Sights in Bryce Canyon National Park
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Bryce Amphitheater
Bryce 'Canyon' is actually a horseshoe-shaped amphitheater eroded from the cliffs, where hoodoos stand like platoons of soldiers or melting sandcastles, all painted endless shades of coral and magenta, ochre and white, and set against a deep-green pine forest. A shaft of sunlight suddenly breaking through clouds can transform the scene from grand to breathtaking. For the best views, head to Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration or Bryce Points.
You can walk the rim above Bryce Amphitheater for awesome views, but the best way to experience the canyons and weirdly eroding hoodoos is to hike below the rim. Descents and ascents can be long and sometimes steep, and the altitude makes…
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Bryce Canyon National Park
The Grand Staircase – a series of steplike uplifted rock layers stretching north from the Grand Canyon – dramatically culminates in the Pink Cliffs formation at Bryce Canyon National Park. These cliffs were deposited as sediment in a huge prehistoric lake some 50 to 60 million years ago, slowly lifted above sea level, then eroded into wondrous ranks of pinnacles and points, steeples and spires, cliffs and crevices, and oddly-shaped hoodoos.
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Rim Road Scenic Drive
The lookout views along along the park's 18-mile-long main road are amazing; navigate using the park brochure you receive at the entrance. Bryce Amphitheater – where hoodoos stand like melting sandcastles in shades of coral, magenta, ocher and white, set against a deep-green pine forest – stretches from Sunrise Point to Bryce Point. For full effect, be sure to walk all the way out to the end of any of the viewpoints; a shaft of sunlight suddenly breaking through clouds as you watch can transform the scene from grand to breathtaking.
Note that the scenic overlooks lie on the road's east side. You can avoid left turns on the very busy road by driving all the way south to…
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Paunsagaunt Wildlife Museum
Live deer roam the yard at this barnlike museum, with more than 400 taxidermied animals and a butterfly and bug room. Ask at the museum about scheduling a visit to see the live bull elk and buffalo at the associated 80-acre Bryce Canyon Elk Preserve, a mile north of Hwy 12 on Airport Rd.
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Loop-the-Fold
This 100-mile loop links several top drives; roughly half is on dirt roads generally accessible to 2WD passenger vehicles. Pick up a driving guide ($2) at the Capitol Reef National Park visitor center. West of the park, there are the rocky valleys of Hwy 12. It only gets better after turning east along Burr Trail Rd to Strike Valley Overlook. Then take the rough Notom-Bullfrog Rd north to finish the loop at Hwy 24.
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La Sal Mountain Loop Rd
This road heads south into the Manti–La Sal forest from 15 miles north of Moab, ascending switchbacks (long RVs not recommended) into the refreshingly cool forest, with fantastic views. Connects with Hwy 191, 8 miles south of Moab. The 67-mile (three to four hour) paved loop closes in winter.
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Hwy 14
This paved scenic route leads 42 miles over the Markagunt Plateau, ending in Long Valley Junction at Hwy 89. The road rises to 10,000ft, with splendid views of Zion National Park to the south. Make sure you detour at Cedar Breaks National Monument.
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Hell's Backbone Rd
The gravel-strewn 48 miles from Hwy 12 along Hell's Backbone Rd to Torrey is far from a shortcut. You'll twist, you'll turn, you'll ascend and descend hills, but the highlight is a single-lane bridge atop an impossibly narrow ridge called Hell's Backbone.
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Comb Wash Rd
Straddling Comb Ridge, Comb Wash Rd (or CR 235) is a dirt track that runs for about 20 miles between Hwys 163 and 95 (parallel to Hwy 191) west of Blanding and Bluff. Views are fantastic (bring binoculars) and the ridge contains numerous ancient cliff dwellings. High-clearance 4WD vehicles recommended; in wet weather, this road is impassable.
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Colorado River Byway
Hwy 128 follows the river northeast to Cisco, 44 miles away just off I-70. Highlights are Castle Rock, the 900ft-tall Fisher Towers, the 1916 Dewey Bridge (one of the first across the Colorado) and sightings of white-water rafters.
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Caineville Wash Rd
Just west of Capitol Reef National Park, turn north off Hwy 24 to the otherworldly monoliths like Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon on Caineville Wash Rd. Continue on into the northern part of the park and Glass Mountain, a 20ft mound of fused selenite. Two-wheel drive is usually fine for the first 15.5 miles. With a 4WD you can make this a 58-mile Cathedral Valley loop along Hartnet Rd, which fords the Fremont River just before rejoining Hwy 24.
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Bryce Museum
Visit this barnlike natural history museum – with more than 400 taxidermied animals, butterflies, and Native American artifacts – then feed the feral deer and other animals in the yards surrounding. West of the park.
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