Hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Embracing the rain and HOODOOS in Bryce Canyon National Park, or as the Paiute Tribe who once called these lands home, Anka-ku-was-a-wits, red painted faced believed to be Evil Legend People. The Paiute Tribe were forced out of the national park land upon its creation, now occupying much smaller reservation. It is important to educate yourself on the history of the national parks service whom should be the rightful stewards to the protection of this land.

A hiking guide of the most popular trails in the park. As if history repeated itself, like Arches we had a very hot day in Zion and like Canyonlands we had a very rainy day in Bryce Canyon, and the crowds replicated themselves too. Whilst hiking we saw less than a handful of people. Cars in car parks were few and far between. The shoe wash happened to be where we saw the most people as everyone was covered in orange clay. At 8000-9000ft you may find some of the hoodoos in the clouds.

When you first see the site of the canyon and the hoodoos that are formed within, prepare to be in awe of this one of a kind view. Park up at sunset point and walk along the rim trail to sunrise point, you’ll find yourself staring at the views the canyon has to offer. Follow the signs to the Queens Garden trail and descend 0.8 metres down into the canyon, before looking back up at the hoodoos now towering above you. Eventually, you’ll come to a fork in the path where you can follow the extension to the navajo loop, I’d highly recommend this. Continue on this trail and you’ll come to another optional park, take the Wall Street or Thor’s Hammer and Two Bridges route back to the top. I’d highly recommend Wall Street, and then going to view Thor’s Hammer from the rim, either way you’ve got a steep switchback route to the rim. Personally, in comparison to other NP's grading, I’d grade the final ascent back to the top strenuous, you cover most of the elevation back up in a short distance, it felt never ending at the time. A few things to add; the navajo loop is only open in the summer, the queens garden loop done alone is the least difficult hike that ventures into the Bryce amphitheatre and is a there and back hike to the ‘Queen Victoria hoodoo’.