Set at more than 2,400m above sea level, Bryce Canyon offers a cooler, quieter alternative to some of Utah’s better-known national parks. Its open meadows are home to Utah prairie dogs, mule deer and migrating hummingbirds.
Where is Bryce Canyon National Park?
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southwestern Utah, a few hundred miles south of Salt Lake City. It is part of the 'Grand Staircase', a massive 100-mile sequence of sedimentary layers stretching from this area southwards towards the Grand Canyon.
Its remote location means it has significantly fewer visitors – around 2.3 million a year – than Zion National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.
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Unique geographical features of Bryce Canyon
Despite its name, Bryce Canyon isn’t a canyon but a collection of giant natural 'amphitheatres'. These amphitheatres were created by headward erosion (the erosion at the head of a stream channel), resulting in the colourful pinnacles that rise up to 60m into the sky – that's taller than of the Statue of Liberty in New York (the copper statue measures 46.05m from base to torch).
These rock formations – of which there are thousands – are known as hoodoos and they started forming around 50 million years ago.
Although hoodoos are found in every continent in the world, Bryce Canyon holds the world’s largest collection. These tall, thin spires of rock are also known as fairy chimneys or tent rocks. In shades of red, orange and white, these distinctive geological structures are formed by river erosion and frost weathering, the process in which boulders fracture due to water freezing in them.
The hoodoos are primarily located at the top of the Grand Staircase along a high plateau, within the Bryce Canyon Amphitheatre, a horseshoe-shaped area in the park where the 360-degree views are particularly stunning.
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History of Bryce Canyon National Park
The area around Bryce Canyon was inhabited by the Paiute Native Americans until the late 18th century when European Americans began to explore the area. Small groups of Mormons began to gather near there. It was named after the Mormon settler Ebenezer Bryce, a Scottish immigrant.
It was officially established as a national park in 1928, having previously been designated as a national monument in 1923.
Dark skies of Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon has some of the darkest skies in the entirety of the US. In fact, it was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2019, thanks to its high elevation and minimal light pollution. The park now runs a series of programmes making the most of its dark-sky location, including full moon hikes.
Wildlife in Bryce Canyon National Park
There are 59 species of mammal in the park, at least 100 species of bird and 1,000 plant species.
Three species found in the park are listed under the Endangered Species Act: the Utah prairie dog, the Californian condor and the southwestern willow flycatcher. The Utah prairie dog was reintroduced to the park in the 1970s and 1980s, and the largest protected population is found here today.
Mammals
Among the 59 species of mammal that live in the park, you’ll see Utah prairie dogs, pronghorn antelopes, golden-mantled ground squirrels, Uinta chipmunks, mountain lions, American black bears, Rocky Mountain elk, American badgers, bats and mule deer.
Birds
There are dozens of bird species that call the skies of Bryce Canyon their home, including hawks, eagles and falcons, crows and jays, owls, swifts and swallows, finches, wood warblers, bluebirds, nuthatches and treecreepers, cardinals, New World sparrows, and woodpeckers and flickers.
The park is a common stopping point for hummingbirds on their migration. Native only to the Americas, many species of hummingbird spend winter in Mexico or Central America before migrating north to the US and Canada in spring to breed.
Reptiles and amphibians
11 species of reptiles and four species of amphibians can be found at Bryce Canyon – a relatively low number, due to the cold temperatures and high altitude of the area, making it an unsuitable habitat for most.
The species found here include the Great Basin rattlesnake, short-horned lizard, side-blotched lizard, striped whipsnake, tiger salamander and western terrestrial garter snake.
Insects
Over 60 species of butterflies and moths have been identified at Bryce Canyon, but little is known about the other insects in the park. There are believed to be over 1,000 different species overall.
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When can you visit Bryce Canyon?
You can visit the national park all year round, but park facilities are fully operational from May to October.
Can you hike in Bryce Canyon?
With more than 30 hiking trails for all skill levels, there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy at Bryce Canyon, regardless of your ability.
Sunrise Point is the most northern point of the park, with unsurprisingly excellent views during its namesake, sunrise, but also throughout the rest of the day.
Sunrise and Sunset Points are excellent spots not just for views of the surroundings, but also as areas to spot the various animals that call this park home.
Top image credit: Eloi Omella/Getty Images
