![]() Most day hikes and their trailheads are found in the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater area.īy comparison, Bryce Canyon's backcountry trails offer forests and meadows, stunning views of distant cliffs, solitude, but fewer hoodoos. Hoodoos are best experienced along our day hiking trails, which offer an up-close and intimate look at these unique rock formations. Let your imagination run wild among a maze of fantastically shaped hoodoos and other formations.ĭifficult Hiking Distance 13 km Ascent 488 m Descent 488 m Under-the-Rim Trailīryce Canyon’s premier backcountry trail, far from the crowds and with secluded campsites for backpackers.ĭifficult Hiking Distance 36 km Ascent 1.6 km Descent 1.Bryce Canyon is best known for its hoodoos-intricately-carved rock spires left standing by erosion. Moderate Hiking Distance 9 km Ascent 365 m Descent 200 m Fairyland Loop Take a short or long walk on the edge of the plateau, gazing over the entire Bryce Amphitheater from above. Marvel at a feast of rock formations along this twisting loop through the best of Bryce Canyon.ĭifficult Hiking Distance 8.2 km Ascent 445 m Descent 445 m Bryce Rim Trail The most popular hike in Bryce Canyon National Park.Įasy Hiking Distance 4.9 km Ascent 189 m Descent 189 m Riggs Spring LoopĪ peaceful day or overnight loop in the lesser-traveled reaches of Bryce Canyon National Park.ĭifficult Hiking Distance 14 km Ascent 567 m Descent 565 m Peekaboo Loop from Bryce Point No matter the time of year, try to allow time for hiking multiple trails to get beyond the token overlooks and find the park’s more hidden attractions. The entire park opens up, but without the brunt of the crowds. In spring, the last ice on the trails thaw out, rivulets flow through the rocks, and flowers add even more color to the scene. Note that some trails may close periodically for winter hazards as well. The main overlooks remain open through the winter, but lesser-traveled roads close, allowing hikers to easily find deserted vistas. ![]() For the best views following a snowfall, get into the park early before the sun melts it away. ![]() Winter is truly spectacular when snow falls on the orange hoodoos. In the fall, aspen and oak trees change color and the cold settles in, but daytime temperatures are perfect for hiking. Monsoons can put a damper on summer afternoons with rain and hazardous lightning, but when the storms clear, the hazy sunsets are magnificent. Summer sees the most visitors, when the 8,000-foot plateau remains breezy and cool while the surrounding desert sears. For backpackers, the park has two backcountry trails: Under-the-Rim and Riggs Spring Loop.īryce is really a park for all seasons. Those who want to hike far can make various loops by linking trails, and they can still find something new around every corner. Most of its trails make for moderate day hikes, though they dive deep into surprisingly complex terrain of canyons and amphitheaters, skimping nothing on scenery among the vivid geology. Unlike many national parks, however, Bryce does not have a huge trail network or vast wilderness areas. ![]() It’s a dreamscape for photographers as well as a playground for hikers. Bryce Canyon may, in fact, have the greatest concentration of hoodoos anywhere in the world. Assemblages of columns appear from afar as continuous, wavy ridgelines, but up close, the cracks and gaps reveal each hoodoo as its own structure eroded uniquely from the rest. From the rim of a pine-forested plateau, the rocks of Bryce fall away in slopes and spines of brilliant orange, red, and pink. ![]()
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