14 Photos That Will Inspire You to Road Trip to Bryce Canyon

Guest Author: Michael Bonocore

Bryce Canyon National Park is a small part of the famed Mighty Five, a collection of five national parks that cover a sizable portion of southern Utah. However, when most casual travelers think of National Parks in Utah, Zion and Arches are the first that come to mind. While an often forgotten little sibling of these two more popular parks, Bryce National Park may be the most unique and visually stunning of the Mighty Five. Considering its prime location in between Zion and Arches, Bryce National Park is the perfect destination for a campervan road trip, no matter the time of year.

While named Bryce Canyon, this National Park is actually not a canyon, but rather a natural amphitheater. What really sets Bryce apart from other National Parks is its massive collection of hoodoos. These incredible rock formations have formed over millions of years by frost weathering and stream erosion, making them as delicate as they are beautiful.

The hoodoos' red and orange tones are stunning to view at any time of day, but the hoodoos are at their most vibrant in the early morning and shortly after sunrise. Bryce Canyon is not the best National Park for those who prefer to sleep late inside their warm campervan since the light that floods into the main amphitheater of hoodoos is not nearly as dramatic in the late afternoon.

A warm campervan is crucial if you plan on seeing Bryce Canyon at its most photogenic time, the winter season. Most of the viewpoints overlooking Bryce Canyon along the Paunsaugunt Plateau sit above 8,000 .The park’s highest viewpoint, Rainbow Point, sits an astonishing 9,105 feet above sea level. The park’s high altitude mixed with the harsh weather systems create absurdly cold winter temperatures, with the average low in January being 15°F. Along with that cold comes precipitation, which means snow. And lots of it. This is where Bryce’s beauty truly shines.

The deep snow that lies on top of the picturesque hoodoos creates a dreamlike scene, begging to be photographed. Some of my favorite photos in my catalog have been taken during these frigid months. With those harsh winter mornings, there is a good chance there won't be another person crazy enough to be in these freezing temperatures before sunrise. The quiet calm leads to a reflective and peaceful moment, even if you can’t feel your fingers. Luckily for you, all of the viewpoints overlooking Bryce Canyon are short walks to the parking lots, where your warm campervan and hot coffee awaits you.

While winter is my favorite season to photograph Bryce Canyon, the summer months provide incredible weather and amazing hiking. And the best part? Although all National Parks are busy during summer months, most people will be busy at Zion and Arches, leaving Bryce pleasantly uncrowded.

As I mentioned, Bryce is a National Park for early risers. Expect to be in position at one of the park’s four viewpoints by 5:30am in order to catch any color in the sky before the 6am sunrise light washes over the thousands of hoodoos below you. With that early wake up, you have also granted yourself the opportunity to get your boots on the ground to do one of the most stunning hikes in any National Park while the trail is still empty.

Park your campervan at the Sunrise Viewpoint, which, despite the name, is the best viewpoint to view sunset in the park. From the parking lot, follow the signs for the Queens Garden trail. This short trail is easily the busiest in the park, but with your early arrival you should have most of the trail to yourself. The first.8 miles of the hike will lead you straight down into Bryce Canyon, with giant hoodoos rising on either side of you. After your initial descent, either follow the Queens Garden trail or the unnamed horse trail until you reach the Peekaboo Loop trail.

The Peekaboo Loop trail is the bread and butter of hiking in Bryce Canyon. After hiking nearly 2 miles and descending almost 650 feet, the Peekaboo loop is the crown jewel of your hike. A steep incline welcomes you to the Peekaboo Loop, but the scenery is so beautiful you won’t even notice your burning calves. In this part of the park, the hoodoos are lined with trees and wildflowers, making the sights in front of you seem otherworldly.

The hike will be slow going, as you will not be able to put your phone or camera away, as around every turn is another postcard worthy image. This is especially true when you reach the Wall of Windows, a dramatic sheer wall with multiple enclosed arches towards the top. After the Wall of Windows, you will reach one of the most photogenic switchbacks in any National Park. This final section of trail contains some of the most impressive visuals I have ever seen on a hike, so please do not rush through it.

Complete the loop, return to the Queens Garden Trail and head back to your campervan where you can change out of your boots and rest your feet. Crack open a celebratory beverage to bask in the accomplishment of completing the strenuous 8 mile hike that had you climb 1,700 feet. I highly recommend driving up to Bryce Point and seeing the route of the hike from above. This viewpoint puts you directly in front of the Wall of Windows, where you can trace your route all the way back to Sunrise Point.

As you may have noticed, Bryce Canyon is best viewed from the four main viewpoints that sit on the Paunsaugunt Plateau above the Bryce amphitheater. The views from any of these viewpoints is beautiful, but each viewpoint holds a unique look down into the collection of hoodoos. Sunrise Point is the first viewpoint after you enter the park, and in my opinion is your best option for witnessing a stunning sunset. In keeping with the confusion, Sunset Point is the best viewpoint to view the rising sun light up the hoodoos in vibrant reds and gold. Sunset Point is also the best vantage point for seeing Thor's Hammer, maybe the most famous of all of the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon. Close to Thor's Hammer, you will also be able to see Wall Street, which is a narrow canyon trail that takes you within arms reach of the hoodoos that tower over you.

Inspiration Point and Bryce Point are the remaining two viewpoints that sit at higher elevations further south along the canyon rim. While it is easy enough to drive your camper van to each viewpoint, there is also a well maintained Rim Trail that will take you the entire length of the Bryce Canyon amphitheater, with stunning views that most visitors will never see as they opt to only remain at the viewpoints near the parking lots.

I could go on and on about my love of Bryce Canyon, but as with most truly unique National Parks, it is hard to put into words how incredible it really is. Bryce Canyon is one of those places that often is overlooked, for no comprehensive reason. If you desire a warm summer hike with stunning views that isn’t overrun with tour busses, there are few better places than Bryce Canyon. But if you really want to see Bryce at its finest and capture the photos that leave your friends and family impressed, turn up the heat in your campervan and visit this frigid slice of paradise in the winter months. Just don’t forget the handwarmers, long underwear and multiple puffy coats. You are going to need them.

Camping information:

Bryce Canyon only has two campgrounds, the North Campground and Sunset campground, which hosts a total of 199 sites between the two. The North Campground is first come first serve and, surprisingly, keeps the A-Loop open in winter. Sunset Campground takes reservations from May to October, and, as with most National Park campgrounds, it is advisable to reserve your spot before you arrive if you can. There are some campgrounds outside of the park, such as Bryce Canyon Pines, that can house overflow campervans during the busy summer months.

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14 Photos That Will Inspire You to Road Trip to Bryce Canyon

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