Can you drive your own car through Bryce Canyon National Park?

From mid-April to November, Bryce Canyon National Park offers a free shuttle service to all the major viewpoints in the park. You aren't required to use the shuttle here like you are at some other parks (like Zion and the Grand Canyon), meaning you can still choose to drive your own car if you want.



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If you're visiting the amphitheater, take the shuttle because parking will be difficult to find. But if you're watching a sunrise, you'll need to drive and park by the Amphitheater because the shuttle doesn't start running until 8:00 am. For the Scenic Drive, you'll need to drive your car.

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If you're looking for breathtaking views on a casual drive, give Utah's Byway 12, Byway 143, or Scenic Highway 89 a try!

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The best way to get around Bryce Canyon National Park is by shuttle and car. The park's free shuttle system operates from April through late October. If you're visiting outside those months, a car is the best way to get around.

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Several days throughout the year have been designated as fee free days at your national parks including Bryce Canyon National Park. On these days, entrance fees will not be charged, however, camping and other use fees will still be collected. To find out the fee free days visit the Fee Free Days website.

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Since southern Utah is a bit of a haul from any major cities, many visitors make Bryce Canyon part of a larger Utah road trip. Though it's a smaller park and some people will spend less than a full day in Bryce Canyon, I recommend spending one to two full days here to really explore all that the park has to offer.

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There's no option for more entrances into Bryce Canyon. So, sadly, Bryce Canyon offers only one entrance for the public. It's at the north end of the park and controls all the traffic in and out of the park.

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The shuttle is free with park admission: Your park entrance receipt or annual pass allows you and the occupants of your vehicle unlimited shuttle access. Buses typically arrive at each stop every 15 minutes, but with the new Bryce Canyon Shuttle Tracker you can time your next ride to the minute.

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As amazing as this drive is, however, it can be scary and dangerous at times. The drive from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon drive is 72 miles long, with roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes of driving time.

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Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park are approximately 80 miles apart and one can be reached from the other in under 2 hours by car, about 1 hour and 40 minutes without traffic. The fastest route between the two parks starts on Route 12, takes you south on Interstate 89 and then west on Route 9.

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Route 12 is one of the most scenic roads in Utah, and all of the US for that matter, so this is a drive to enjoy. I definitely recommend doing this hike during the day so you can soak up all of the views along the way.

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Bryce and Arches are both stunning. But Arches offer more variety. You can see a good portion of Bryce just from overlooks. And while the view of the hoodoos is otherworldly, if you're not a huge hoodoo fan, the view can start to grow monotonous.

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YES. If the bear continues to approach, use your bear spray. You should have bear spray with you at all times while hiking and camping and adventuring.

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That depends on the type of experience you are looking for. If you're interested in exploring the unique hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park is the better option, as it offers a variety of trails and viewpoints. On the other hand, Zion National Park has more adventurous hikes and back-country opportunities.

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