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Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted on July 27, 2008 by: Traveler

Best Time To Visit: Year-round
Closest City: Kanab
State: 58
Country: 209

DIRECTIONS: Take Utah 12 (from the East or West) and go South on Utah 63 south for approximately three miles into the North Entrance of the park. From St. George, UT (approximately 140 miles to the south) take I-15 North for about 10 miles. At Exit 16, head east on Utah 9 for 63 miles and connect with Utah 89. Head North on Utah 89 for about 45 miles to connect with the 12 and 63. NOTE: This route takes you through Zion National Park on the Mt. Carmel-Zion Highway (park entrance fees may apply) Turning left (North) at the junction of the Mt. Carmel-Zion Highway and Utah 89 takes you to Bryce Canyon (passing Kodachrome Basin State Park and the Dixie National Forest along the way) along the western edge of the park. By turning right (South) at that same junction, you will be en-route to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Lake Powell).

DESCRIPTION: Bryce Canyon offers all that visitors can expect from a Utah National Park. A multitude of colors paints the walls, ranging from pinks, yellows, reds and oranges. Bryce Canyon offers a cooler respite from lower Utah parks (such as Zion's canyon floor with temp's exceeding 100 degrees) with an altitude that rises from 6,000 to 9,000 ft. A typical Summer day could see temperatures ranging from the upper 80's to the low 40's at night. NOTE: With such a varied temperature range, it would be easy to get caught off guard (pack accordingly for backcountry outings). From the visitor center, you will travel south through the park along the 18-mile scenic drive. This one way road is the only route into the park. From Rainbow Point at the end of the road, it is possible to see into three states (Utah, Arizona, and sometimes New Mexico). At Rainbow Point, a short loop trail meanders through a Ponderosa Pine forest with some trees older than 1,800 years. Other stopping points along the one-way road include Natural Bridge (self explanatory), and Bryce Point; which also includes the Bryce Amphitheater, the largest Hoodoo viewing area of the park. Hoodoos are oddly shaped pinnacles created from the erosion of the surrounding land. Don't miss Sunset Point (which oddly enough, offers the best vantage point of the sun rising off the iconic Thor's Hammer). Tired of looking down on the Hoodoo's? At Sunset Point, connect the short Navaho Loop Trail with the Queen's Garden Trail for just under three miles and just over 500 ft. drop/ gain. There are longer, multi-day hikes as well (Under the Rim Trail at 22 miles each way).

If camping is not your thing, then the Ruby's Inn and Lodge (part of the Best Western Lodge chain) offers comfortable rooms at a relatively inexpensive rate. On site is a casual restaurant, swimming and shopping. If camping in luxury is more your style, then the Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground, with shaded sites and a lake nearby, is a no-brainer.

Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos have inspired the imagination. A Hoodoo legend from the Paiute Indians who inhabited this area, states an ancient "Legend People" were turned to stone for their evil ways, by a powerful coyote. To this day, they remain frozen in time. Whatever your belief, it is not hard to be captivated by the strange formations all around, from rock spires, arches to amphitheaters.

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