Planning to visit Bryce Canyon National Park with kids? Learn all about this amazing park and get ready for an amazing visit!
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southern Utah, about 84 miles from Zion National Park. There’s only one entrance to Bryce Canyon. Bryce Canyon City is right on the edge of the national park which makes it easy to find a place to stay and food after a day of exploring.
This national park is known for its red rock hoodoos, which are tall, thin spire rock formations that look like rows of chimneys. These amazingly beautiful rock pillars are formed by erosion. Bryce Canyon National Park has the largest collection of hoodoos in the world! It’s also home to an amazing natural amphitheater.
Our whole family really enjoyed this park. We were thoroughly impressed by the beauty of the rock formations and the scenic overlooks.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit!
What to Know Before You Go
Bryce Canyon National Park is a smaller national park. There’s only one road in and out.
It’s a small national park, so if you are limited on time, you can see a lot of what this park has to offer in a few hours.
However, if you have more time, there are lots of amazing hiking trail options to explore and enjoy!
​If you have young children be sure to take their hand as you take in the scenic views, as there are major drop-offs.
There’s a bus tram that is handy for taking you from point to point. You can also drive into this park and use the pullouts to stop at scenic overlooks.
Bryce Canyon is open year round. You don’t need advanced reservations, like some of the other national parks.
May through September is the busiest season for the park. Roads can be temporary closed during the winter months until the roads can be cleared after snow storms.
What to Bring
Comfortable Walking Shoes – There’s lots of amazing scenic overlooks, so you’ll want to make sure you have your walking shoes on! If you plan to hike the trails, you might consider bringing hiking boots as well.
Sunscreen – This is a must for a day in the sun!
Hat – A hat absolutely a must in the dry western states to keep the sun off your face and head.
Lunch – We packed sandwiches, apples, chips, and drinks in a cooler that we kept in our car.
Water – Bring plenty of water. Dehydration can happen easily in this dry climate.
Hand Sanitizing Wipes – Some of the trails only have pit bathrooms (no running water). Wipes are great for “handwashing.”
What to Do at Bryce Canyon National Park
First, I’d recommend stopping at the Visitor’s Center. You can use the restrooms and park your car to use the bus tram.
From here, you can decide whether you want to take the scenic drive first, or hike first.
The shuttle bus will take you to the most iconic points of the park which are all within the first 3 miles. It will take you to Bryce Point and Inspiration Point.
From the shuttle stop, you can take a short hike if you like (just over a mile long) along the Rim Trail to see Sunset Point and Sunrise Point. There’s other trails to enjoy as well, if you are ready to hike the afternoon!
You can take the bus back to the parking lot at the Visitor Center at the park entrance.
You can drive along the 18 mile national park road stopping at the viewpoints as you wish. The road ends at Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point.
As you head back down, be sure to stop at Natural Bridge for amazing views. Natural Bridge was one of my favorite things in the whole park!
Our kids really enjoyed riding the bus, checking out the viewpoints, and taking a short hike. Make sure to pack plenty of water and snacks to keep kids happy, fed, and hydrated.
I hope this has been helpful in planning your trip to Bryce Canyon National Park.
More National Parks Tips
Planning to visit more National Parks?
Be sure to check out our visit to Great Sand Dunes National Park as well. It’s such an amazing sight and so much fun for families. I think this was my kids’ favorite National Park!
Learn all about Visiting the Grand Canyon with kids here. I was so impressed by the Grand Canyon….it’s worth the hype and definitely a bucket trip item everyone should do!
Thinking of visiting Zion National Park with Kids? There’s a learning curve. Here’s our best advice!
You can find all of our best advice for Visiting Mesa Verde National Park with kids here. The history of this area is incredible. You will learn so much!
Plus, you can grab a free printable Road Trip Packing List here. It’s perfect for that big family trip!
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