Planning a trip and not sure how to get to Bryce Canyon National Park?
For such a stunning place, Bryce can be surprisingly tricky to reach. With no major airports nearby and limited public transit, getting to Bryce Canyon takes a little planning – but I’m here to help make it simple.
I’ve made the trip multiple times – by rental car, from different airports, and even as part of a bigger Utah parks road trip.
I’ve learned which routes are the most scenic, which are the most efficient, and which ones are better left for travelers with extra time (and patience). I’ll share what worked, what didn’t, and how you can get to Bryce Canyon National Park in a way that fits your plans.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best airports, drive times, route options, and local tips so you can get there without the guesswork.
Quick tip? Las Vegas is often the easiest place to start – even though it’s not the closest. I’ll explain why that option might work better than you’d think.
Let’s take a look at how to get to Bryce Canyon National Park and make sure your trip starts off on the right foot.
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Table of Contents
Where is Bryce Canyon located?
So where is Bryce National Park located? You’ll find this national park at the eastern border of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in Utah’s southwestern region.
The Bryce Canyon National Park location is easily accessible since the park only has a single entrance on UT 12. It’s just 14 miles from US 89 if you’re coming from the west and 110 miles from UT 24 if you’re coming from the east.
Bryce Canyon is close to Zion National Park, so it is very common to visit both on the same trip. It’s only about 1.5 hours from Zion National Park to Bryce National Park. You can access Bryce Canyon from Zion National Park’s east entrance on US-89 and travel the 74-mile road between the two parks.
Closest City to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon City lies just outside the national park. However, this is little more than a collection of hotels and campgrounds, dominated by Ruby’s Inn.
Tropic, Utah is the closest town to Bryce Canyon of any substance, just 14 miles from Bryce Canyon, followed by Panguitch, which is 27 miles from the park.
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How To Get To Bryce Canyon National Park
Taking a Tour to Bryce Canyon National Park
If you don’t want to drive, then taking a tour is your only option. Tours take the hassle out of your trip, eliminate driving, and give you expert commentary. There are several tour options to choose from:
Half-day tour of Bryce Canyon from Bryce Canyon City: If you’re staying in or near Bryce Canyon City (which lies just outside the national park), this 3-hour tour gives you a chance to see the park’s highlights with a small group and an expert guide.
➡️ Book a half-day Bryce Canyon tour
Full-day tour of Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks from Las Vegas: If you are staying in Las Vegas, have a day free, and want to see two of America’s most stunning parks, then this is the way to do it. It’s a long day and you won’t have time to explore the parks in detail, but you will get to see the highlights.
➡️ Book this full-day tour from Vegas
3-day tour of Zion, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon: An epic three-day tour also leaving from Las Vegas taking in Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon and Monument Valley!
➡️ Book this three-day tour here
6-day trip to Utah’s Mighty Five: Utah’s famous Mighty 5 – Bryce Canyon, Zion, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Arches National parks – are five of the most incredible national parks in the country. This 6-day trip takes them all in.
➡️ Book this tour of all five of Utah’s national parks
Private day trip from Salt Lake City to Bryce Canyon National Park. If time is of the essence, but you want maximum flexibility, then taking a private tour is the way to go. This private tour for up to 6 people is a great option.
➡️ Book a private day trip to Bryce Canyon from Salt Lake City
Flying to Bryce Canyon National Park
Major airports you can fly to get to Bryce Canyon National Park are Las Vegas Harry Reid (LAS) in Nevada and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), in Utah. Both routes from Las Vegas airport to Bryce Canyon and Salt Lake City airport to Bryce Canyon are approximately 270 miles.
Driving the distance from Bryce Canyon to Las Vegas airport will take you about four hours. It’s quite a long drive so it’s best to check your route to know how to get to Bryce Canyon from Las Vegas. Get on I-515 N and drive until you reach UT-20 E in Iron County. Take exit 95 from I-15 N and head towards UT-20 E. Continue driving to US-89 S and UT-12 E until you reach Lodge Loop Road in Garfield County.
See Driving section below for more details on car rentals and driving directions.
If you’re also including a visit to Zion National Park, the closest airport to Bryce and Zion is Cedar City Regional Airport.
For more information about flying to Bryce Canyon read my guide to the best airports for Bryce Canyon National Park.
➡️ Check prices on flights to Bryce Canyon here
Taking the Train to Bryce Canyon National Park
There aren’t any direct train routes to the park. But if you really want to take the train, the nearest and/ or most convenient Amtrak stops with car rental services available nearby are Grand Junction, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah. Both are on the California Zephyr route.
You will then need to take a tour or a rental car from those locations to Bryce Canyon. Tours that go to Bryce Canyon are available from Salt Lake City only. Rental cars are available at both these stations.
➡️ Book a rental car with Discover Cars
➡️ Book a rental car with rentalcars.com
Taking a Bus to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bus to the Bryce Canyon area
There are no public buses to Bryce Canyon, so if you don’t want to take a tour, you will need to have your own car or a rental car to get to the park on your own.
Shuttle bus into and around Bryce Canyon National Park
Once you’re in the area, you can take the free Bryce Canyon shuttle from Bryce Canyon City to Bryce Amphitheater, and a separate shuttle to Rainbow Point.
The amphitheater shuttle runs frequently throughout the day and is available during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. You can get a digital pass before you arrive and also track the bus to help you time your next ride to the next stop.
The route takes visitors to viewpoints and places of interest within the main Bryce Amphitheater area of the park.
The Scenic Drive shuttle to Rainbow Point runs twice daily, when it’s running.
Driving to Bryce Canyon National Park
Other than taking a tour, the only way to get to Bryce Canyon National Park is to drive – either from a train station, an airport, or from your home.
If you are visiting Bryce Canyon as part of a road trip, be sure to download my Road Trip Essentials Checklist to make sure you have everything you need for the trip.
Salt Lake International and Las Vegas Airports are the two major air hubs. Bryce Canyon from Salt Lake City takes around 4 hours to drive and the Bryce Canyon to Las Vegas driving time is around the same.
From Salt Lake City, your route starts as you follow I-15 S going to Iron County’s UT-20 E. Drive to exit 95 from I-15 S. Continue driving to UT-20 E, then head to US-89 S. Follow UT-12 E going to UT-63 S in Garfield County until you reach the park entrance. The Bryce Canyon distance from Salt Lake City is approximately 270 miles.
You can also stop by several places of interest from Bryce Canyon to Salt Lake City like the Red Canyon, Utah Olympic Park, and Deer Valley Resort. So, despite the distance, Salt Lake City to Bryce Canyon offers you other attractions to add to your itinerary.
If you’re coming from Las Vegas, get on I-515 N and drive until you reach UT-20 E in Iron County. Take exit 95 from I-15 N and head towards UT-20 E. Continue driving to US-89 S and UT-12 E until you reach Lodge Loop Road in Garfield County.
Another town near the park is Cedar City. The distance from Cedar City to Bryce Canyon is approximately 80 miles. You can drive from Cedar City, Utah to Bryce Canyon in just about an hour and a half.
If you’re traveling from Park City to Bryce Canyon, it takes about four and a half hours.
Traveling from Bryce Canyon to St George, Utah is around two and a half hours.
If you’re also up for an epic road trip from Denver to Bryce Canyon, it takes more than eight hours, since the distance from Denver to Bryce Canyon, Utah is approximately 542 miles.
➡️ Book a rental car with Discover Cars
➡️ Book a rental car with rentalcars.com
➡️ Check out my guide to saving money on rental cars before you book.
Figuring out how to get to Bryce Canyon National Park 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 decide and do. The thing that most people ask me about is how to put it all together into an itinerary that actually makes sense. They decide how to get to 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
You should definitely have travel insurance when you travel to Bryce Canyon. Good travel insurance will cover you for trip cancellation, theft or damage of your property when traveling, medical help if you have an accident in or while getting to Bryce Canyon, or medical repatriation if you need to get medi-vaced out.
➡️ A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can choose the best travel insurance plan for your trip here or get a quote right now:
Enjoy Bryce Canyon National Park!
Additional Planning Resources for Bryce Canyon National Park
⭐ 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 Long Do You Need in Bryce Canyon?
⭐ 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 you decide how to get to Bryce Canyon National Park? 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 To Get To Bryce Canyon National Park
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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.