A Hoodoo-Filled Sprint: My Weekend at Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park had been sitting on my bucket list for way too long. I finally made it happen in June 2025, and I did it solo, fast, and maybe a little crazy.

Getting There

Thanks to a flight pass, Las Vegas was the easiest (and cheapest) airport for me to fly into, so I grabbed a late Friday flight from San Francisco. Landed around midnight, picked up a rental car at the airport, and hit the road straight to Bryce. The drive is about 260 miles / 420 kilometers and takes roughly four hours. Keep in mind, you lose an hour on the way there as you cross from Pacific Time into Mountain Time—but you gain it back on the return, which is nice. I stopped once to grab a coffee and use the bathroom, but otherwise kept it moving. It was a bit of a marathon trip, but I was on a mission—and I made it just in time for sunrise at Sunrise Point. At that hour, the rising sun hits the amphitheater walls just right—lighting up the hoodoos in deep reds, soft oranges, and golden highlights. The colors shift quickly as the sun climbs, and it's honestly one of the best times to take it all in.

Being there so early—around 6 a.m.—meant I also got to see some wildlife before the crowds showed up. I spotted pronghorn antelope and mule deer moving through the park in the early morning. That time of day just has a different feel—quiet, calm, and a little more alive.

After soaking in the sunrise, I drove the full 18-mile scenic route through the park, stopping at different viewpoints. Then I took a nap in my car at the very end to catch up on some sleep.

First Impressions

If you've never heard of hoodoos, get ready. Bryce Canyon is packed with them—in fact, it's home to the highest concentration of hoodoos on the planet. These are tall, thin spires of rock formed by millions of years of frost and erosion. The result? A surreal landscape of orange and pink stone towers that are unlike anything else you'll see in a national park.

Day One: Fairyland Loop

I chose to tackle the Fairyland Loop first. It’s a little bit longer (8 miles / 12.8 kilometers long with 1,566 ft / 477 meters of elevation gain) and a bit more remote of the two hikes I chose to do that weekend, so I decided to start with it and see how I felt. Plus, it was getting later in the morning, and I liked the idea of a quieter trail as people were starting to fill up the park.

The hike winds through wide-open sections of the park, giving you sweeping views of the hoodoos from a distance. It was windy but surprisingly cool for June, which made the hike comfortable. If you like solitude and big vistas, this is your trail.

I stayed that night in Tropic, a small town just 10-15 minutes down the road from the park. It’s more affordable than staying in Bryce Canyon City and less crowded. There are a few restaurants, a coffee shop, and a laid-back vibe that made it a relaxing and convenient base for exploring the park.

Day Two: Figure 8 Loop

I originally planned to start from Sunrise Point, but the parking lot was already full. No big deal—I found an overflow lot down the road and was able to hop on the trail from there.

The Figure 8 Loop connects four trails: Navajo Loop, Peekaboo Loop, Queen’s Garden, and Wall Street. Together, they form a sort of figure-eight shape with a central connector.

About midway through the hike, I had a surprise wildlife encounter: I spotted a Great Basin Gopher snake—this thing was massive, probably around four feet long. It looked like a rattlesnake at first glance and can even mimic their behavior by rattling its tail, but it’s non-venomous. Still, definitely gave me a pause when I first saw it. I clocked about 7.5 miles / 12.1 kilometers with 1,613 ft / 491 meters of elevation gain.

This hike gets you up close and personal with the hoodoos—towering walls of rock right next to you, narrow passages, and even some manmade walkways carved through the stone. It’s a totally different experience from Fairyland and just as memorable.

Worth the Weekend

If you want a visual feel for the trip, check out my all-in-one Bryce Canyon post on Instagram here. It’s a roundup of the hikes, views, and some wildlife too.

I planned this whole trip on a whim, but it worked out perfectly. I was back in Vegas Sunday night in time for a Monday morning flight. Two days, two amazing hikes, and I still made it back to Vegas with time to spare. The drive back was a whole different experience than the way there—this time it was still light out, and what a beautiful drive that is. From Bryce to Vegas, you pass through all kinds of landscapes—wooded wilderness, high plateaus, desert stretches, and endless hills. Back to work like nothing happened—except I had a camera full of red rock and a weekend I won’t forget.

If you’ve got Bryce on your list, stop waiting. It’s doable—even in a weekend—and absolutely worth the trip.

👉 See gear for your Bryce Canyon trip 

Written by Tyler, founder of Globetroves™
About Me | Instagram
Posted June 2025