Wow! I’ve literally run out of superlatives! Our recent trip to Arizona and Utah had many highlights – The Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon – but for me, Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah was absolutely stunning!
The park is well laid out and expertly maintained so it is easy to get around. We took the scenic drive from Zion to Bryce – about 2.5 hours. There is a $35 entrance fee per vehicle which will give you access to the park for a week.
There is a Southern Scenic Drive road, 18 miles (29 km) one way, that takes you to the farthest viewpoint, Rainbow Point. All along the way are lookouts giving you a different perspective of the different geological formations. We stopped at Swamp Canyon, the Natural Bridge, Agua Canyon and Rainbow Point where we took a mile hike (look for the Bristle Cone Loop trail) and had some lunch that we brought. Each viewpoint has yet another spectacular view. The walk at the top is mostly flat and easy with a couple of benches to rest along the way.
On our way back, we took a right turn at mile 3 to drive down to the feature presentation – Bryce Point. This area is known as “the amphitheatre” and is the most iconic and well-known vistas of the park. It contains the largest number of rock spire formations, known as “hoodoos”, on the planet. I was glad that we saved this view for last rather than starting off our journey with it since nothing compares to its grandeur.
The visitor’s centre has a large gift shop that has every souvenir you could possibly want. There is also a small theatre which shows a 20 minute video which talks about the history of the place and how it was named after Ebenezer Bryce a Scotsman who was a Mormon pioneer. Bryce lived in the area for about 5 years during which he constructed a logging road into the canyon which was responsible for establishing settlements in the area. The area became known as “Bryce’s Canyon”.
Bryce Canyon National Park is open all year round. There are no timed entries – just present your park pass or pay for the day. While most visitors come during the summer months, October thru May is also a great time to visit as there are fewer people, cooler temperatures and spectacular fall foliage and wildflower displays. Visit the Bryce Canyon website to plan a hike or other outdoor activities. You can even enjoy a guided tour of the night sky over the canyon!
Bryce Canyon is in southern Utah less than 4 hours from Las Vegas and about 8 hours from Phoenix.
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