The 5 Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon
Ranked easiest to hardest, with real mileage and elevation — because “best hike” depends entirely on how much Bryce you actually want.
📍 The one thing to understand first
Bryce is upside down. At most parks you climb to the view; here the view is at the car park and the hiking goes down into it.
Which sounds easier until you’re at the bottom. Every amphitheater hike finishes with the climb back up to a rim between 8,000 and 9,100 feet — and altitude, not distance, is what catches people out here.
Wall Street is closed
Heavy rainfall on July 29, 2026 damaged the Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop, and it remains closed while repairs are underway. The Two Bridges side is open, so the Queen’s Garden–Navajo loop below still works.
Most guides online haven’t updated this. Check the NPS Bryce alerts page the morning you hike.
Last verified: August 2026 — recheck before you travelWhich One Should You Do?
| Hike | Miles | Elevation | Time | NPS Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rim: Sunset–Sunrise | 1 | 40 ft | 1 hr | Easy |
| Mossy Cave | 0.8 | 150 ft | 1 hr | Easy |
| Queen’s Garden + Navajo | 2.9 | 625 ft | 2–3 hrs | Moderate |
| Peekaboo Loop | 5.5 | 1,560 ft | 3–4 hrs | Strenuous |
| Fairyland Loop | 8 | 1,900 ft | 4–5 hrs | Strenuous |
The Five
Rim Trail: Sunset Point to Sunrise Point
The classic Bryce view without going below the rim. Level, paved, and stroller-friendly, with the amphitheater open beside you the whole way. Walk it one direction and ride the shuttle back.
Worth knowingThe full Rim Trail runs 11 miles and is not level. This one-mile section is the easy part — don’t let a guide talk you onto the whole thing by accident.Mossy Cave
A short creek walk off Highway 12, outside the main entrance and the fee station. Completely different terrain from the amphitheater — green, low, and following water.
The honest versionThe waterfall here is man-made. Settlers dug the Tropic Ditch in the 1890s to move irrigation water over the ridge. It’s still the only waterfall in the park, and it’s still worth the twenty minutes. NPS now flags this trail as heavily crowded and suggests avoiding 10 AM to 6 PM.Queen’s Garden + Navajo Loop
The National Park Service’s own most-recommended hike, and the one to do if you only do one. Descend Queen’s Garden from Sunrise Point, walk the amphitheater floor past Queen Victoria, and climb back out on the Navajo switchbacks to Sunset Point.
Go in that direction. Queen’s Garden down and Navajo up is the gentler way round — the reverse is a considerably harder climb.
Worth knowingThe Wall Street side of Navajo has been closed since July 2026. The Two Bridges side is open and the loop still works — most guides online haven’t caught up.Peekaboo Loop
The Wall of Windows, and a fraction of the people you’ll find on the loop below Sunset Point. Start from Bryce Point and ride the ridge down into it. Rolling climbs the entire way — this one is genuinely hard.
Nobody tells you thisPeekaboo is a shared horse trail spring through fall. Expect manure on the switchbacks, and step to the uphill side when riders pass.Fairyland Loop
The most hoodoo terrain of any hike in the park, with Tower Bridge and the China Wall along the way. Fairyland Point sits before the fee booth, which keeps the trailhead quiet and the trail quieter.
Start by 8 AM. There’s no water, no shade after mid-morning, and no shortcut once you’ve committed to the loop.
Worth knowingThis is the hardest hike on the list, not just the quietest. Eight miles and 1,900 feet at 8,000 feet of altitude is a real day out, and NPS rates it strenuous for good reason.Going down is the easy part. Most amphitheater hikes finish with the climb back to a rim at 8,000 to 9,100 feet.”
What didn’t make the list
Tower Bridge, Bristlecone Loop, and the Hat Shop. All good hikes. None of them is the one to do first, and a five-hike list that includes them at the expense of Queen’s Garden isn’t being honest about priorities.
The full 11-mile Rim Trail. Beautiful, and a genuinely different day. But most people asking about the Rim Trail want the paved mile, not a point-to-point that needs a shuttle plan.
If you’ve done the five above and want more, those four are where to go next.
Before You Hike
- Altitude, not heat. The rim runs 8,000 to 9,115 feet. Drink more than you think you need and take the climb out slowly.
- Entrance fee: $35 per vehicle, valid 7 days. Card only — no cash.
- Sunrise is the moment. Every amphitheater viewpoint faces east, so first light hits the hoodoos straight on.
- It’s cold before dawn even in July. Bring a layer you’d feel silly packing.
- Check the NPS alerts page the morning you hike. Bryce closes trails after storms, and Wall Street is the current example.
- Horses have right of way on Peekaboo. Step to the uphill side and stand still.
Fitting these into a trip?
Our 2-Day Bryce Canyon Itinerary builds the amphitheater and the scenic drive into two days with a free printable PDF, and the one-day version covers what fits if you’re passing through. Then sort out where to stay near Bryce Canyon.