Trying to figure out how long to spend at Bryce Canyon National Park? You’re not alone.
One of the most common questions I get is: “How long do you need in Bryce Canyon to actually see it all without feeling rushed?”
It’s a fair question – especially if you’re trying to fit it into a bigger Southwest trip that might also include Zion, Capitol Reef, or Arches.
I’ve been to Bryce on quick one-day visits and longer stays, and I’ve learned what you can realistically do with one day, two days, or more. In this guide, I’ll help you decide what’s best for your trip based on what you want to see and how you like to travel.
This guide is for first-time visitors or anyone trying to figure out how long it takes to see Bryce Canyon without overcommitting or missing the highlights.
Want a quick answer? You can hit the major viewpoints in half a day – but to fully enjoy the park, I recommend at least one full day and ideally two.
I’ll walk you through sample timelines, how much you can see with different amounts of time, and which activities are worth prioritizing.
Let’s take a look at how long you need in Bryce Canyon – and how to make every hour count.
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Table of Contents
How Long Do You Need In Bryce Canyon?
In order to determine how much time to spend in Bryce Canyon National Park, you’ll need to consider not only the park’s highlights, but also your interests and activity levels.
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How Long You Need in Bryce Canyon
1 Day in Bryce Canyon National Park
In one day, you can see most of the park’s highlights and even fit in a short hike into the canyon. The main area of the national park, with the largest concentration of hoodoos and the four most famous and popular viewpoints is Bryce Amphitheater. If you only visit one part of Bryce Canyon National Park, this should be it.
The four main viewpoints are Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunrise Point, Sunset Point. You can catch a free shuttle between them or walk part of the Rim Trail between two or more of them. Try to visit at sunrise or sunset for the best light.
➡️ READ MORE: Best Bryce Canyon Viewpoints
The other main area of the park that you shouldn’t miss (unless it’s closed for snow if you’re visiting in the winter months) is the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive. Drive 18 miles to the end of the road at Rainbow Point, then stop off at several viewpoints along the way on your return trip.
➡️ READ MORE: Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive: A Complete Guide
If you like to hike, if you’re OK with a long day, you can squeeze in a hike as well. The most popular hike in the park is the Queens Garden – Navajo Loop Trail.
This goes down below the rim to the bottom of the canyon. There are expansive views of the hoodoos as you go down to Queens Garden, and narrow switchbacks on the return up either side of the Navajo Loop.
➡️ READ MORE: Best Hikes In Bryce Canyon National Park
➡️ If you have just one day in Bryce Canyon, it is really important to have a plan. Without one, you won’t get the most out of your limited time. Your best option is to get my 1 day itinerary for Bryce Canyon.
It has a detailed hour-by-hour schedule with alternatives for different activity and fitness levels, plus trail maps and descriptions, driving instructions, important information, essential tips, and everything else you need to make the most of your day in Bryce Canyon.
2 Days in Bryce Canyon National Park
If you can arrange the time, it’s much better to spend two days in Bryce Canyon National Park.
In two days, you can visit Bryce Amphitheater and see the four main viewpoints there, plus the 18-mile scenic drive. Plus, you can add in some more hikes and even do some other activities.
With this much time, you could either do the Queens Garden-Navajo Loop Hike or extend it and hike the full Figure 8 Loop Trail.
This extra day also gives you time to visit Fairyland Point and hike the Fairyland Loop Trail. Fairyland Canyon has been described as Queen’s Garden on steroids. It’s a younger part of the park than the main Bryce Amphitheater, so the hoodoos are a little less formed, but no less spectacular. And a lot fewer people go there!
You will also have time to visit Mossy Cave and can even add in an additional activity like horseback riding into the canyon or cycling around the area at the top of the canyon.
➡️ READ MORE: Best Things To Do In Bryce Canyon
I recommend spending at least two days in Bryce Canyon. This will give you time to see and experience the highlights of the park.
➡️ If you have just two days in Bryce Canyon National Park, it’s really important to have a plan. Without one, you won’t get the most out of your limited time. Your best option is to get my 2 day itinerary for Bryce Canyon National Park.
It has a detailed hour-by-hour schedule with alternatives for different activity and fitness levels, plus trail maps and descriptions, driving instructions, important information, essential tips, and everything else you need to make the most of your time in Bryce Canyon.
3 Days in Bryce Canyon National Park
If you have even more time, you could easily spend three or more days in Bryce Canyon National Park. Although you can see all the highlights in two days, if you have three or more, you can do more hikes and more activities.
With this much time, you don’t need to decide which trails to take – hike them all. Add in some additional activities like horse-back riding and cycling and you will have a truly amazing vacation!
Deciding how long to go to Bryce Canyon National Park for is a very important step in planning your trip, and I hope this guide is helping.
However, as I’m sure you’re very aware, this is just one thing of many to think about. Once you’ve decided the length of your trip, you still need to make an actual plan.
In fact, the thing that most people ask me about is how to put it all together into an itinerary that makes sense. They decide how long to spend in Bryce Canyon National Park, but still worry about how to minimize the crowds, what to do – and when – and how to coordinate it all.
To help take away the overwhelm of planning a trip to Bryce Canyon, I’ve created several super detailed itineraries.
Without them, people often feel stressed about planning their trip. With them, they have the confidence of getting all the info they need in one spot. Plus, there’s flexibility built in, so they can easily adapt them to their own interests and activity levels.
There are 1-day and 2-day options: all with detailed hour-by-hour schedules, including alternatives for different activity and fitness levels, plus trail maps and descriptions, driving instructions, important information, essential tips, and everything else you need to make the most of your time in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Travel Insurance for Bryce Canyon National Park
In addition to deciding how long to stay in Bryce Canyon, you will also need get travel insurance for your trip. Whether it’s for unexpected trip cancelation, emergency repatriation or medical help, or to replace something lost or stolen, having travel insurance will give you piece of mind and help you when you need it.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:
Enjoy Bryce Canyon National Park!
Additional Planning Resources for Bryce Canyon National Park
As you’re planning a trip to Bryce Canyon National Park, in addition to deciding how long to visit Bryce Canyon for, you might also want to read:
⭐ Planning a Trip to Bryce Canyon National Park: 7 Mistakes to Avoid
⭐ Best Things To Do In Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ 10 Tips for Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ The Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive: A Complete Guide
⭐ The 10 Best Bryce Canyon Viewpoints
⭐ How To Get To Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ What’s the Closest Airport To Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ The Airports Near Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ When Is The Best Time To Visit Bryce Canyon National Park?
⭐ Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park: What To Expect Throughout the Year
⭐ 10 Fun Facts About Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ The 5 Best Easy Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon
⭐ The Best Hikes In Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ Bryce Canyon Itinerary
Did this help you decide how much time to spend at Bryce Canyon National Park? I’d love to hear. Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
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How Long You Need in Bryce Canyon
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
I’m a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.