A Perfect Day Trip from Zion

Bryce Canyon is the smallest nationwide park in Utah and is ideal for a day journey, both from Zion National Park (as we did) or for those who’re passing by way of on an extended highway journey.

Its compact dimension makes it simple to go to Bryce Canyon in someday. 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.

In this put up, I share our Bryce Canyon 1 day itinerary plus tricks to benefit from your go to and a map with all of the locations talked about.

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Getting to Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is in southwestern Utah and is greatest reached in your individual automobile.

Or you possibly can take a day tour from Las Vegas.

Here are the distances from close by locations to Bryce Canyon Visitor Centre:

• Bryce Canyon City – 5 minutes / 2 miles
• Springdale (for Zion National Park) – 1 hour 50 minutes / 85 miles
• Torrey (for Capitol Reef National Park) – 2 hours / 108 miles
• Moab (for Arches National Park) – 4 hours 20 minutes / 249 miles
• Las Vegas, Nevada – 4 hours quarter-hour / 272 miles
• Salt Lake City – 4 hours quarter-hour / 273 miles

We made our Bryce Canyon day journey from Zion National Park as a part of an extended highway journey. See our Southwest highway 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 perfect location proper subsequent to Zion’s park gates. The lodge has unimaginable mountain views, a pool and scorching tub, and rooms have kitchenettes.

If you’d relatively keep nearer to Bryce (particularly to see the dawn and sundown), take a look at Bryce Canyon Lodge within the park (closed in winter) or Best Western Plus within the tiny village of Bryce Canyon City simply outdoors the park.

We left Springdale at 6.30am and arrived in Bryce at 8.15am. An early begin is all the time really useful 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 first part of the drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon is on the Mt. Carmel Highway Scenic Drive.

It’s a really winding highway previous hovering rocky peaks. As you cross by way of Zion’s East Entrance, you’ll want to indicate your park cross.

The remainder of the drive is much less scenic however simple and quiet.

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When to Visit Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon is open year-round. Spring and fall are the most effective occasions to go to for milder climate with out summer season 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 had been in a position to keep heat when mountain climbing.

Bryce typically sees snow and the hoodoos look particularly magical presently. The park hadn’t had snow for a couple of weeks on our journey, however there was nonetheless some left in shadier areas.

Trails are icy in winter so mountain climbing footwear or boots with good traction are important. I additionally extremely advocate traction units that connect to your footwear for additional grip (they promote them on the customer centre).

We used Kahtoola Microspikes, which had been implausible and stopped us from slipping on the steep icy sections of the path.

Note that some roads, trails, and restrooms shut in winter, however there’s nonetheless lots to do. Check the Bryce NPS web site for updates.

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Bryce Canyon 1 Day Itinerary At A Glance

Here’s what we did throughout our someday in Bryce Canyon:

• Sunset Point
• Walk to Sunrise Point alongside rim
• Hike Queens Garden & Navajo Loop Trail
• Bryce Point
• Inspiration Point

During our 4 hours within the park we solely visited the primary three miles and noticed lots. You don’t must drive far to see the most effective components of Bryce.

If you could have longer, you possibly can lengthen your hike on the Peekaboo Trail and drive to Rainbow Point, probably the most distant viewpoint.

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What to Do in Bryce Canyon in One Day

Visitor Centre

You’ll cross by way of the Bryce Canyon National Park entrance gates simply earlier than the customer centre. Here you’ll must pay the doorway charge ($35 for 7 days per automobile).

I like to recommend shopping for an America the Beautiful National Parks annual cross for $80 for those who’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 apparent 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 couple of fundamental snacks) and a water bottle refill station.

In winter, the customer centre and Sunset Point are the one locations with open restrooms on this someday Bryce itinerary. In the hotter months, you’ll additionally discover them at Inspiration Point.

Sunset Point

Bryce Canyon has one 18-mile predominant highway, the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, that runs by way of the park.

You can simply drive this throughout your someday at Bryce Canyon and cease on the many viewpoints to see into Bryce Amphitheatre.

The first overlook is Sunset Point. You don’t must 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 earth, and it truly is not like anyplace we’ve seen earlier than.

Sunrise Point

There’s no parking zone at Sunrise Point, nevertheless it’s a flat, simple 0.5-mile stroll alongside the rim from Sunset Point with extra nice views on the best way.

Sunrise Point had an particularly good view of the snow-covered parts of the amphitheatre.

Queens Garden and Navajo Loop Hike

Sunrise Point is the start line for the most effective someday hike in Bryce Canyon.

I extremely advocate mountain climbing 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 hottest hike is the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop path, which is 2.9 miles (4.6 km) with 600 ft (183m) of elevation acquire. This took us about 1.5 hours.

There are loads of alternatives to adapt it for an extended stroll. We added on an additional hour (half-hour every method) on a part of the Peekaboo Trail, however you possibly can do the entire loop (often called the Figure Eight Trail) for a complete hike of 6.3 miles (round 3.5 hours).

It’s greatest to go clockwise beginning with the Queens Garden Trail 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 hues from vibrant orange to pale pink.

Walking by way of arches within the rocks is particularly enjoyable.

The Queens Garden Trail was simple and nicely fashioned. There was no ice on our go to, however it may be very snowy in winter—traction units are really useful and verify AllTrails for the most recent situations.

Peekaboo includes a climb and is way quieter and snowier (we might 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 slender rock passageway, and additional up, the distinctive Thor’s Hammer hoodoo.

After some steep switchbacks, we completed at Sunset Point the place we’d left our automobile.

An different path to Two Bridges is Wall Street, which is narrower and simply as steep, nevertheless it’s closed in winter. Both find yourself at Sunset Point.

By the time we completed at 11.15am, the path and viewpoint had been a lot busier, so an early begin is nicely price it.

Bryce Point

From Sunset Point we drove 5 minutes to the following two viewpoints, each of which had been quieter.

Bryce Point is at the next elevation than Sunset and Sunrise Points and provides a sweeping overview of the Bryce Amphitheatre. It’s only a quick stroll to the lookout.

In the hotter months, you may hike the Peekaboo Loop Trail from right here (the connecting path is closed in winter).

Inspiration Point

At 8100 ft, Inspiration Point 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 Point is an exquisite spot to see the dawn and is much less crowded than Sunrise Point.

You can even stroll to Inspiration Point on a 0.7-mile (every method) portion of the rim path from Sunset Point and even proceed 1.5 miles additional to Bryce Point.

Rainbow Point (Optional)

We left the park after Inspiration Point, however if in case you have a full day, you possibly can drive half-hour additional into the park to Rainbow Point.

This part of the park previous Bryce Amphitheatre is called the Southern Scenic Drive.

There are a number of viewpoints on the best way together with Natural Bridge. Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point are the best lookouts within the park at 9115 ft.

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Map of Bryce Canyon

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Can You Visit Bryce Canyon and Zion in One Day?

If you could have simply someday for each Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, it’s doable to see them each, however I extremely advocate spending longer in Zion if doable.

It would work greatest for those who 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 possibly can take today tour to Zion and Bryce, which incorporates an elective 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 mountain climbing up the West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout (and maybe persevering with to Angels Landing for those who get a allow and are courageous/match). The hike ought to take round 2-3 hours.

Although mountain climbing the Narrows (by way of the Virgin River) is superb, I feel it’s an excessive amount of to mix with Bryce.

If you need a neater and shorter hike, head up the Watchman Trail 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 way of East Zion and cease on the Canyon Overlook Trail for a surprising view. Allow round 45 minutes for this (together with time to benefit from the vista).

Perhaps eat a picnic lunch on the overlook earlier than persevering with the drive to Bryce Canyon National Park (1.5 hours away).

In Bryce, you may cease on the overlooks talked about above, and if in case you have the vitality, hike the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop. If you might be staying close by, benefit from the sundown at one of many viewpoints.

It could be an extended, tiring day, however it’s doable to see Bryce and Zion in someday.

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Is it Worth Visiting Bryce Canyon in One Day?

Yes, completely! One day in Bryce Canyon is good 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 National Park, and we’re so glad we made the day journey to see them.

Two days in Bryce would have allowed extra time for mountain climbing and the possibility to see the dawn and sundown, however if in case you have restricted time, someday is sufficient for this compact however beautiful park.

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More USA Posts

Explore extra stunning US nationwide parks in our different guides:

Utah

California

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