(This post is part 5/6- make sure to read the others. While you’re reading, click anything blue and you will see I attached links and additional images for more information!)
Our second to last stop on our honeymoon was to Bryce Canyon National Park.
*All times included time spent taking pictures/enjoying the views.
* We visited in the middle of June
Day 1- Tuesday
We left Zion National Park at 8:00am (if you remember, RVs can only travel through the tunnel from 8am to 8pm) and arrived at Bryce National Park around 10:30. The drive was very easy and scenic as you pass through the Red Canyons on your way. Because we could not check into our campground until 12:00pm, we hopped on the shuttle and headed towards the visitor center to pick up our maps and get more information on the park. From the visitor center we headed to complete our first hike, the Wall Street/Queens Garden Loop (with an accidental trip on the Navajo Loop).
Navajo Loop–
Distance- .5 miles
Time- 15 minutes
Shuttle- Stop 6 (Sunset Point)
The Navajo loop is longer than what we completed but it was closed at the bridges, we accidently ended up on this loop and went .25 miles down until we saw the “closed” signs and back. The views were incredible though so if you have an extra 15 minutes, hike down.
Wall Street/Queens Garden Loop–
Distance- 3.4 miles
Time- 2.5 hours
Shuttle- Stop 6 (Sunset Point)
This loop is recommended to be completed in a clockwise direction because there are steep switchbacks or declines down wall street if you complete it counter clockwise. Greg and I realized we would rather go down a steep decline than up an incline and completed it counter clockwise. Either direction is fine and people were going both ways. This loop has great views of the hoodoos and walls- make sure to look up and around! In order to complete a full loop, we completed part of the Rim Trail from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point (where we started). If you want to complete just this part of the hike without the loop I listed above, you can.
Rim Trail (Sunrise Point to Sunset Point)–
Distance- .5 miles
Time- 15 minutes
Shuttle- Stop 8 (Sunrise Point)
The Rim Trail is a total of 11 miles but you have the option of getting off at various shuttle stops and completing short parts. We found this to be the best option as an 11 mile straight hike was not for us. We still got great views of the canyon and hoodoos!
We took a mid-day break from hiking and went to lunch at Ruby’s Canyon Diner. Unfortunately, we were very unpleased with our meals and did not return. We ordered the 15 inch pizza to share/have leftovers for $25.00 only to realize the 7 inch pizza was $6.50… we could have ordered 4 of the 7 inch pizzas for the price of one. We asked to modify our orders to our preference and it was not respected. I ended up ordering a chicken sandwich because of how the pizza looked and after two bites, I threw it out. I am not writing this to warn everyone not to go there, but this was just our opinion. Feel free to try it out! I am sure if you visit you may have a different experience. After lunch we checked into our campground, Ruby’s Inn and Campground. Ruby’s Inn had full hook up, laundry, general store, and a shuttle stop. After checking in, we took a two hour nap before our last planned hike for the day which was another section of the Rim Trail, Bryce Point to Inspiration Point.
Rim Trail (Bryce Point to Inspiration Point)–
Distance- 1.6 miles
Time- 1 hour
Shuttle- Stop 3 (Bryce Point)
Once again, this trail is a section of the 11-mile Rim Trail. We hiked from Bryce Point to Inspiration Point because it was mostly downhill. If you complete it the other way, you will have more of an uphill hike. We took advantage of the lookout points and snapped many pictures- our favorite was the Upper Inspiration Point lookout, to the left of that is the Amphitheater. Everything looks fake and we said we felt like we were on a movie set.
After the hike, we hopped back on the shuttle to get our RV- RV’s are only allowed to park at most places after 8pm. We asked for recommendations on where to see the sunset and ironically were told Upper Inspiration Point. The sunset here was very pretty but we enjoyed turning around and looking over the canyon with the color change. We definitely recommended you hike up here to see the sunset, you will not be disappointed.
Our night ended with us being so tired, we once again did not want to cook dinner. We were told the Cowboy Buffet and Steakhouse was good so we decided to eat there. We both got the buffet for $22.00 (each) and I would say it was worth it- you were able to choose from: chicken, pork, rice, pasta, soup, salad, and dessert.
Day 2- Wednesday
After so many days packed with hiking, our bodies were getting tired. We found ourselves picking shorter hikes rather than longer ones but that was okay, we deserved to relax on this trip too. Well… a little since we were still very determined to hit 100 miles! How do you think we are doing so far? Do you think we will hit our goal? Day two at Bryce Canyon was only filled with two hikes, the Tower Bridge in the morning and the Mossy Cave Trail at night to look at the stars (one of the shuttle drivers recommended it).
Tower Bridge–
Distance- 3.2 miles
Time- 2 hours
Shuttle- Stop 8 (Sunrise Point)
The Tower Bridge hike is a part of the Fairyland Loop. If you plan on doing this loop, do not complete the Tower Bridge on a separate day! The Fairyland Loop is a total of 8 miles which is why we decided to just complete the one section. This hike is listed as easy but was far from that. First, you hike 1.6 miles down into the canyon and then when you are tired and hot, you have to hike 1.6 miles out- we were exhausted but took many rest periods and drank lots of water!
Before going out for our evening hike to Mossy Cave, we went to the Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill for a country concert- you have the option of eating dinner at the buffet but it was a little too expensive as neither one of us was super hungry ($30-40 depending on what you want as your main meal). The concert was great so if you have time, check it out! It’s $10 if you are not eating dinner and just want to attend the concert.
Mossy Cave Trail–
Distance- .8 miles (total out and back)
Time- 30 minutes
Shuttle- No shuttle stop, this trail is outside the park, about a 10 minute drive
Okay, so here is the thing… this hike was only .8 miles but we didn’t complete it for a few reasons. As we were walking in everything was fine, a couple was leaving and said we were the only ones there and to have fun because we would be all alone. As soon as it got dark, all I could think about was the movie Wrong Turn (if you haven’t seen it, google it, and you’ll know why I was scared)- yes, I know I am a baby. Greg also warned me of the animal life we may run into including mountain lions and coyotes, I wasn’t too concerned about them until we saw a really big snake and I thought “Oh, the animals must all come out at night,” which made me even more scared. Greg agreed to forego the rest of the hike after about .3 miles in and on our way back all we could smell was a skunk- now my fear of being sprayed by a skunk on my honeymoon set in! Overall, this hike looked like it would have been great so we recommend completing it in the daytime or nighttime if you aren’t scared like I was. Let me know if you go at night and how the stars are!
OTHER PARK INFORMATION
SHUTTLE SYSTEM– There is a free shuttle here at Bryce National Park. It takes about 45 minutes to complete the entire loop or you can look for crossover points to shorten your trip. The bus drivers were all great and can help with anything you need.
VISITOR CENTER- Definitely make a stop here, the rangers can provide you with any information or questions you may have, you can buy souvenirs at the gift shop, grab free maps (we lived off of using ours), and get a stamp for your National Park Passport! We added to our National Park patch collection here.
SERVICE- We had service and WiFi at our campground which was nice for a change, we were immediately able to send pictures to our family.
FOOD- We packed a lot of snacks for our hikes including trail mix, crackers, etc. Having the RV available after each hike was very convenient for meals as well. There are many restaurants, cafes, and stores in the town of Bryce City and the staff can provide recommendations if you are craving something specific. Our reviews of the restaurants we ate at are above.
LAUNDRY– There was a laundry facility at our campground but we did not need it or know how much it costs.
WEATHER– It was hot! Luckily, there were some shaded parts during our hikes but definitely bring lots of water.
TRAILS- If you are limited on time, plan out your top trails and do them first; you might be surprised that you have extra time in the day that allows for more adventures.
FIREWOOD- You are not allowed to gather branches for firewood, it must be purchased.
OUR NUMBER 1 RECOMMENDATION- Attend a local event- concert, rodeo, etc.
OUR NUMBER 1 RECOMMENDED HIKE- Views from in the canyon: Wall Street/Queens Garden, Views from on top of the canyon: Bryce Point to Inspiration Point.
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