Photographed and Written by Randy and Caly Behymer

Located in Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is home to magical hoodoos and deep canyons. The landscape seems otherworldly as an endless sea of hoodoos reaches towards the sky. There is plenty to see and do inside and outside this national park that covers more than 35,000 acres.

Be sure to download your FREE PDF copy of the Top 10 Things to do in Bryce Canyon National Park by clicking here! And join in on the fun as Randy, Caly and Ranger Peter Densmore talk about Bryce Canyon National Park on the RVD Podcast by clicking here!

10. Stop by the Visitor Center—No stop to any national park is complete without stopping by the visitor center. You’ll find all the information you want about the park here. Well-informed rangers can help you maximize your time in Bryce by helping you create an itinerary of things you must see and do in the park. Don’t forget to stock up on your Bryce Canyon souvenirs, t-shirts, mugs and more. The visitor center is also the place to get your National Park Passport Book stamped.

9. Visit Bryce’s Namesake—Though not inside the national park, Bryce Canyon City is as much part of the park as the sandstone spires. Spend time in this cute, compact city outside the national park gates. Here, you’ll find the famed Ruby’s Inn and learn about the history of the Syrett family and their impact on the first visitors to Bryce Canyon. In this town, you can also find a rodeo, dinner theater, RV park, steak restaurant and plenty of tourist activities to keep you well entertained.

8. Take a Ride—Free with a park’s admission, you can hop on and off the shuttle and take the stress of driving off your plate. The shuttle arrives at each stop approximately every 15 minutes. The shuttle is a great way to see all the major attractions inside Bryce Canyon National Park and the city as it traverses through 15 different stops inside and outside the park.

7. Check out the Lodging—In 1920, the Syrett family constructed Tourist Rest, which comprised cabins, an outdoor dance floor and a lodge measuring 30 by 71 feet. In 1923, when the Union Pacific Railroad bought the Syrett Lodge, it quickly expanded. Today, it holds 114 rooms, suites and cabins. It’s still one of the park’s most famous historic structures. Dine in their grand hall and enjoy a delicious meal beside their massive stone fireplace.

6. Saddle Up—There’s no better way to explore Bryce Canyon than horseback. Canyon Trail Rides is the only company that provides rides within the park. Rides range from 1.5 to 3 hours and take riders through the famed rock formations that make Bryce Canyon unique. Horseback is a great way to see the canyon without doing all the hiking.

5. Traverse the Lands—Bike using the park’s shared-use path. The path covers 5 miles within the park, allowing riders to see some significant points while avoiding vehicular roads. Those wanting to add on some extra miles can traverse the main roads within the park or even add up to 18 miles outside the park. The path takes riders as far as Red Canyon and the west side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau.

4. Take a Hike—With so many hikes in Bryce, you’ll find one to meet your skill set. You can tailor the flat, accessible 5.5-mile Rim Trail to meet your needs. Hikers can start or stop at different points along the trail if the 5.5 miles is too long. For those looking to add a challenge and length, the out-and-back Hat Shop Trail descends (then ascends) 1,380 feet through the balanced-rock hoodoos.

Hiking boot. Legs on mountain trail during trekking in forest. Leather ankle shoes

3. Sunrise to Sunset—Whether an early riser or a night owl, you can catch breathtaking sunrise or sunset within the park. Sunrise Point offers the early riser an incredible sunrise over the hoodoos. It is also the starting point for several more popular hikes in the park, like the Queen Victoria Trail. For the night owls, check out Sunset Point to view the sun kissing the sandstone spires goodnight. Here, viewers can see how stunning the rocks’ colors are.

2. Peek-a-Boo—Want to get up close and personal and aren’t afraid of several miles? Then this is the hike for you. The Peekaboo Loop Trail takes hikers up, around and through the famed hoodoos of Bryce. There are several ways to enjoy the hike, with the most challenging hiking the Queen’s Garden, Navajo Loop and the Peekaboo Loop.

1. Oh, What a View—There’s nothing more epic than simply standing at the overlook of Bryce Point. Standing here affords the viewer a sweeping view of what is known as the Amphitheater. Spires seem to jut up from the grounds as far as the eye can see. It’s an otherworldly landscape carved from sandstone to create a view you can’t get enough of.

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