Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park is a fairly straightforward affair. There is only one entrance and one road that runs north to south for 18 miles through the park. This road hugs the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Platea, and offers access to amazing viewpoints along the drive.
Here are some things you’ll want to know when visiting Bryce Canyon.
Guide to Bryce Canyon
Where is Bryce Canyon?
Bryce Canyon National Park is located on the eastern rim of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. It is approximately a two hour drive from Zion NP and roughly an equal distance from Capitol Reef NP, Glen Canyon NRA, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.read more
moreThere are numerous attractions in the nearby area and most visitors will combine a trip to Bryce with a visit to Zion and the Grand Canyon. Time is the primary limiting factor concerning what sights you’ll want to included on your trip through this incredible area.
Many visitors choose to travel in a large loop while driving through southern Utah and northern Arizona. It is relatively easy to include Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon into a package trip. The parks in this region compliment one another perfectly and the geologic relationship in the Grand Staircase makes such a journey practically a required field trip for anyone interested in the science of geology.
Entrance Fee
As a Park Junkie, you already have the National Parks Pass, aka the Interagency Pass. It’s only $80 and is one of the best purchases you’ll make this year. It grants entrance to more than 400 national park service units and is an economic necessity for those who make it a practice to visit multiple parks in a calendar year.read more
moreYou may also access the park with a Military Pass (free) Annual 4th Grade Pass, a Senior Pass, an Access Pass or a Volunteer Pass.
These passes can be purchased at the gate to most national park units and can also be ordered online at Park Pass.
If you don’t have interest in such an economic benefit, the fee for 7 days of access to Bryce Canyon National Park is $35 per auto and $30 per motorcycle…
Seasons in Bryce
Bryce is the highest national park found on the Colorado Plateau, and its elevation of 9,000 feet can bring frigid weather at any time during the year. You’ll want some warm layers in your pack even during the dog days of summer in this park. Keep in mind that temperatures dip below freezing here more than 200 days per year.read more
moreThat said, summer is a great time to visit Bryce. The temperatures here always provide a great relief to those who travel in from the deserts below. When temps are breaking the century mark in nearby lower elevation attractions, cool breezes blow through the trees on the Paunsaugunt Platuea. Bryce is a great getaway in the summer.
Spring and fall are nice times to visit. Spring is generally a bit wet, and cold days are still common. Fall here brings chilly nights and sometimes quite brisk days as well. Each year is different, but count on it being uncomfortably cold and you’ll be prepared.
Most of the trees here are evergreens, however there are a number of Aspen groves where fall’s changing leaves provide gorgeous fall colors. The areas where these trees are found provide a stunning scene as the yellow leaves glow against the red pinkish cliffs nearby.
Winter is a fabulous time of year in Bryce. The view from the rim of the plateau over red cliffs and hoodoos capped with a fresh white coat of snow is unforgettable. This is one of park junkie’s favorite time of year in Bryce. Numerous winter-only activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing provide access to scenery that a very small number of people ever see. Skiing along the Rim Trail or on the Paria Loop provides incredible solitude and a snowshoe trip into the canyons is even better.
Bryce Canyon Shuttle
Bryce Canyon NP operates a free shuttle in an effort to relieve congestion in the park’s limited parking areas and at scenic overlooks. BCNP strongly urges visitors to park outside the park unless they are staying inside the park at the lodge or at one of the campgrounds.read more
moreThere are large parking areas near Ruby’s Inn, on the left side of the road, just north of the park entrance. Visitors can park here and board the free shuttle at the Shuttle Station near Ruby’s Inn.
The shuttles typically run every 15 minutes from mid-April thru late October. Hours of operation are from 08:00am to 1800 in spring and fall and from 8am till 8pm during summer. Ask a driver upon arrival, as these time may vary.
The shuttle begins at Ruby’s Inn and continues south through the park entrance before stopping at the visitor center. From here the route runs south to the Sunset Campground before the shuttle circles around to access the most popular attractions along Bryce’s eastern rim. See Map Below.
For those wishing to travel south of Bryce Point, the only option is to drive your own car, bicycle, walk, or book a reservation on the Bryce Canyon Rainbow Point Shuttle Tour. The park prohibits hitchhiking…
The Rainbow Point Shuttle is a twice-daily guided tour to Rainbow Point, and back. The 3.5 hour round-trip journey takes guests non-stop to the southern terminus of the park road for a view from both Yovimpa and Rainbow. From here, the narrated tour begins a slower return to the north, with stops at the most popular viewpoints along the way. This is a great option for backpackers and hikers who wish to access the southern points of the park, or hike the Under the Rim Trail or Riggs Springs Loop.
Tours depart Ruby’s Inn at 9am and 1:30pm. Contact Bryce Canyon Shuttle at 435-834-5290 for more information.
Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
The Bryce Canyon Visitor Center should likely be your first stop upon entering the park. You can obtain information on current park weather and trail conditions as well as acquire backcountry permits here. Inquire for specific directions to various sites of interest and check out the Junior Ranger program.
morePark Junkies will not want to miss the 20-minute film “Shadows of Time” which plays every thirty minutes in the visitor center theater. Make sure to check out the museum exhibits that detail Bryce’s geologic splendor and grab a map, sticker or a book at the bookstore.
The Visitor Center is open year round, except Christmas day and Thanksgiving Day, at 8 a.m. During the summer season, the VC closes at 8 p.m. and at 6 p.m. during spring and fall. It closes at 4:30 p.m. during the short days of winter.
Camping in Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon National Park has two campgrounds. One campground is open yearround, while the other is only open in the busy season. There are also numerous camping opportunities outside the park, both paid and dispersed.
moreNorth Campground: Near the park entrance, close to the Visitor Center and Bryce Amphitheater. Located in a forest of Ponderosa Pine. Open year-round, although only one loop is open in winter. No RV hookups are available in winter. No group site.
99 sites in 4 loops. A & B loops for RVs. C & D loops for tents. Restrooms with flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables and fire grates.
Click link to park service site for current fees.
No hammocks on trees.
NPS – Bryce – North Campground
Sunset Campground: Approximately 1.5 miles south of park entrance fee station and Visitor Center. Close to Sunset Point. Located in a forest of Ponderosa Pine. Open late spring through early fall. Group site available with reservation.
100 sites available in 3 loops. A loop for RVs. B & C loops for tents. Restrooms with flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and fire grates.
Click link to park service site for current fees.
No hammocks on trees.
Rec.Gov – Bryce Canyon Camping
Lodging at Bryce Canyon
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon provides centrally located accommodation in a historic setting. The lodge was designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood and was constructed in the 1920s. It is the original lodge and is a gorgeous piece of architecture. The lodge, neighboring cabins and lodge additions provide a total of 114 rooms.
moreThe lodge itself only has 4 rooms, 3 suites and one semi-suite. There are two separate buildings which have 35 rooms each and there are an additional 40 cabins. Bryce Canyon Lodge has a gift shop and a dining room.
The Lodge closes at the beginning of November, and reopens in late March, thus no lodging is available inside the park in the winter.
Reservations are recommended.
Eating at Bryce Canyon
Options for dining in the park are limited. If you brought your own kitchen, or at least cooler, numerous picnic areas offer a relaxing setting for a meal in the trees. Otherwise, you’ll be making your way to the Bryce Canyon Lodge, where the 180 seat dining room provides breakfast, lunch and dinner.
moreAnother option is the Valhalla Pizzeria and Coffee Shop, which serves pizza and salads, along with pastries and coffee drinks. The shop also serves beer and wine. It is open mid-May through mid-September for lunch and dinner (12pm-8pm).
If these selections don’t look appealing, you’ll be headed to the General Store to grab some chips and cookies, or just head out of the park. Hours are 8am-8pm during the summer season.
Keep in mind that the lodge closes for the winter season, as does the pizza shop and general store, thus no food is available inside the park during the winter months.
Outside the Park
Numerous camping, lodging and dining options exists outside the park. Ruby’s Inn is the name here, and the entire community at the gate of the park is pretty much an extension of Ruby’s. It is sort of a “meat and potato” area, with few current options for fine wines or craft beers and no liquor. Just be happy there are services here….
Free Camping near Bryce Canyon
There is plenty of free camping available just outside the park. Forest Service Road 090 runs to the west, just north of the Bryce Canyon National Park sign at the entrance to the park. Camping is technically prohibited within .5 miles of this road, but this certainly did not seem to deter the 40 or so campers that park junkie observed there in September of 2019.
moreIn order to comply with forest service regulations, it is suggested that those seeking free dispersed camping locate themselves out of view of the road. Leave your camp cleaner than you found it, fully extinguish fires and do not destroy vegetation. Essentially, try to minimize your impact. Hopefully, adherence to these guidelines will ensure that such accommodations will continue to be available to those who do not wish to pay for crowded campsites inside park boundaries.
Guide to Bryce Canyon
Relevant Links
NPS – Bryce Canyon National Park
Rubys Inn – Bryce Canyon – Shuttle
National Park Guides
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