Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon City, UT
Amphitheaters crowded with orange hoodoos. The Navajo Loop takes you from the rim down among them.
Bryce Canyon's hoodoos are made of limestone, dolostone, mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down about 50 million years ago in a system of lakes and rivers. They are shaped mainly by frost wedging: on more than 170 nights a year the temperature swings above and below freezing, and water expands by 9 percent as it freezes in the cracks. Layers of differing hardness create their typical pinched profiles.
A classic is the roughly 4.8 km (3-mile) combination of Queens Garden and the Navajo Loop: from the rim at about 2,440 m (8,000 feet), you descend some 170 m (550 feet) among the spires, pass Thor's Hammer and Two Bridges, and climb back up tight switchbacks; allow two to three hours. From April to mid-October a shuttle, included with park admission, serves the viewpoints. During shuttle hours, vehicles 7 m (23 feet) or longer may not park at the popular viewpoints; use the Shuttle Station in Bryce Canyon City, which has free parking (as of October 2026).
- Nearest town
- Bryce Canyon City, UT
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 37.5930, -112.1871
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually April–May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June, September and November. Hot in July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
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Campsites nearby
- Sunset CampgroundCampsite2 mi from Bryce Canyon National Park · 99 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToiletsWaste disposal
- North CampgroundCampsite3 mi from Bryce Canyon National Park · 100 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToiletsWaste disposal
- King Creek CampgroundCampsite4 mi from Bryce Canyon National Park · 37 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToiletsWaste disposal
- Dave's Hollow Dispersed CampingCampsite5 mi from Bryce Canyon National ParkTentsCaravansFree
- Ruby's RV Park & CampgroundCampsite5 mi from Bryce Canyon National ParkTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Cannonville KOAMotorhome stopover7 mi from Bryce Canyon National ParkTentsCaravansMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowedWi-Fi
All campsites in Utah · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Bryce Canyon National Park?
Bryce Canyon National Park is in Bryce Canyon City, UT, at GPS 37.5930, -112.1871. It is about 3 mi from Bryce Canyon.
Can you camp near Bryce Canyon National Park?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Sunset Campground, about 2 mi away; within 25 mi there are 40 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Bryce Canyon National Park?
Bryce Canyon National Park is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Utah's five national parks, in one loop from Las Vegas, Utah Scenic Byway 12 and Red walls, starry skies – the great canyon tour through the Southwest.
What is there to see near Bryce Canyon National Park?
Places worth a stop nearby: Kodachrome Basin State Park (12 mi), Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest (12 mi), Cedar Breaks National Monument (36 mi) and Toadstool Hoodoos (38 mi).
When is the best time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park?
The most pleasant months are usually April–May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June, September and November. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)