Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most unique places on earth. The magnificent Hoodoo formations are like something from another world. This is definitely a “must see” and you do not have to be a hiker to enjoy this beautiful park.

We camped near the park at Ruby’s Inn. This is a large complex that includes a motel, RV park/campground, restaurant, souvenir shops, and grocery store. It is located just outside the entrance to the park. If you don’t want to drive your own vehicle, there is a shuttle that will take you to the park visitor center where you can catch the park shuttle. The campground is very large with plenty of trees for shade. Some of the sites are situated close together so check out the campground map before you reserve your site. We spent 3 nights camping here which gave us 2 full days at the park. If you are pressed for time, 2 nights and 1-1/2 days in the park would be fine.

Our first day at Bryce Canyon we drove our car all the way to the end of the main park road. We stopped at Rainbow Point to walk the short Bristlecone Loop trail. This is a 1-mile trail with a short elevation gain. The elevation at Rainbow Point is 9000 ft and it is easy to become short of breath. We did not complete the entire loop but the vistas from the viewpoints were incredible.

After Rainbow Point, we continued back down the main road stopping at every viewpoint. By starting at the end of the road early in the morning, we were able to beat the crowds and find parking at every stop. Each viewpoint seemed even more beautiful than the last and we took so many pictures!

The last stop of Day 1 was Bryce Point. There are 3 viewpoint stops on the road leading out to Bryce Point. The first 2 stops at Inspiration Point and Paria View were not at all crowded and worth a quick stop. Bryce Point, at the end of the road, is one of the park shuttle stops as well as a tour bus stop so it can get crowded. There is a paved trail that leads from the parking lot down to a viewpoint overlooking the Bryce Amphitheater. Standing out on the end of the viewing area you have an almost 360-degree view of the Hoodoos.

Stopping at every viewpoint from Rainbow Point to Bryce Point, it took us about 4 hours to complete this part of the trip. We had hoped to stop at the Bryce Canyon Lodge for an afternoon snack or beverage but when we made this trip in 2021, the restaurants were still serving take out only due to Covid restrictions. The lodge was impressive and worth walking through. When it fully reopens, I think it would be the perfect spot to end this day.

The second day of our stay we drove to the lodge and walked out to the rim trail. The rim trail goes all the way from Inspiration Point to Fairyland Point, but we only walked the middle section from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point. It was about 1.5 miles total. It was actually a nice stroll along the rim of the amphitheater. There are wooden benches placed along the path where you can just sit and admire the views. We had thought we might try to hike the first part of the Queen’s Garden Trail, but after watching hikers our age huffing and puffing up the trail, we decided against it. A thunderstorm sent us back to our campsite to finish out the day with a good book.

We enjoyed our trip to Bryce Canyon. The landscape is very different than anywhere else we have been. I recommend stopping at every viewpoint that you can. At a glance they may look the same, but every viewpoint gave a different perspective, and it was worth the time.