Bryce Canyon Information

How to get to Bryce Canyon

Location:

Bryce Canyon National Park is located in south-central Utah.
GPS Coordinates at the Visitor Center:
Latitude: 37° 38' 24" / Longitude: 112° 10' 12"
Elevation: 7,894 feet/2,406 meters

Bryce Canyon National Park
P.O. Box 170001
Bryce Canyon, Utah 84717-0001

Telephone:
(435) 834-5322

Visitation:

The park receives close to 1.75 million visitors annually. Visitation peaks from June through September and is at its lowest in December, January and February.

Operating Hours:

The park is open 24 hours per day throughout the year. There may be temporary road closures during and shortly after winter snow storms until plowing is completed and conditions are safe for visitor traffic. Road maintenance may require brief closures of individual areas at other times.

Climate:

Visitors can enjoy Bryce Canyon during any season. Summer days are pleasant and nights are cool at 8,000-9,000 feet. July is the warmest month, with an average daytime high temperature of 83 degrees and a nighttime low of 47 degrees. Much of the area's precipitation comes as afternoon thundershowers during mid to late summer. Spring and fall weather is highly variable.

Cold winter days are offset by high altitude sun and dry climate. Winter nights are subfreezing. During some winters, Alaskan cold fronts descend on the Colorado Plateau region bringing temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero. Although March is the snowiest month, the area can have snowstorms from October through April. Annual snowfall averages 95 inches, providing opportunities for cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing

The high altitude sun can burn in any season-hats and sunscreen are recommended all year. Layered clothing is good preparation for the plateau's temperature extremes and frequent strong winds. Boots with good tread and ankle support are strongly recommended for hikes into the canyons.

Transportation:

To Park:
Regular commercial flights serve Cedar City (87 miles), St George (150 miles) and Salt Lake City (270 miles), Utah, as well as Las Vegas, Nevada (270 miles).

Bryce Canyon Airport (4 miles), operated by Garfield County, has commercial flights from Las Vegas. Phone 435/834-5239 for current carriers and schedules. Private planes are welcome at this uncontrolled airport: Altitude: 7,586 feet; Runway Length: 7,400 feet; Runway Width: 75 feet. A shuttle service is available from the airport to local motels and recreational opportunities.

Sightseeing bus tours are available from St. George, Cedar City and Kanab, Utah.

In Park:
Private vehicle rentals and bus tours originate outside the park. In spring and summer, concession-operated horseback tours are offered in the park. Biking is permitted on paved roads only; there are no bike lanes. Bikes are not allowed on park trails (see section on adjacent attractions).

Bryce Canyon Shuttle System
The shuttle system enables visitors to enjoy the park and its natural and cultural beauty without the hassles of traffic. It relieves some pressing natural resource protection concerns and reduces the expenditure of tax dollars toward road maintenance and may provide for better backcountry access. It operates from late May to early September. As of now, use of the shuttle is voluntary, unlike the shuttle system in Zion National Park.

The shuttles run a loop starting and ending at the junction of Utah highways 12 and 63 and serves the northern section of the park providing access to park facilities, trailheads, scenic overlooks, the Bryce Amphitheater, and other landmarks. Riders can get on and off at their leisure. Ample parking is available at the shuttle parking and boarding area, Ruby's Inn, and the North Campground Trail drop-off.

Bryce Canyon Airport: Located in the midst of some of the nation’s most spectacular scenery, including Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Bryce Canyon Airport can be your portal to a scenic flight you will remember for the rest of your life. Whether you would like to book a scenic flight or land your private plane at our airport for a scenic southern Utah vacation, Bryce Canyon Airport will make your trip an enjoyable one. Contact us today to find out how we can make your getaway unforgettable.

Directions:

From north or south on U.S. 89, turn east on Utah 12 (seven miles south of Panguitch, Utah) and travel to the junction of Utah 12 and 63. Turn south (right) on Utah 63 and travel three miles to reach the park entrance. (Utah 12 continues east through the northern portion of the park.)

From the east, travel west on Utah 12 to the intersection of Utah 63. Turn south (left) to reach the park entrance.

Fees, Costs, & Rates:

Entrance Fees

  • Passenger cars are charged $25 per 7-day visit, or $30 a year, valid only at Bryce Canyon National Park.
  • Shuttle Riders. $20 for 7 days. This fee is for those who ride the shuttle into the park, and saves $5.00 from the standard entrance fee.
  • Campsites $10 per site per night. (Golden Age and Golden Access Passport holders receive a 50% discount.
  • Annual Pass: $80, good for one year at any National Park or Federal Recreation Area.
  • Backcountry Fees: $5 per permit

Facilities and Opportunities:

Visitor Center/Exhibits: The park visitor center is open year round except Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1. A ten-minute slide program, exhibits, restrooms, information, and backcountry permits are available here. In addition, maps and other publications are available for purchase through Bryce Canyon Natural History Association.

Trails, Roads:
The 18-mile main park road winds along the edge of the plateau, terminating at the south end of the park. Return to the entrance via the same road. Spur roads and pullouts offer opportunities for viewing and trailhead parking. Park speed limits range from 25 to 35 mph and are strictly enforced.

In summer, parking at most viewpoints is extremely congested. Your best chance of finding a parking space at Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, Bryce, and Paria Viewpoints is before 10:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m.

Because all of Bryce Canyon's viewpoints are east of the main park road, we recommend that you drive the 18-mile road to the southern end of the park, start with Rainbow Point, then stop at the remaining viewpoints on your way back to the park entrance. This will help you to avoid making left turns in front of oncoming traffic.

Special Concerns:
Due to steep grades and limited parking, trailers are not allowed beyond Sunset Campground. Campers should leave trailers at their campsite. Day visitors should leave trailers at their overnight campground, at Ruby¹s Inn free shuttle parking area just outside the park, at the park visitor center or at the trailer turn-around south of Sunset Campground.

No vehicles over 25 feet in length are allowed at Paria View where the parking area is too small for large vehicles to turn around.

Marked bus parking spaces are available at all parking lots which can accommodate buses. Bus engines should be turned off while parked. Motorhomes and trailers are not permitted in spaces designated for buses.

The park has over 50 miles of hiking trails with a range of distances and elevation change. Assess your ability and know your limits. Use caution if unaccustomed to the high altitude.

Day Hikes:
The easiest trail is the 1/2-mile (one way) section of Rim Trail between Sunset and Sunrise Points. Other sections of the Rim Trail (which extends 5.5 miles between Fairyland and Bryce Points) have steeper terrain. The Fairyland Loop (8 miles round trip), Peekaboo Loop (4.8 or 5.5 miles round trip), Queen's Garden (1.7 miles round trip) and Navajo Loop (1.5 miles round trip) trails wind down through the rock formations along steep grades. The Peekaboo Loop Trail also serves as a horse trail.

Backcountry:
The Under-the-Rim Trail extends 23 miles from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point and has eight backcountry campsites. The Riggs Spring Loop Trail (8.8 miles round trip) from Rainbow Point has four backcountry sites. Both trails drop below the rim of the plateau and lead through forested areas. A permit is required for overnight backcountry camping and is available at the park Visitor Center. A $5 donation is requested for backcountry use.

Programs/Activities:
Park rangers and volunteers conduct interpretive activities, including hikes, walks, geology talks and evening slide programs from late spring through early fall. Check at the park visitor center or Bryce Canyon Lodge for daily schedules.

Junior Ranger Program:
The Junior Ranger Program offers children ages 12 and under the opportunity to learn more about the park. Although the program is designed as an independent learning experience in an effort to accommodate individual family schedules, one important requirement is that the kids attend a ranger-guided activity. Recommended minimum time needed for completion of the program is approximately one full day. When kids fulfill their requirements, they can bring their completed booklets to the park visitor center and receive a Junior Ranger certificate. In addition, a special patch is available for $1.

Volunteers in Parks (VIPs):
Each year at Bryce Canyon, volunteers donate more than 10,000 hours of service--over 10% of the park's workforce. VIPs help staff information desks, serve as campground hosts, patrol trails, build fences, work with computers, conduct wildlife surveys, take photographs, and more.

Currently the park is seeking volunteer applications for a winter/spring Museum Tech position. Call 435/834-4412 or visit the Volunteers In Parks Job Opportunities page of the NPS ParkNet website www.nps.gov/volunteer/jobs for a position description and on-line application.

To learn about other volunteer opportunities at Bryce Canyon, ask for an information packet at the visitor center or write to:

Superintendent, Bryce Canyon National Park,
P.O. Box 170001
Bryce Canyon, UT
84717-0001.

Lodging and camping facilities:
Amfac Parks and Resorts, Inc. operates the Bryce Canyon Lodge, with 114 rooms including lodge suites, motel rooms and cabins. The season begins April 1 and runs through October 31. Make lodging reservations on-line at www.amfac.com. Or you can write to: Amfac Parks and Resorts, Inc., 14001 East Iliff Ave., Suite 600, Aurora, CO 80014, or call 303/297-2757 or fax 303/237-3175 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain Time.

Additional lodging is available throughout the area. Reservations are recommended.

Camping: The park has two campgrounds, North and Sunset, with 218 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Cost is $10 per site per night. There is a limit of 6 people, 3 tents, and 2 vehicles per site. There are no hook-ups. Sites fill by early afternoon during the summer months. Loop A of North Campground has a heated restroom and remains open through the winter. Group Camping: One group site is available in Sunset Campground by reservation only from approximately May 15 through October 10 (depending on weather).

∗ Maximum size limit of 30 people and eight vehicles. Minimum of seven people.

∗ Fee charged is the greater of either $30 per night or $3 per night per person 6 years and older. Fee is payable upon arrival.

∗ Site is assigned by lottery held on February 1 of each year. Only one application per party will be included in the drawing. All non-competitive requests will be granted. All requests received after February 1 will be granted on a first-received, first-served basis.

∗ Reservations are accepted by mail, phone, or FAX.

Call 435/834-4801 for more information.

Private, Utah State Parks, and US Forest Service campgrounds are located throughout the area.

Food/supplies:
Amfac Parks and Resorts, Inc. operates a dining room in the Bryce Canyon Lodge, as well as a general store at Sunrise Point. Groceries, souvenirs, camping supplies, quick meals, restrooms, coin-operated showers and laundry facilities are available at the store from April through October.

Private stores in the immediate area are open all year for food, supplies and other services.

Other Concessions/NPs-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:
In spring, summer and fall, wranglers lead horseback rides into Bryce Amphitheater along a dedicated horse trail as well as on the Peekaboo Loop Trail. Write to Canyon Trail Rides, PO Box 128, Tropic, UT 84776, or call 435/679-8665 or 435/834-5500 for information and reservations.

Accessibility:
Most park facilities were constructed between 1930 and 1960. Some have been upgraded for accessibility, while others could be used with assistance.

Because of the park's natural terrain, only a half-mile section of Rim Trail between Sunset and Sunrise Points is wheelchair accessible. The one-mile Bristlecone Loop Trail at Rainbow Point has a hard surface and could be used with assistance, but several grades do not meet standards.

Parking is marked at all overlooks and public facilities. Accessible campsites are available in Sunset Campground.

Recommended Activities / Park Use:

Sight-seeing, hiking, camping, backpacking, photography, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, bird watching and other wildlife observation, star gazing, contemplation, relaxation.

Reservations / Permits:
Reservations are recommended for Bryce Canyon Lodge. Park campsites are first-come, first-served, except for the group site which is by reservation only.

A $5 permit is required for overnight backcountry camping. Permits must be obtained in person and are issued at the park visitor center from 8:00 a.m. until two hours before sunset. No reservations are accepted.

Basic Visit Recommendations:
Plan to spend from one to several days depending on your personal interests. Because of the wide variety of recreational opportunities on nearby private, state and other federal lands, you can easily plan an extended vacation in this area.

For those who only have a short time to spend in the park:

  • Stop at the Visitor Center for information, exhibits, and a ten-minute slide program. Publications and maps are available for purchase.
  • Drive to Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration and Bryce viewpoints.
  • Hike a canyon trail or stroll along the rim. Check at the Visitor Center for current trail conditions.
  • Lunch at one of the designated picnic areas.

For those who can spend one or more days in the park (in addition to the above):

  • Drive to Rainbow Point (18 miles one way) and stop at the 13 viewpoints on your return trip. Check at the Visitor Center for current road conditions and closures.
  • Attend a ranger-guided activity (available during summer months).
  • Snowshoe or cross-country ski a designated trail on the plateau top. Rental equipment is available outside the park.

Additional Information:

For more area information on Bryce Canyon National Park please check the following sites:

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