Bryce Canyon Highlights In Two Days

Bryce Canyon is one of the many national parks in Utah. It’s extremely unique and beautiful, as it’s covered with hoodoos. The park is small and can be done in either 1 or 2 days. As with many national parks, it can be very touristy.

Day 1: Queen’s Garden/Navajo Loop Trail

Trail Distance: 3.5 miles
Elevation Gain: ~900′
Terrain Rating: Easy
Hike In: 4:12PM
Hike Out: 5:34PM

Trailhead: The trail begins at Sunrise Point. This is one of the touristy areas, so expect buses, cars, and people in jeans/cotton. Be sure to pick up a map from the ranger when you enter the park. Everything at Bryce is easy to find with a good map. 

We arrived at Bryce late in the afternoon, after spending too much time on the road stopping at the random shops we found. Having hiked at Zion National Park the day before, we were also pretty exhausted. Bryce sits at around 8,000 ft, so you may need to take a day to adjust to the elevation. This loop is the easiest way to experience the hoodoos from below.

Starting at Sunrise Point, descend down into Queen’s Garden. You won’t have to wait too long for the views – just look around! The descent is very gradual, as it winds through hoodoos and the forests. You will pass Queen Victoria as you reach the bottom of the descent. From here, join onto the Navajo Loop to go through Wall Street.

Wall Street is a section of the canyon where the walls are extremely narrow. The lack of light here adds a vivid color to the walls. You’ll also pass a tree growing through the canyon walls! Going up through Wall Street consists of a lot of switchbacks.

So many switchbacks…

We arrived back at Sunset Point right around sunset and were greeted with a beautiful moonrise. The tourists were all crowded around at this point. We snapped a few pictures and headed back to set up camp before dark. It was a nice short hike and I would recommend it for first-time or beginner hikers!

Gear Specs:

• 1L of water
• Buff headband
• Canon DSLR and tripod
• 1 KIND granola bar
• Nike running shoes, Nike running leggings, non-cotton t-shirt, thin non-cotton jacket.

Day 2: Fairyland Loop

Trail Distance: 8 miles
Elevation Gain: 2300′ ft
Terrain Rating: Easy
Hike In: 8AM
Hike Out: 1:34PM

Trailhead: The trail begins at Fairyland Point. There is ample parking here, so feel free to drive up from your campground. No need to hitch a ride!

From Fairyland Point, your descent is quite gradual. You’ll descend down 600 feet in a little less than 1.5 miles. We passed a group of Boy Scouts at this point coming the other direction, so I felt a little more confident in the ease of this hike. You will have great views of the hoodoos once you’re at the bottom of Fairyland Canyon.

From the bottom of Fairyland Canyon, you will begin your ascent up through the hoodoos. There are many places to stop here and take photos. This loop is generally less crowded than the other ones, so take your time!

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Once you reach Tower Bridge, there is an option to turn off to the bridge. This area is also a good time for a snack or lunch, as there is plenty of shade and a few logs to sit on. After this, you will begin your ascent back up to Fairyland Point as you wind through the forest and hoodoos. This loop is extremely easy to navigate. There are no trail turnoffs, and everything is well marked!

This loop felt like a longer repeat of the Navajo Loop, but there’s no such thing as a boring repeat when you’re in a beautiful area like Bryce. If Bryce is only 1 stop on your extended trip, you can certainly cut 1 day of hiking out without missing too much. 

Gear specs:

• 4L of water
• Sunscreen and Buff Headband
• Bagel, Justin’s almond butter, 1 granola bar
• Hiking shoes, Nike running leggings, non-cotton t-shirt, thin non-cotton jacket.
• Canon DSLR and tripod
• Standard daypack