What is the difference between Bryce Canyon and a real canyon?
By definition Bryce Canyon is misnamed, it is not a real canyon. Canyons are carved by flowing water. Most of the canyons of Bryce are carved by ice forming in cracks - a process known as frost wedging.
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Bryce Canyon was not formed from erosion initiated from a central stream, meaning it technically is not a canyon. Instead headward erosion has excavated large amphitheater-shaped features in the Cenozoic-aged rocks of the Paunsaugunt Plateau.
Bright orange and light tan fine-grained sedimentary rocks of the Claron Formation make up the distinctive hoodoos in Bryce National Park. The most distinctive feature of Bryce Canyon, hoodoos, are natural geologic features that create an otherworldly landscape.
Bryce Canyon National Park in Southwestern Utah is famous for the largest collection of hoodoos—the distinctive rock formations at Bryce—in the world. Bryce Canyon is also home to horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, scenic vistas, and the dark night sky.
Bryce Canyon City, sometimes shown as Bryce on maps, is a town in Garfield County, Utah, United States, adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park. The town, formerly known as Ruby's Inn, was officially incorporated on July 23, 2007 under a short-lived state law. The population was 198 at the 2010 census.
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.
The word “hoodoo” means to bewitch, which is what Bryce Canyon's rock formations surely do. The hoodoos we are talking about are tall skinny shafts of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins.
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.
A Utah roadtrip routeIf you're only doing these two parks then it doesn't matter which you do first. If you're going over to the other Utah national parks (on the east side of the state), then it makes sense to do Zion first, then Bryce and head on east.
Known for its glowing orange rock hoodoos and otherworldly landscape, Bryce Canyon National Park is a must see. While the nearby town of Bryce, Utah offers many lodging options, spending a night inside the park at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon is an unforgettable experience.
Utah has several certified Dark Sky Parks, with Bryce Canyon being Utah's fourth national park, and 13th location altogether, to receive dark sky certification from the International Dark-Sky Association.
The great thing about Bryce is there's something for everyone: from easy flat trails along the rim to epic adventures inside the canyon itself. If you're fanatical about hiking like us then you'll be happy to know that with just a few days you can actually hike virtually every single one of them!
The great thing about Bryce is there's something for everyone: from easy flat trails along the rim to epic adventures inside the canyon itself. If you're fanatical about hiking like us then you'll be happy to know that with just a few days you can actually hike virtually every single one of them!
We think one day in Bryce Canyon is just about the right amount of time to see the highlights of the park. It's a relatively small park, so there's really not that much to do and see. Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive – which is the main thoroughfare through the park – is only 19 miles long (one way).