Do you have 2 days to spare? Then you should go to Bryce Canyons National Park! I promise, you will not be disappointed. If you are on the fence, I hope this post and the many pictures that are included will help you confirm your decision to go!

My husband and I are travel therapists. Utah was our first assignment placement. For 11 weeks, we jammed as much adventure, site seeing, and fun in Utah as we could. Unfortunately, we did not get to cross everything off of our bucket list. Fortunately, we plan to go back and visit to complete those items 🙂

One of our favorite weekend trips in Utah was going to Bryce Canyons National Park. Utah is so amazing for its diversity. Bryce Canyons proves that perfectly. You will find hoodoos of many different shapes and sizes, breathtaking overlooks, and amazing rock formations with a beautiful mixture of green trees.

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In this blog post, you will be provided with an itinerary of 2 days in Bryce Canyons National Park!

Okay, let’s head out for the trip! Here is an overview of what will be included in the blog post:

2 Days in Bryce Canyons National Park Itinerary:

Day 1: Overlooks and Ruby’s Inn
Day 2: Navajo Loop

How to Get to Bryce Canyons:

You can drive in like us! We drove from the Cottonwood Heights, UT area and it took us around ~4 hours to get there.
If you are flying in, rent a car to drive to Bryce Canyons
- The closest airports are:
- Salt Lake City, Utah ~4 hour drive to Bryce Canyons
- Las Vegas, Nevada ~4 hour drive to Bryce Canyons

What to Bring/ have ready for your 2 Day Stay in Bryce Canyons:

This definitely depends on what time of the year you are visiting. We went to Bryce over Labor Day weekend in September. So, we packed for warm weather. But it did get chilly at night time while we were there. Here are some basics to pack for your trip to Bryce Canyons:

America The Beautiful– We have our annual America The Beautiful (ATB) pass and we have easily made our money back on this! You will benefit from this pass in Utah while visiting Bryce Canyons. Have more than 2 days? Adventure on to Zion National Park where you will be able to also use the ATB.
Water bottles– make sure you have plenty of water. Some hikes take longer than others and you will want to make sure you have water.
Camera– you will see landmarks and beautiful scenery like no other. Make sure you pack a camera to take pictures!
Hiking boots– there are a lot of options at Bryce that do not require hiking. But if you plan to do more of the hikes you will definitely want to wear hiking boots.
Hiking socks– you will want to make sure you are comfortable in your hiking boots as there is a lot of walking!
Puffer jacket/ sweater- if you are visiting in cooler months, I would highly recommend bringing a good quality puffer jacket. The nights especially get chilly here! We went in September and I had to wear a sweater during the first day and a flannel for the first part of the second day.
Hydration Pack– above I mentioned packing water bottles. I would also highly recommend purchasing a hydration pack to carry your water and other items. This will come in handy so many times.
Tent/ sleeping bags/ flashlights- depending on how you choose to lodge for your trip, you will need to make sure you have your camping necessities.
1. This is the exact tent we have and LOVE! So easy to use, set up, and pack. It truly takes 2 seconds- hence the name 🙂

Where to Stay in Bryce:

There are 4 options for lodging in Bryce:

Camping
Lodge
Hotel
Vacation Rentals

Camping:

We tent camped while in Bryce Canyon and had a great experience. There are 2 campgrounds in the park. Both are first come first serve. We went during a holiday weekend and were able to easily find multiple open campsites.

North Campground

This campground is open all year. It is a first come, first served campground for part of the year. This is the campground set up camp in. The bathrooms were easily accessible as well as the dish washing area. The showers for both campgrounds are located at the General Store NOT at the campgrounds. Showers and laundry stations are open during operating hours of the General Store.

Sunset Campground

This campground is closed during the winter. It is also a first come, first served campground for part of the year. This one is similar to North Campground with centrally located bathrooms and dish washing stations. Again, showers are only located at the General Store along with a laundry station.

The Lodge at Bryce Canyons

Make reservations at the lodge to obtain the complete experience of Bryce Canyons. The lodge is an iconic historical structure in the NP. It is centrally located to easily access many of the popular landmarks in Bryce Canyons.

There are also motel structures and cabins next to the lodge that are available with reservations.

Hotels

There are multiple hotels close to the Bryce Canyon National Park! Click the link to be redirected to the Garfield County Tourism Bureau page.

Vacation Rentals

Looking for a more unique lodging experience? Vacation rentals might be best for you! Click the link to be redirected to Garfield County Tourism Bureau to see the different vacation rentals they recommend.

Bryce Canyons Itinerary Day 1:

SCENIC VIEWS & OVERLOOKS:

On our first day in Bryce, we drove into the park, set up camp, then headed to some scenic drive overlooks.

Bryce Canyons National Park is a very accessible NP for many diverse abilities. There are many scenic drive viewpoints in the NP that do not require any hiking. There are also options of low impact hiking that you can complete to see pretty scenic views.

We completed the most popular viewpoints on our first day. I have included these first. I have also included other viewpoints that might also interest you!

Hop back in the car and continue on the scenic 18 mile drive (one- way [also do not feel like you have to complete all 18 miles, stop when you want!]). The 18 mile scenic drive starts at the visitors center and ends at Rainbow Pointe. It can take 2+ hours to complete depending on how much time you spend at each overlook. We completed the entire 18 mile scenic drive. There are 9 overlooks in total you can view. We did not stop at all 9. So, here are the highlights we stopped at:

Southern Scenic Drive:

Bryce Amphitheater

You will find this overlook on your first 3 miles into the Southern Scenic Drive. The amphitheater is not technically part of the scenic drive, but it is within the first 3 miles, so I am grouping them together 🙂 You will also view the amphitheater from other angles along the scenic drive.

This is easily the most popular viewpoint and overlook in the park! You will drive to the overlook to see the many famous hoodoos shaped around the bowl/ amphitheater- like formation. This is absolutely breathtaking and a must do!

Inspiration Point & Bryce Point

These are two separate viewpoints and overlooks of the Bryce Amphitheater. Each one provides a different point of view of the bowl- like formation with unique hoodoos.

Natural Bridge

If you have not had the joy of experiencing an arch while in Utah yet, this will be your first! If you have experienced an arch already, this one is unique as it creates a bridge like formation. At the top of the arch.

Rainbow Point

This is the final destination of the southern scenic drive. Take it all in with a new viewpoint of this beautiful NP.

There are more stops to see along the way. Click here to research all the different scenic viewpoints and overlooks!

Other Viewpoints

Sunset Point

This is a great overlook to start at. You can drive to the overlook and see the amazing views of the beautiful hoodoos that Bryce Canyon is famously known for!

Sunrise Point

You can either walk along the rim from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point, or you can drive to Sunrise Point. Either way, you don’t want to miss the other views of the beautiful park.

You can also save these viewpoints for tomorrow as you will complete them on your round trip hike! But if you are not planning to complete the hike on the Day 2 Itinerary, then you should definitely fit these in first!

Mossy Cave

Note that this is a hike (0.8 miles- difficulty level = easy) not a scenic drive. We chose to opt out of this hike to save time for other hikes we were more interested in seeing. However, the pictures look beautiful, and I have read that this is a great stop in the NP.

This is the most northern end of the NP you can go. Mossy Cave is known for the opposite hiking terrain in comparison to the other hikes in the NP, as well as the water.

Other hikes in the NP begin with a descent and end with a climb up. Mossy Cave is opposite as it begins with a climb up and ends with coming down.

Mossy Cave is most known for the presence of water. The water against the red / orange rocks make for a beautiful scenic view.

Fairyland Canyon

Continue on the northern end of the NP to see the Fairyland Canyon. This is home to younger hoodoos.

There are hikes that can be completed once parked.

Paria View

Paria View is known for the quiet side of the park. The hoodoos and other rock formations create an amphitheater-like formation including a river going through it.

Old Bryce Town and Ruby’s Inn

After you have completed the scenic drive and have your camp set up, it is time for some food and fun!

Head to Old Bryce Town at Ruby’s Inn. Old Bryce Town is at the entrance of the Bryce Canyons National Park. Depending on how you arrived, you may have noticed it while driving in!

This is a very cute replica of an old western town with shops, restaurants, and activities that match in theme. Stop by for some ice cream and candy, a photoshoot, and some beautiful pieces of gems.

When you are hungry, right across the road are options that will meet your hungry needs.

With a full belly and a camera roll full of new pictures of beautiful overlooks, head back to where you are lodging for a good night sleep before more adventures tomorrow!

Bryce Canyons Itinerary Day 2:

QUEEN’S GARDEN/ NAVAJO COMBINATION LOOP

Ready for some hiking?! I hope so! Because you do not want to miss these amazing views and experiences that are only accessible on this hike.

This hike is a total of 2.9 miles and can be completed in around 2-3 hours- possibly more or less depending on how many pictures you stop to take :).

This is the most popular hike in the park. There is the option to only do the Navajo Loop, but I highly recommend adding the Queen’s Garden portion to it.

Start Here!

On this hike you will start at either the Sunrise or Sunset Point. Whichever one you start at, you will finish at the other. So, keep this in mind with where you park your car. If you start at Sunrise, you will finish at Sunset Point and vice versa.

We started at Sunrise Point which is located next to the General Store. If you want, you can either start or end your hike with a meal at the General Store!

Queen’s Garden

You will follow signs for Queen’s Garden trail where you will descend into the amphitheater. Along the way you will see hoodoos up close and other beautiful rock formations. See if you can find the formation that looks like the queen overlooking her garden (hence the name).

Navajo Loop

You will then follow signs for the Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop (if it is open). If Wall Street is not open, you can connect to Two Bridges. Either one will lead you to an ascend to Sunset Point (again if starting at Sunrise).

Wall Street is most famous, but it is known to close if weather conditions are not ideal. When we went, there was a massive rain storm that came the night before. This created parts of Wall Street to be washed out causing the park to close Wall Street. We were bummed but were still amazed at what we were able to experience with Two Bridges!

Twin Bridges

Again, if you have the opportunity, definitely go to the end of the trail back to either Sunset/ Sunrise Point (depending on which one you started with) via Wall Street. But if Wall Street is closed, don’t turn around!! Keep going via Twin Bridges!

You will follow the signs to go to Twin Bridges. Notice the rock formations that look like “twin bridges”.

This will lead you straight to switch backs that take you back to the top of either Sunset/ Sunrise Point!

Switch Backs

You will ascend up switch backs that honestly feel like they may never end. When you get to the top and look down at the switch backs you just hiked, you will be so proud and amazed at yourself!

End Here!

Depending on where you started, you should now be at either the top of Sunset or Sunrise Point. You can either take the free shuttle to the parking lot of where you started OR you can walk the Rim Trail Hike that connects Sunset and Sunrise. We chose to walk the rim, and it was the best choice!

Woo hoo! You did it! Now treat yourself to a good lunch at the General Store!

There are so many amazing sights to see and experience at Bryce Canyons National Park. I hope you get the opportunity to experience these for yourself! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about our trip to Bryce Canyon National Park!