It’s no secret that my first visit to Bryce Canyon didn’t go well. Rain and fog are not conducive to exploring a national park. But, I returned two and a half years later for redemption. I still haven’t done everything at Bryce Canyon National Park (the weather seriously has it out for me!), but I’ve done enough to feel confident in putting together a perfect itinerary for one day at Bryce Canyon.
One Day at Bryce Canyon National Park
This itinerary covers what I think are the two biggest highlights of Bryce Canyon National Park. You’ll drive the scenic drive to visit all of the view points, but also get a chance to hike down into the canyon for a close up view at some of these rock formations. And yes, you can all of this with just one day at Bryce Canyon.
(Optional) – Sunrise
I start my days early, so all of my itineraries reflect that. I’m officially starting this one day itinerary at 8:00 am, but you could even earlier. The entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park is just a short drive from Bryce Canyon City and Sunrise Point (an excellent place to watch sunrise) is just inside the park entry. If you feel up for it, head in to the park to watch sunrise.
The best part is that Sunrise Point is so close to Bryce Canyon City that it’s not unreasonable to go watch sunrise, exit the park for breakfast, and go back into the park to really start your day. Whether you choose to watch sunrise or not is up to you.
8:00 – Time to Start the Day For Real
Regardless of whether or not you came to the park early for sunrise, I’m officially starting your day at Bryce Canyon now. I like to start the day with hiking because it’s early in the day and when I have the most energy. Unsurprisingly, we’re starting with a hike today.
There’s only one hike that I’m planning for today and it’s a good one. This three mile loop will take you down into Bryce Canyon, along the bottom, back up the other side, and along the canyon rim to your starting point. It’s actually a combination of two trails, the Navajo Loop and the Queen’s Garden Trail, but it’s a fantastic, and popular option. Get to see the hoodoos up close and really get a sense of scale for this magnificent canyon.
The Navajo Loop/Queen’s Garden Trail is about 3 miles and has about 700 feet of elevation gain (nearly all of the elevation comes at the end as you hike out of the canyon). I hiked this trail in the snow and even then I never found it very strenuous. The hardest part for me was the fact that I was hiking at nearly 8000 feet (for context, I live at sea level so I often find myself huffing and puffing on hikes out West). If you’re acclimated, this may not be a problem, but if you’re not, you may struggle to breathe as you hike out of Bryce Canyon.
Give yourself about two hours to complete the loop. While you absolutely could do it faster, two hours gives you plenty of time to stop and smell the roses (or load your phone up with photos of the trail).
As a note, this trail is a loop and can be done in either direction. However, I recommend starting at Sunset Point and following the Navajo Loop into the canyon. This will take you in a counterclockwise direction. The reason for going counterclockwise is simple, the Navajo Loop is much steeper than the Queen’s Garden Trail. So, while you’ll have a longer uphill climb to exit the canyon, it’s much more gradual and that makes it easier. If you speak to the rangers, this is what they’ll recommend for you as well.
10:00 – Scenic Drive and View Points
Now that you’re done hiking, it’s time to do the easy sightseeing. Hop if your car (or jump on the free shuttle) to drive the scenic drive, stopping at all of the view points along the way.
I do have to be honest, though. Bryce Canyon National Park’s scenic drive is one of my least favorites of all national park scenic drives. The overlooks are great, but the scenery itself just isn’t that impressive to me.
When I drove this scenic route the first time, I couldn’t help but think how much it reminded me of a drive through a state forest back home. That was a route I drove constantly through summers as I headed to my minimum wage job of scooping ice cream for tourists. Needless to say, I was not a huge fan of that connection and it kind of ruined the actual drive for me.
However, you may find it better. I just think it’s important to note that the Bryce Canyon scenic drive just doesn’t have that jaw dropping wow factor that you’ll find at other national parks (especially the rest of Utah’s national parks).
Admittedly, I don’t have first hand experience of all of the view points. Well, I did stop at all of them, but most were on my visit where it was rainy and foggy. That makes it hard to give specific advice. But, I can make note of a few view points. Sunrise Point – If you hike the Navajo Loop/Queen’s Garden Trail, this is where you’ll exit the canyon.
Sunset Point – If you hike the Navajo Loop/Queen’s Garden Trail, this is where you’ll start your journey.
Inspiration Point – You’ll need to turn off the main scenic drive to get to this view point, but it is lovely.
Bryce Point – Just down the road from Inspiration Point, and if I’m honest, I think this view point is even better. However, if it’s a windy day, prepare to be very, very cold.
Natural Bridge – On my first visit, this was my favorite overlook. I can’t really tell you why because at this point in my life, I’m kind of over “natural bridges”, but I have to make note of it because it’s the one view point I have notes of singling out from my first visit to Bryce Canyon.
12:00 – Traveler’s Choice
By this point, you’ve covered the highlights of Bryce Canyon National Park. Even though the day is only half over, you could mark it as a successful day at Bryce Canyon. There are other hikes you could do here, but honestly, I’d consider spending the afternoon elsewhere. There’s just so much variety in southern Utah and I think it’s worth exploring as much as you can.
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 National Monument, 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 in 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 hiking.
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.
When to Visit Bryce Canyon National Park
It is possible to visit Bryce Canyon National Park all year round, but some seasons are better than others. Summers are the warmest, but also the busiest. Expect high prices and lots of other tourists.
Winter is the opposite. Crowds are at their lowest, but the weather is the coldest. Don’t be surprised to encounter snow on your visit. While the snow may not prevent you from hiking into Bryce Canyon, it can prevent you from seeing some of the view points. If there’s snow, parts of the scenic drive can close, leaving very limited options. On my visit, snow closed the scenic drive and only four view points were accessible. Learn more about visiting Bryce Canyon National Park in the winter.
Spring and fall can help you strike a balance between crowds, prices, and weather. If I had to pick any season to visit, I’d choose fall.
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
Bryce Canyon National Park is absolutely worth a visit. But I think it’s important to realize that you don’t need as much time as you might think. With a half day, you can easily explore the highlights of this national park, and still have time left over to explore something else nearby.
Continue Your Adventure
Bryce Canyon: We all want great weather, but sometimes it doesn’t work out. If you have a rainy, foggy day at Bryce Canyon, here’s what I recommend. If you’re visiting during the winter, check out my top tips, but also know its still possible to hike into the canyon for those great views.
More in Utah: Bryce Canyon is just one of five national parks in Utah. There’s the iconic rocks at Arches National Park, the vast views at Canyonlands National Park, the peaceful (but no less epic) Capitol Reef National Park, and of course the jaw dropping Zion National Park. And don’t overlook the state parks, like Snow Canyon State Park near St. George.
Itineraries: Visit all of Utah’s “Mighty Five”, plus the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, on this epic 10 day road trip.