2 days in Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is otherworldly with its burnt orange spiky rock formations called hoodoos rising up from the earth’s surface. In this blog post, I’ve listed some of the best things to see and do if you only have a 2-3 days to explore Bryce Canyon.
To Get There
If you’re flying in, the closest airport to Bryce in in Las Vegas, which is a 4-hour drive.
Day 1 Itinerary: Bryce Canyon
Walk The Rim Trail
Loop Trail Hike: Up to 11 miles (you can decide)
Rated: Varies depending on the section you choose
Elevation change: 1,587ft
Route: Out & Back
Parking: There’s easy parking at Sunrise Point, and a shuttle system from any parking lot around the park
The Bryce Canyon Rim Trail has 2 major routes. The first is Sunrise to Sunset Point, and is a paved trail. This trail is easy because it’s pretty flat. If you want to do the entire trail it runs from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point, which is more strenuous.
We parked at Sunrise Point, and we were immediately blown away by the incredible vista. As soon as you step up to the rim of Bryce Canyon, you have a panoramic view of all the hoodoos (rock formations) rising up from the ground. It feels like you’ve landed on another planet.
You can walk from here along the Rim Trail for over 2 miles to Inspiration Point, it’s mostly flat and worth the gorgeous views all along the way. If you want to continue on the entire trail one-way is 5.5 miles. The Park has a free shuttle system so at any point you can take the shuttle back to the start where your car is parked which is incredibly convenient.
Sustainable sunglasses by Sunski
Stay at Best Western Ruby’s Inn
Ruby's Inn is the hub of Bryce Canyon City. It’s a massive hotel and has camping, restaurants, gift shops, a western show, and a rodeo all within walking distance of each other. It’s very easy to get into the park from this hotel. The rooms are comfortable, and the food is descent. When you walk into the lobby it feels like a large cozy cabin, and the rooms have the same cabin-like cozy vibe. No major frills, but comfy beds and spacious with all the necessities and easy access to the park.
Enjoy a Western dinner show at Ebenizers Barn & Grill
There isn’t much to do in the evenings in Bryce Canyon City, so we got tickets for the western show at Ebenizer’s across the street from our hotel. It's family style dining, with a barbecue buffet complete with all the fixins'. The food was really delicious, and they have a bar serving HooDoo Kölsch Style Ale from Uinta Brewing Company. I recommended giving that a try since you're in hoodoo territory. The show is jam packed with cheesy jokes in between each western song, but the band has incredibly talented musicians. They harmonize perfectly, have amazing voices, and play their instruments flawlessly. If you can handle the cheesiness, I highly recommend going to see this show.
Day 2 Itinerary: Bryce Canyon
Go Off-roading in dixie national forest
Most companies in Bryce only do guided tours, but we prefer to go off-roading on ATVs at our own pace. After some research, we drove to Bryce Wildlife Adventure, where they rent ATVs without a guide. There is also natural history museum here to explore with a taxidermy display of local animals. The museum is a great place to take kids to learn about the wildlife in the area.
We got a quick briefing from the owner and then hit the trails on a 33 mile path through Dixie National Forest. We rode swiftly through yellow flowered meadows into the backcountry. We came across an entire herd of antelope that galloped right across our path! Definitely a highlight of the trip! We continue speeding on the dirt trails to the final lookout over red sands and forest green trees, and finally came upon a large lake. After a solid 3 hours of exploration, we zoomed back to the to return the quads and head out on another hike.
Location: Bryce Wildlife Adventure, UT-12, Bryce, UT 84764
If you’re not comfortable on an ATV, you can go on a guided tour instead. Get Your Guide has great tours, click here to see the 1-hour guided adventure that they offer.
Hike Queen's garden to Navajo loop trail
Loop Trail Hike: 2.9 miles
Rated: Moderate
Elevation change: 629ft
Route: Loop
Queen's Garden to Navajo Loop Trail is in my top 3 hikes I've ever experienced. It's no surprise since it was voted top 10 hikes by National Geographic. You walk down into the canyon, descending into a maze of HooDoos that spike up from the ground with layers of red and white. We zigged and zagged down the path through carved out archways, taking in the odd shapes and sizes.
Most people take Navajo Loop to Queen’s Garden, we did the opposite as a tip from a local. I’m sure either way is spectacular but we really enjoyed getting to the slot canyons last.
When you get to the bottom it feels more like a forest, but then as you continue onto the Navajo Loop Trail and ascend the path you’ll come upon a walled in bright Sienna colored slot canyon, dark and cold from lack of light, but utterly mesmerizing.
When you exit the slot canyon there are red rock switchbacks up to the rim. Give yourself plenty of time to take photos, and also because of the elevation it'll take a bit more time to catch your breath.
When you come from Queen’s Garden to Navajo, you end the hike at “Wall Street," a stunning narrow canyon of orange rock with high walls on either side.
More Activities in Bryce
Horseback Ride in the Dixie National Forest
Get your guide also has a Horseback riding tour in Dixie National Forest if you prefer to be riding a mammal over machinery.
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Book Your Trip
These are some of my favorite sites for finding the best prices, places to stay, book tours, and more:
Book Your Accommodations
Use Booking.com for the best hotel deals and easy change or cancellation, or VRBO as a great resource if you prefer a house, condo or apartment.
Find A Tour
Search Get Your Guide to book a variety of tours and activities
Book Your Flight
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Shop Comfortable Hiking & Athleisure
Shop Vuori for long-lasting comfortable hiking and workout apparel for men and women (my fave!)
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