This article is Part 2 of the Mighty Five series.
When to Go and Where to Stay
We fit Bryce Canyon into a quick weekend trip (totally doable from Utah County). We left after work on Friday and came back Sunday night. We went the first week of March and since it was still decently cold, we decided to stay in a yurt rather than camp in a tent. It turns out that this was actually a life-saving decision because a huge snowstorm blew in the night we arrived and didn't stop for the whole weekend. It was SO cold. We later found out that Bryce Canyon has much cooler temperatures and more frequent storms than the surrounding area because it is at such a high (9,000 ft) elevation. Southern Utah is typically already pleasantly warm in March, but because of the elevation Bryce Canyon stays pleasantly cool all summer (and very cold in the winter and spring). Keep this in mind when you are planning your trip!
Luckily, our yurt had a fireplace and we were able to stay toasty and cozy at night and dry out all of our wet gear from hiking in the snow. I think a yurt would be fun to stay in year-round (especially if you like glamping more than camping like me). This one had a kitchen area, 3 bunk beds, a couch, and a big kitchen table. It was very comfortable and spacious for 5 adults.
What we did at Bryce Canyon
The snowstorm made Bryce Canyon look so beautiful, but it did end up closing half the park. This means there are many things worth seeing that we couldn't access. Luckily, we were still able to view and hike in the Amphitheatre which is the main highlight of the park.
On our first day we hiked the Queen's/Navajo Combination Loop starting at Sunrise point and exiting at Sunset point. The trail meanders down through the hoodoos (the red rock pillars), through little tunnels, and up awesome switchbacks (I've never described switchbacks like that before now, but trust me — they are cool). It is the type of hike where the journey truly is better than the destination. As you round each corner, you are treated with a new view and a new hoodoo formation.
This hike is a must see. And unfortunately for us, the only thing we saw! But if you only have one day in Bryce Canyon, then this hike should be how you spend it. Another nearby open viewpoint was Inspiration Point which is really incredible.
Activities Nearby
There are fun things to do nearby if the park happens to be closed while you are there too. We checked out some hikes in Red Canyon. There are tons to do all along the road. We did Golden Wall Trail to Castle Bridge Trail.
This short and sweet hike was a lot of fun because it isn't in the National Park so you can have a little more freedom to climb on and around the hoodoos. It was also hilarious because one of our friends was hiking in brand new Adidas NMDs. And by hiking I mean absolutely sliding down the entire mountain. We were peeing our pants laughing at him and not helping at all.
Read Part 3 of the Mighty Five series: Canyonlands and Arches.
