon National Park
I’ve visited Bryce Canyon National Park twice. My first visit was in October, and although the weather did not cooperate, I’d still recommend this time of year. The rest of my trip to Utah had absolutely perfect weather (I just happened to visit Bryce Canyon on the one day it rained). If you also have crappy weather during your visit, specifically fog, don’t be surprised if you don’t fall in love with Bryce Canyon. It’s difficult to appreciate when you can’t really sense the scale of this magnificent canyon.
My second visit was all about redemption, but I still ran into some weather issues. It had snowed the day before I visited, so I hiked through Bryce Canyon in about 3 to 4 inches of snow. While that wasn’t ideal, it wasn’t bad since I had packed my hiking poles and a set of micro spikes. However, the snow closed most of the scenic drive. Visitors were able to visit Sunrise and Sunset Points, as well as take the road to Inspiration and Bryce Points, but beyond that, the road was closed.
So while I wasn’t able to visit everything I wanted to at Bryce Canyon, I’d have to say that my second visit was much better than my first. However, in both instances, I was able to cover everything I had planned to do that day with just a half day.
Final Thoughts
I’ve visited Bryce Canyon National Park twice. Once in October and once in February. While the October weather wasn’t ideal (I had terrible luck), I’d still recommend visiting during the fall versus the winter months. Still, it’s totally possible to visit Bryce Canyon in the winter. You’ll just need to be make sure to take a few extra precautions. The plus side though is that Bryce Canyon does look pretty awesome under a layer of snow.
Continue Your Adventure
More at Bryce Canyon: If you’re visiting in the winter, learn what to expect on a winter hike through Bryce Canyon. Outside of winter, you could still have bad weather, so prepare for what to do if it rains at Bryce Canyon. If you have great weather, I put together a one day itinerary for Bryce Canyon.
Utah’s Mighty Five: Bryce Canyon is just one of Utah’s National Parks. Don’t miss Delicate Arch at Arches National Park, the other worldliness at Canyonlands National Park, spectacular scenery at Capitol Reef National Park, and the stunning Zion National Park.
More in Utah: The national parks are great, but don’t skip out on the state parks in Utah. Snow Canyon State Park is fantastic and has an excellent hike covering the highlights.
Itineraries: For those with ten days, I recommend an epic road trip through Utah’s Mighty Five, the Grand Canyon, and Monument Valley. For those with less time, try a long weekend in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.