Seeing Bryce Canyon National Park is a must for anyone close to Southern Utah. Tons of people talk about Zion National Park, but miss out on what nearby Bryce Canyon has to offer. The park isn’t huge, which means that anyone can access the best 5 viewpoints in one day.
If you aren’t a huge hiker, don’t worry, you can still enjoy the best Bryce Canyon viewpoints as they are all located right next to parking lots! If you are a big time hiker, there are plenty of strenuous trails for you to explore.
Another benefit of the best viewpoints being located so close to parking lots is that you can access them all in one day, and even have time for a quick hike. The drive from the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center to the most southern point is only about 25 minutes, and the first four are all within 4 minutes.
Bryce Canyon elevation is 8,000 to 9,000 feet.
Top 5 Spots on your Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive
Below is a quick breakdown of the 5 best Bryce Canyon viewpoints you have to see. The Bryce Canyon Scenic drive is perfect for those who don’t have the time or the ability to hike.
Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point
The Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point is the first viewpoint you get to when you come in from the main entrance. If you are interested in hiking the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail (5.5 miles and will cover the first 4 top viewpoints) this is where you start.
Obviously this point gets its name because it is great at sunrise, but don’t think that is the only time that it is beautiful. In fact, I recommend not going to Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point at sunrise and Sunset Point Bryce Canyon at sunset since they are more likely to be crowded.
Bryce Canyon Sunset Point
The Bryce Canyon Sunset Point viewpoint is very close to Sunrise. Sunset Point is the starting and ending point for the parks most popular hike the Navajo Loop Trail.
The view here is amazing, but it isn’t really that much different from Sunrise. Due to its name, expect to find a lot of people here at Sunset. I would recommend going to one of the other points at Sunset (Iinstead to catch a great view with less crowds.
Sunrise and Sunset are probably the most popular for good reason, but if you don’t have time to explore them all I would recommend moving on to others.
Bryce Canyon Inspiration Point
Of all the viewpoints Bryce Canyon Inspiration Point was my favorite. Not only does the view let you look out across the canyon, but you can also see the hoodoos (super unique rock feature) up close.
The signage to Inspiration Point isn’t as clear as some of the other viewpoints, which may cause some people to miss it.
Bryce Canyon Bryce Point
The drive from Inspiration Point to Bryce Point is only about 7 minutes, so don’t plan on being stuck in the car for a long time.
Bryce Canyon Bryce Point is the spot I recommend at sunset. The actual viewing platform is a bit bigger than the others, there were less people than at Sunset Point, and I feel you got a better view of the sun setting behind the mountains, and the views are more panoramic since there is visible forest in the middle.
Rainbow Point Bryce Canyon
The 5th, Rainbow Point Bryce Canyon is the only one that is a pretty decent drive. Even though it’s the furthest away, it’s only an extra 25 minutes from the others.
The drive down to Bryce Canyon Rainbow is still easy, and don’t be surprised if you see plenty of deer from the road. The views from Bryce Canyon Rainbow Point are great, but they aren’t any better than the more northern four, so don’t feel a need to make the drive if you are trying to save time, or would rather spend the extra time on a quick hike.
Where to watch the beautiful Bryce Canyon Sunset
The best place to watch the sunset at Bryce Canyon is Inspiration Point. It is less crowded than the other viewpoints and has moree space to take photos. You wont be cramped.
Conclusion
We spent 3 days explore Bryce Canyon. None of the top 5 viewpoints are a waste of time, and all are worth exploring if you do have the time. The best advice I have is to do what you can to avoid the crowds. Later in the day tends to be better for all of the viewpoints, with the exception of Sunset Point getting crowded at the end of the day.
Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive – or you can hike between the viewpoints