Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon's distinctive features have been carved by the forces of nature over millions of years. The combination of freezing and thawing, along with erosion, has sculpted the park's striking rock pinnacles, arches, and spires. Sunrise and sunset cast a magical glow on these formations, creating a stunning visual display that is a photographer's dream.

The park offers a network of hiking trails, catering to all levels of hikers. Popular routes like the Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop provide opportunities to descend into the amphitheaters and get up close to the hoodoos.

Bryce Canyon's high elevation also makes it an excellent spot for stargazing, and it has been designated as an International Dark Sky Park. The pristine night skies offer a breathtaking celestial show for astronomy enthusiasts.

• When was Bryce Canyon National Park established? On June 7, 1924, Congress passed a bill to establish Utah National Park, when all land within the national monument would become the property of the United States. The land was acquired and the name was restored to Bryce Canyon. On February 25, 1928, Bryce Canyon officially became a national park.
• What is the size of Bryce Canyon National Park? Legislation enlarged the park to its current size of 35,835 acres. Bryce is famous for its unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah.
• What is the annual visitation to Bryce Canyon National Park? Over two million visitors come to experience the otherworldly magic of Bryce Canyon National Park each year.
• The Bryce Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1874.
• The area around Bryce Canyon became a National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a National Park in 1928.
• Bryce Canyon Park covers an area of 145 square kilometers (56 square miles) or 14,502 hectares (35,835 acres).
• Rainbow Point is the highest part of the park at 2,775 meters (9,105 feet) and Yellow Creek is the lowest part of the park at 2,020 meters (6,620 feet).
• The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which was not formed from erosion initiated from a central stream, meaning it technically is not a canyon.
• The erosional force of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater have shaped the colorful limestone rock of the Claron Formation into bizarre shapes including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called “hoodoos.”
• Bryce Canyon's rocks are among the youngest of those on the Colorado Plateau, dating back a mere 65 million years ago to the Cretaceous period.
• 7-day entrance passes to Bryce Canyon National Park cost $35 for vehicles and $20 per person for motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The fee includes unlimited use of the free shuttle bus that runs from late May through early October.
• Bryce Canyon National Park is located at a relatively high elevation of 8,000 to 9,000 feet, meaning that it is much cooler than at Utah's other national parks such as Zion, Canyonlands, and Arches.
• Entrance fees - and annual passes that are good bargains, can be found on the National Park Service website.
• Bryce Canyon National park has officially gained International Dark Sky status.
• Bryce Canyon is not actually a canyon. Despite its name, Bryce Canyon is actually a series of 14 amphitheaters carved by erosion.
• Bristlecone pines in Bryce Canyon National Park are some of the oldest living trees on Earth. Some of these trees are over 5,000 years old!

After departing Torrey, UT, we drove to Bryce Canyon National Park - or perhaps I should say we drove to Tropic, UT as that was where we stayed. We did not want to stay at one of the motels adjacent to the park, or in the park lodge, as they were very expensive. The motel in Tropic, UT ( Bryce Canyon Log Cabins) was comfortable and we had a cabin suite which suited our requirements nicely.

It was a 10 mile drive from our log cabin to the park, we never had much traffic as we started early each day.

• Just Traveling Thru Travel Planning Tips
• Bryce Canyon Website
• Google Search Results list for "restaurants in the Bryce Canyon area"
• Google Search Results list for "accommodations in the Bryce Canyon area"
• Google Search Results list for "things to do or see in Bryce Canyon National Park"
• 15 Best Things To Do in Bryce Canyon National Park on the "US News & Travel" site
• Amazon Search Results for "Bryce Canyon"
• Youtube Search Results for "Bryce Canyon National Park"
• Our Bryce Canyon National Park Image Gallery
• Visit our Youtube Channel
• Bryce Canyon National Park Site-seeing Tour from the "Get Your Guide" site

As you can see by the this map, our trip covered 3 different states, approximately 1,600 road miles and allowed us to see some spectacular geography. You might think that a trip of this distance would be something that would result in a "tired of driving" mood - but our stops were so diverse with such incredible geography and fun things to do, that we found that we looked forward to each morning to where we could continue our adventures!

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