Hiking in Bryce Canyon

~1.6 mi · +550 ft gain · 1–1.5 hr

The dramatic descent from Sunset Point through Wall Street's switchbacks, past Thor's Hammer and back up. Short on the map but a steep, sustained climb out at 8,000 feet — the Wall Street side closes seasonally for ice and rockfall, so check status first. The most-walked way below the rim, and the one most people remember.

~1.8 mi · +320 ft gain · 1.5–2 hr

The gentlest way off the rim into the amphitheater, dropping from Sunrise Point through graded switchbacks among the hoodoos. The walk down is easy; the 320-foot climb back to the rim is the real work. Most hikers link it with the Navajo Loop for the classic Bryce circuit.

~2.9 mi · +650 ft gain · 1.5–2.5 hr

The route most people mean when they say they hiked Bryce — down the gentle Queen's Garden switchbacks from Sunrise Point, across the amphitheater floor among the hoodoos, and back up Wall Street's slot to Sunset Point. Walk it clockwise (down Queen's Garden, up Navajo) to save the steep climb for last on the shorter side. The single best two-to-three-hour hike in the park.

~5.2 mi · +1,520 ft gain · 3–4 hr

The deepest of the amphitheater loops, winding through the hoodoos well below the rim with over 1,500 feet of cumulative climbing. It is also the park's horse trail, so expect to share it and the soft, churned tread that comes with it. The reward is the quietest, most immersive time among the spires — but it earns the Hard rating on the climbs at altitude.

~8.1 mi · +1,555 ft gain · 4–5 hr

The long way around the north end of the amphitheater, starting from Fairyland Point off the main road before the fee booth. Eight miles and 1,500 feet of climbing keep the crowds thin — this is the half-day hike for people who want the hoodoos to themselves. Carry water and watch the afternoon sky; there is no shade and no bail-out halfway around.

~3.3 mi · +640 ft gain · 1.5–2.5 hr

The same celebrated circuit as the combination loop, taken with the Wall Street slot on the descent rather than the climb — a slightly longer variant when Wall Street is open and the ice is gone. Wall Street is the narrow chasm between two-hundred-foot fins with a pair of Douglas firs reaching for the light; it closes in winter and after rockfall, so confirm status before you count on this direction.

~1.2 mi · +85 ft gain · 30–45 min

The flat, paved stretch of the Rim Trail between Sunrise and Sunset Points — the one walk at Bryce that stays on the rim, takes in the whole amphitheater, and is open to leashed dogs and wheelchairs. The easy answer for anyone who can't or doesn't want to descend into the hoodoos, and the best place to be at sunrise or sunset without committing to a climb.

22.9 mi · 4,366 ft gain · 11.6 hr

The Under-the-Rim Trail runs about 22.9 miles point-to-point below Bryce's amphitheater rim, the park's main backcountry route and an overnight backpacking trek that needs a backcountry permit. It tops out above 9,000 feet, so plan for thin air and cold nights, and snow can linger into spring; the trail is best from April through November. Water is scarce and unreliable along the way, so most hikers stash water ahead of time and treat anything they collect. The common plan is to take the Rainbow Point shuttle and hike north, losing over 1,000 feet of elevation toward the main trailhead.

8.9 mi · 1,850 ft gain · 4.5 hr

The Riggs Spring Loop is an 8.9-mile loop from the Rainbow Point area at the park's far south end, dropping through spruce, fir, and bristlecone forest with red cliff breaks and aspen groves opening views east and south. It sits above 9,000 feet, so expect thin air and a snow-bound trail into spring; the best window is March through October. It doubles as a backcountry camping area, so overnight trips need a backcountry permit. A spring near the midpoint offers shade, but treat that water before drinking and carry plenty of your own. Parking and restrooms are at Rainbow Point, and the lot fills early on busy days.

0.9 mi · 118 ft gain · 0.4 hr

Mossy Cave is the easy family option, a 0.9-mile out-and-back off Highway 12 near Tropic, outside the main amphitheater with no shuttle needed and no permit required. The short, low-gain walk follows a creek past hoodoos to a small waterfall and a sheltered overhang filled with moss in summer and icicles in winter. The stream comes from an 1890s pioneer irrigation ditch, so water flows seasonally through Water Canyon. It is a quick way to get the canyon experience without descending into it; parking is small and fills fast, so arrive early.