People haven’t walked the planet Mars but millions have hiked through Utah’s Bryce Canyon.
Sandstone cliffs have been carved into humanoid towers, creating a stunning alien landscape. Much is shaped into amphitheater-like vistas with several lookout points with names like Inspiration, Fairyland and Sunset. This exotic National Park glows with intense shades of the sun, nearly every spectrum of orange and red — depending on the time of day and light. Trails are varied and feature many spots where one is fully immersed in the glow from red earth below to vertical rock formations all around. The sky above is sometimes the only thing reminding you that, yes, you are on planet earth.
There are many ways to get around Bryce Canyon: by foot, horse, mountain bike, free shuttle or vehicle. At 55 square miles, it’s one of the smaller national parks, making it very easy to fit into a long day or two. Of course, you could also spend weeks there hiking every trail!
Some of the viewpoints are easily accessible from parking lots and their lookouts. To truly experience the scale of these giant pillars or get up close to the natural arches, you’ll want to choose one of the hiking trails. One of the most popular trails is Navajo Loop with plenty of hoodoos to acquaint yourself with. (Hoodoos are the mystical rock columns that can rise over a hundred feet tall. They typically have a “head” or mushroom cap held up by an eroded lower column.) Thor’s Hammer may be the most photographed hoodoo.
Bryce Canyon features spectacular scenic drives with leisurely walks to features making it a wonderful park for the less mobile. Bryce has higher elevations (8,000 – 9,000 feet) which provides expansive views, including surrounding areas like the Grand Staircase-Escalante, the Pink Cliffs and Navajo Mountain.
Wondering when to go? While summer months have the best weather for hiking, the winter months feature loyal fans who love the contrasting snow and red rocks.
