Day Hikes

Visit our Hiking Page for more details on the hikes below. This is a High Elevation Park With most of the park at 8,000 feet (2,438 m) or above, elevation is a very real factor to consider when choosing your hike. At this elevation, there's about 70% of the oxygen available at sea-level, and you'll certainly feel it if you begin to hike. When you're choosing a hike, do yourself a huge favor and don't choose something at the edge of your abilities. Take it easy, and rest assured that even short hikes have as much beauty to offer as the longest ones. Elevation-related injuries, such as heart issues, are among the park's most common medical emergencies. UV radiation is also a lot stronger at this elevation. Make sure you cover up, wear sunscreen, or take other precautions to protect your skin and eyes. Lastly, storms can form quickly here. If thunder roars, go indoors! Lightning--especially during the summer monsoon season--is a deadly threat. Take shelter in your vehicle, a building, a shuttle bus, or if you're on a trail find a low lying depression. Both trees and hoodoos can conduct lightning down to you. Water and Footwear With less oxygen available in each breath, you're going to be breathing harder, which means that you're going to dehydrate more quickly. We recommend a liter of water for every 1-2 hours you plan to hike. There is no water available once you're on a trail (backcountry hikes pass seasonal springs and drainages, but even these are rarely reliable), so make sure you pack all that you need. Our number one cause of injuries in the park? Bad footwear. Trails have a lot of small, loose rock on their otherwise flat surfaces making slipping and twisting an ankle all too easy. Footwear with a good tread and ankle support is highly recommended. In winter, ice creates even more hazardous conditions. We strongly recommend the use of footwear traction devices when ice is present. Easy Hikes Mossy Cave: 0.8 mi (1.3 km) Sunset to Sunrise (along Rim Trail): 1.0 mi (1.6 km) Bristlecone Loop: 1.0 mi (1.6 km) Moderate Hikes Queen's Garden: 1.8 mi (2.9 km) Navajo Loop: 1.3 mi (2.2 km) Queen's/Navajo Combo Loop: 2.9 mi (4.6 km) Tower Bridge: 3.0 mi (4.8 km) Swamp Canyon Loop: 4.0 mi (6.4 km) Strenuous Hikes Hat Shop: 4.0 mi (6.4 km) Fairyland Loop: 8.0 mi (12.9 km) Peekaboo Loop: 5.5 mi (8.8 km) Navajo/Peekaboo Combo: 4.9 mi (7.8 km) Figure-8 Combo: 6.4 mi (10.2 km) Bryce Amphitheater Traverse: 4.7 mi (7.5 km)