The Best Hike in Bryce Canyon National park

By Michael Lanza

Bryce Canyon’s Navajo Loop/Queens Garden Loop is a popular trail for good reason, with constant views of hoodoos—the multi-colored, limestone, sandstone, and mudstone spires that look like giant, melting candles, including the famous formation called Thor’s Hammer. But once turning onto the Peek-a-Boo Loop, you lose the crowds—and discover the scenic heart of Bryce Canyon while hiking below the Wall of Windows and row after row of towers in fluorescent shades of red and orange.

See the photo gallery below for numerous images from that six-mile dayhike combining Bryce Canyon’s Navajo Loop/Queens Garden Loop and Peek-a-Boo Loop. The trail system in Bryce allows you to shorten the six-mile hike by about a mile by combining only the Navajo and Peek-a-Boo loops.


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The Wall of Windows along the Peekaboo Loop in Bryce Canyon National Park.
The Wall of Windows along the Peekaboo Loop in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Spring and fall are the prime seasons for hiking in the desert Southwest and Bryce Canyon’s trails lie at over 7,000 feet and some up to 9,000 feet, so hiking here is generally cooler than places like Zion Canyon.

Scroll below the gallery for a link to my full story about a trip to Bryce and other southern Utah parks. Share your comments or questions in the comments section at the bottom of this story; I try to respond to all comments.

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Read my story about a trip to Bryce and other southern Utah parks for more pictures from that hike and tips on planning that trip.

See all of my stories about hiking and backpacking in southern Utah or visit my All Trips List and scroll down to Utah.

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12 thoughts on “The Best Hike in Bryce Canyon National park”

  1. My wife and and friends loved our 3 trips to Bryce, Zion and Arches, each have their own unique character. My wife has some spectacular “painting with light” nighttime photos of the arches with the Milky Way in the background.

    Reply
    • Hi Jeff,

      No, I haven’t hiked the Under the Rim Trail. I’ve been intrigued and curious, but I’ve read that it’s mostly forested and wonder whether it’s as scenic as the trails in the Bryce Amphitheater, which the hike above is in. Please comment here if you do that hike.

      Reply
  2. heading to southern utah to dayb hke all 5 national Parks and escalante any suggestions on great day hike and activities would be appreciated

    Reply