I’m Interested…

Bryce Canyon National Park & Canyon Point

In beautiful Bryce Canyon National Park find forested plateaus interspersed with a striking desert landscape, punctuated by a series of natural amphitheatres displaying colourful rock hoodoos in every shape and size.  For the best views of  the Canyon, go on the Rim Trail, an 11 mile round trip which skirts the canyons edge and brings you to Inspiration Point where you can view the Wall of Windows and Majestic Cathedral.

Visit the hoodoo rock formations, many of which tower ten stories high, by journeying into the depths of canyon on foot. Under The Rim, Navajo Loop and the Peek-A-Boo Loop Trails are all a great way to find beautiful areas that are often unseen. Looking for a great afternoon drive? Daves Hollow behind the town of Bryce is a great option, or if you’d like a slightly longer trip with a perfect place for a picnic along the way, the trail system just west of Tropic Reservoir is ideal.

Lives of the Hoodoos

Hoodoos don’t grow like trees but are eroded out of cliffs where rows of narrow walls form. These thin walls of rock are called fins. Frost-wedging enlarges cracks in the fins, creating holes or windows. As windows grow, their tops eventually collapse, leaving a column. Rain further dissolves and sculpts these limestone pillars into bulbous spires called Hoodoos. The delicate climatic balance between snow and rain ensures that new hoodoos will emerge while others become reduced to lumps of clay.

About 18- days a year temperatures swing widely between freezing nights and warm afternoons. The combination of gravity and meltwater causes soil creep, moving the stone fragments downhill. Rain from summer thunderstorms further dissolves the limestone into a clay ooze and generates just enough flowing water to help remove the debris.

 

Wildlife at Bryce

The canyons and plateau of Bryce Canyon National Park are home to many animals. Park boundaries mean little to the migratory hummingbirds, nesting Peregrine Falcon, Rocky Mountain Elk and Pronghorn which daily cross through the forested plateau and barren amphitheatre. The search for food and water leads them to the best place to find sustenance and shelter

Watchful eyes and good luck may reward you with wildlife sightings. Mountain lions and Great Basin rattlesnakes are secretive and not often seen. White-throated swift nests blend with the red rocks – but look up on Wall Street and you may spot them. Violet-green swallows wait out spring cold snaps by slowing their fast metabolism.

Utah Prairie dogs were listed as an endangered species in 1973, but protecting both them and their habitat improved their situation and in 1994 they were downgraded and listed as a threatened species.

Starry Night

High elevation, clean dry air and lack of light pollution make Bryce Canyon on of Earth’s darkest places. With one of the Dark Rangers’ help, Bryce Canyon offers the ultimate stargazing. High-quality darkness is ablaze with starlight. On the moonless nights, the Milky Way looks like a huge silvery rainbow from horizon to horizon. Venus and Jupiter are so bright they create shadows.

Powerful telescopes reveal the new stars inside nursery nebulae, shock waves from exploded stars, and ancient globular clusters seem like diamonds on black velvet. Millions of light-years beyond, but reached by the Dark Ranger’s telescopes, other galaxies of all shapes and sizes inspire the imagination. Making the most of the bright full moon, be sure to experience a guided night-hike among the moonlit hoodoos. Bryce Canyon is the perfect place to see why astronomy fascinates so many people.

Bryce Canyon City

Bryce Canyon City is the closest community to the entrance of Bryce Canyon National Park. A convenient transportation system takes visitors into the park, eliminating the hassle of traffic and parking. The city hosts several events throughout the year, including the Bryce Canyon Winter Festival, Bryce Canyon Country Rodeo and the Bryce Canyon Rim Run and Walk.

Canyon Point

Experience dramatic landscapes and breathtaking vistas at Canyon Point, with easy access to the southwest’s national parks. Canyon Point has a dry climate year-round, but target your visit depending on your favourite activities. White-water rafting is best during the warmer months when the river is flowing and the air is warm. For hiking, we suggest booking a trip during the spring or autumn for ideal temperatures. If you’re really heading to the desert to sunbathe, the summers are great — but don’t forget sunscreen.

Suggested Itineraries

How Can We Help?

  • North America Travel Service
  • The Kennedy Building,
    48 Victoria Road,
    Leeds, LS11 5AF
  • GET DIRECTIONS
Join our newsletter

Get updates on the latest offers, news, events and more.