Which is better Bryce Canyon or Moab?

Moab is known for the some of the best biking, four-wheeling, and hiking in the country. Next, keep in mind that Bryce Canyon is all high deserts and gets extremely cold during late fall, early spring, and most winter months; where Arches is lower in elevation and will keep you out of the extreme cold temperatures.



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The Southern Utah national park's beauty lent itself to making the park the second most popular park in the country, with over 5 million visitors per year. According to Travel Lens, Zion easily beat out other Utah national parks, though that is not to say Utah's parks should be slept on.

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Best Time of Year to Visit Bryce Canyon makes a great destination all year long. In the winter months, the hoodoos get a dusting of snow, a magical time to be here. Spring and fall generally has pleasant weather and smaller crowds than the busy summer months.

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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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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.

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Should I Spend More Time in Zion or Bryce Canyon? Chances are, if you're heading to Bryce Canyon, you're probably also wanting to visit Zion National Park at the same time. These parks are only two hours apart, making it easy to see both! Zion definitely needs more time than Bryce Canyon.

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You should plan to spend at least 1 to 2 days in Bryce Canyon National Park. While you can see the highlights in just one day, you'll be able to explore the hiking trails more with a full 2 days in Bryce Canyon.

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We recommend at least 2 full days/ 3 nights for the Moab area. One day for Arches National Park and half a day to a day for Canyonlands National Park, plus the Dead Horse Point State Park. In addition, you can also take a short rafting tour, as we did. 3 days/4 nights would make your visit more relaxing.

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Utah is home to 5 of the best national parks—Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion—collectively known as the Mighty Five.

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The Lodge at Bryce Canyon is one of the park's most iconic historic structures. The Lodge and its surrounding motel structures are located a short walk from the park's iconic Bryce Amphitheater, and offer 114 rooms including lodge suites, motel rooms, and cabins. Reservations are highly recommended.

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There is no minimum recommended timeframe for a visit to Bryce Canyon. Even in just one morning you can see the most interesting areas and admire the incredible rock formations from the viewpoints. However, I would suggest spending at least 1 full day in Bryce Canyon if you would like to hike the main trails.

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Can you do Bryce Canyon and the arches in one day? Yes, but barely, and it isn't recommended. It takes roughly 4 hours and 50 minutes to drive from Bryce Canyon National Park to Arches National Park, which would leave you with very little time to explore either park.

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The direct drive from Moab to Bryce Canyon National Park is 279 mi (449 km), and should have a drive time of 4 hrs 43 mins in normal traffic.

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The rainy season occurs in July and August with frequent, usually brief, afternoon thunderstorms which produce heavy rain and frequent lightning. If visiting during these months remember that lightning kills and when thunder roars go indoors!

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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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Start hikes, like the Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop trail, in the morning to avoid crowds. I recommend watching the sunrise and starting the hike shortly after. Wait to do the scenic drive until the afternoon after you've explored the area around Bryce Canyon Lodge. Sunrise is the best time for photography.

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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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If you're planning a trip to Bryce Canyon, it is important to take into consideration your tolerance for crowds and unpredictable weather. By and large the busiest time to visit the park are the summer months (June through September). In fact, sixty percent of park visitors come during this time.

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Bryce Canyon NP Scenic drive runs 18 miles along Highway 63 from Highway 12 until it ends at the south end of Highway 63 in Bryce Canyon National Park. Many of the park's highlights can be seen by the numerous overlooks. Please be aware that several of the side roads may be closed seasonally due to wintery conditions.

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A Utah roadtrip route If 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.

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