10 Best Stops on Scenic Drive in Bryce Canyon (Map+Tips)

• Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive is an out-and-back drive that spans the length of the Bryce Canyon National Park and hits all the park highlights.
• It is 38 miles long (round trip) and it will take you at least 3-4 hours to complete Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive and stop at some of the best viewpoints along the Scenic Drive.
• Suppose you have only one day in Bryce Canyon National Park, and you have never experienced the hoodoos protruding from this vast landscape. In that case, my recommendation is to start at the end of the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive and work your way back. Why? You will gradually get to appreciate the scenery and eventually get to the ‘WOW’ viewpoints in Bryce Canyon.

Bryce Canyon Viewpoints Map. Bryce Canyon Elevation Map. Image Source: Bryce Canyon Map NPS

Yovimpa and Rainbow Points are located at the very end of the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive.

Both, Yovimpa and Rainbow Points on Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive provide incredible views of the canyon country, however, each one will give you a slightly different view of the canyon.

Starting with Rainbow Point, located just a short walk from the parking lot, you will get to see the giant sloping plateaus, tilted mesas, and hoodoos protruding from the vast landscape.

The view is simply stunning and it will take your breath away! I think that this is the spot that really will give you an idea of how vast this place is!

Now, at the other side of the parking lot, you will find the trailhead for Yovimpa Point.

It is just a short hike to Yovimpa Point and you will reach it in no time.

Yovimpa Point offers a bit of a different view of Bryce Canyon. You will get to see the beautiful views of forested slopes. And, above all, some breathtaking views of Arizona and maybe even the Grand Canyon.

However, if you look in the far distance, in the picture below, you should be able to locate an eroded sandstone dome. It kind of looks like a volcano. Strangely enough, it is called Molly’s Nipple.

What’s up with Molly’s Nipple?

It is the name given to as many as seven peaks, one butte, one well, and several other geological features in Utah. Some sources claim eleven geological features in Utah bear this name!

At least some of those names are attributed to John Kitchen – a pioneer of early exploration of Utah, who named them to commemorate the nipple of his wife Molly.

Now, if you are following my directions and you are working your way back on the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, then your next stop should be Black Birch Canyon Viewpoint. It is just north of mile marker 16 on the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive.

Black Birch Canyon Viewpoint sits at 8,750 feet and it offers a great view of pink, orange, and white-colored cliffs. In addition, you will get a first good look at hoodoos.

Hoodoos appear as almost phantom-like rock formations. Needless to say, they are almost hypnotic. After staring at them, you begin to see the shapes of figures frozen in the rock.

What are hoodoos? Hoodoos are geological formations created over many centuries through a combination of physical and chemical weathering forces.

As the National Park Service explains, “in the winter, melting snow, in the form of water, seeps into the cracks and freezes at night. When water freezes it expands by almost 10 percent, bit by bit prying open cracks, making them ever wider, in the same way, a pothole forms in a paved road.”

Hoodoo Formation. Photo credit Brian B. Roanhorse/National Park Service

Natural Bridge is one of the best-known natural arches in Bryce Canyon National Park.

It is a massive formation of eroded, deep red-hued limestone jutting from the edge of the overlook.

Next to Natural Bridge Viewpoint is Agua Canyon. If you have time, then you should make a short stop. There are two pretty distinct hoodoos that are hard to miss.

On the left, is the taller of the two towers, “The Hunter.” To the right is a hoodoo commonly referred to as the “Rabbit” or alternatively the “Backpacker.”

Farview Point provides awesome views of canyons, blue-hued mesas, and huge plateaus that make up the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument.

What is the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument?

The Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument encompasses an area of 1.9 million acres!

The Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument is bordered by the communities of Glendale, Kanab, and Big Water from the southwest and Tropic, Cannonville, Henrieville, Escalante, and Boulder communities from the northeast.

Take a look at the photo right below.

From north to south, you can see the Aquarius Plateau (Pink Cliffs), the Kaiparowits Plateau (Grey Cliffs), Molly’s Nipple (White Cliffs), and even glimpses of the Kaibab Plateau on which lies the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Now, these magnificent views result from Bryce Canyon’s extremely high air quality, with potential visibility as far away as the Black Mesas in Arizona — up to 160 miles!

Swamp Canyon Viewpoint sits between two ridgelines that extend into a forested canyon. It gives an up-close and personal look at the scenery.

Here, you can get a good look at hoodoos and see the intricately carved formations dotting the landscape for miles.

A legend of the Paiute Indians, who inhabited the area for hundreds of years before the arrival of European Americans, claims the colorful hoodoos are ancient “Legend People” who were turned to stone as punishment for bad deeds.

What you need to know is that Sheep Creek and Swamp Canyon Trail start right at Swamp Canyon Viewpoint.

It is the best chill hike in the park. It is not too difficult and not too easy. Just right! On top of that, the views at Swamp Canyon Viewpoint are spectacular!

But, first of all, it is a perfect hike to escape the crowds that swarm the Rim Trail. And, honestly, you will have this trail pretty much to yourself.

Second, if you are hiking in the summertime, this trail provides much-needed shade.

INTREPID’S PRO TIP: Now, my recommendation is that after Swamp Canyon Viewpoint, you should head to Paria View and find a parking spot.

The next five viewpoints: Paria View, Bryce Point, Inspirations Point Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point are located close together and the best way to catch the awesome views is to take a paved trail that goes along the rim of the canyon.

Bryce Canyon Viewpoints Map. Bryce Canyon Elevation Map. Image Source: Bryce Canyon Map NPS

GOOD TO KNOW: Paria View is a spot to come back to at sunset time. Hands down, it is the perfect location to take great pictures at sunset. Most of the hoodoo amphitheaters at Bryce Canyon face east, which is great for taking sunrise pictures. However, Paria View faces west.

Furthermore, make sure to locate one prominent and photogenic castle-like hoodoo that rises high above the canyon floor. It is the last place to catch the rays of the setting sun.

By the way, Paria is a Paiute word meaning “water with elk” or “water with mud”.

Hands down, Bryce Point is one of the best viewpoints in Bryce Canyon. It offers stunning views of the Silent City, an assemblage of hoodoos resembling figures frozen in the rock.

In addition, I think you will get a great view of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Did you know that the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is partly named for the Escalante River? The Escalante River flows from Boulder Mountain to the Colorado River.

The monument reminds us of a staircase that gradually descends in elevation from north to south, ending at the Grand Canyon.

INTREPID’S PRO TIP: Make sure to follow a short path leading to a fenced-in promontory that juts over the canyon floor. The views are even more spectacular from that spot!

Bryce Point is a starting point for many of the great hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park.

First of all, you should not miss the Hat Shop Trail where you will see the most unique hoodoos with caprocks balanced on top of them.

Second, another great hike that starts at Bryce Point is Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail. It is one of the most scenic top hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park. It gets its name from the most unusual arch formations known as windows.

Right from the start of this hike, you will be rewarded with incredible views of Bryce Amphitheatre, followed by the famous hoodoo formations known as Wall of Windows, Cathedral, and Fairy Castle.

Inspiration Point sits lower than Bryce Point and pretty much provides the same view as Bryce Point. However, because it sits lower, the hoodoos feel closer and you can make out their intricate carvings.

Sunset Point is the focal point of the Bryce Canyon National Park. Aside from great views of the Silent City, this point is known for Thor’s Hammer which features a huge boulder precariously balanced on top of a hoodoo.

Contrary to its name, Sunset Point is not the best place to capture stunning sunsets! For the best sunsets head directly to Paria View. Sunset Point faces east, which is not the best for sunsets. However, come back here at sunrise. You will catch the most spectacular views.

Sunset Point is the start of one of the most popular hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park called Navajo Loop Trail. The hoodoo formations that are along the trail, such as Wall Street, Twin Bridges, and Thor’s Hammer are iconic sights in Bryce Canyon National Park.

You will get great views of hoodoos at Sunrise Point. In addition, it shows the Aquarius Plateau and the Sinking Ship, a sloping mesa that kind of looks like a ship’s stern rising out of water.

In addition, Sunrise Point is a great starting place for many hikes in Bryce Canyon.

Sunrise Point is a trailhead to one of my favorite hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park – Queens Garden Trail.

Queens Garden Trail is one of the most popular easy hikes in Bryce Canyon that will take you below the rim, and let you meander among the hoodoos and see up-close their intricate carvings.