Hike Queens Garden to Navajo Loop Trail

Inside the slot canyon.

Inside the slot canyon.

Nestled in the heart of the American Southwest, Bryce Canyon National Park stands as a testament to the incredible power of erosion and the awe-inspiring beauty it can create. Queen's Garden to Navajo Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park is in my top 3 hikes I've ever experienced. It's no surprise since it was voted top 10 hikes by National Geographic. Along this short but challenging hike, you’ll experience the otherworldly landscape of this spectacular park with vibrant reddish orange rock formations and tall skinny hoodoos.

Info

Trailhead location: Sunrise Point, Bryce Canyon
Loop Trail Hike: Loop 3.5 miles
Rated: Moderate
Elevation change: 580 feet

Tip: Wearing proper hiking shoes is essential to ensure comfort, stability, and protection while navigating challenging trails.

The path starts at Sunrise Point where you can park and walk down to Queen's Garden trail. Descending into the heart of the canyon, you're introduced to a cast of characters that have been carved by the whims of nature - the hoodoos. These towering rock formations, sculpted by the relentless forces of wind, water, and time, seem to spring to life with each twist and turn of the trail, creating a mesmerizing maze of orange and white layers that protrude up from the ground.

Some of the formations look like little castles.

Some of the formations look like little castles.

At the flatter bottom portion, is starts to feel like a regular forest trail again.

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As you continued onto the Navajo Loop Trail and ascend there is a walled in bright Sienna colored slot canyon, dark and cold from lack of light, but utterly mesmerizing. When you exit this slot canyon there are red rock switchbacks up to the rim. As you make your way back up, the views shift, allowing you to see the intricacies of the hoodoos from a different perspectives.

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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.

Hiking the Queen's Garden to Navajo Loop Trail is more than a physical activity; it's an immersion into the wonders of nature's craftsmanship. With every step, you're transported to a world where time stands still and the Earth's history is etched into the very rock beneath your feet. So, lace up your hiking boots, embrace the challenge, and prepare to be captivated by the mesmerizing beauty of Bryce Canyon's hidden gems.


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