Famous for its amphitheaters of hoodoos — thin spires of red, orange, and white rock — best seen at sunrise from Sunrise or Sunset Point.

Park Pass

Join the National Parks Club

1 to 2 days covers the main amphitheater viewpoints, while 3 to 4 lets you add a longer hike down among the hoodoos.

No special permit is required for general park entry.

Bryce Canyon City and Tropic are the closest small towns, both just outside the park entrance.

The entrance fee is $35/vehicle (7-day) — a $100/person nonresident surcharge applies (2026) — or purchase a National Parks Yearly Pass.

Why Visit?:

Bryce Canyon's amphitheaters of hoodoos — thin, colorful spires of eroded rock — don't look quite like anything else in the national park system, and they're best experienced right at sunrise, when the low light sets the red and orange rock glowing. It's a compact park, which makes it easy to pair with Zion just over an hour away.

Because of its high elevation (over 8,000 feet at the rim), Bryce also stays noticeably cooler than Zion or the desert parks nearby in summer — a real consideration if you're visiting in peak heat season.

Things to Do:

Sunrise Point and Sunset Point are the essential, easy overlooks, both just steps from parking and worth doing at actual sunrise for the best light. For a closer look at the hoodoos themselves, the Navajo Loop/Queens Garden combination trail drops down into the amphitheater and back up, moderate difficulty but hugely rewarding.

If you have extra time, drive the full 18-mile Scenic Drive to Rainbow Point at the park's southern end — far fewer visitors make it that far, and the views are just as striking.

Get the Full Itinerary

Closest airports: St. George Regional Airport (SGU) is about 1.5 hours away and the more practical option; Las Vegas (LAS), roughly 4 hours, offers far more flight choices if you're willing to drive further.

Nearby Attractions:

Zion National Park is just over an hour away and commonly combined with a Bryce visit as part of Utah's Mighty 5, and Red Canyon, just outside Bryce's entrance, offers similar hoodoo scenery with a fraction of the crowds.