During that semester in Spain, I traveled all over Europe and this made me fall in love with travel. Ever since then, I have been hooked on exploring the world! Photography has been another passion of mine but it wasn’t until I started visiting incredible places that I realized I needed to up my game.
I wanted to be able to truly capture the beauty of our world. So I bought a fancy camera and started learning everything I could. I still have so much to learn. However, for being self-taught, I am proud of how far I have come.
One place that I visited recently which was a photographer’s dream was Bryce Canyon National Park. Let me tell you all about my experience there.
Inspiration to Visit Bryce Canyon National Park
I grew up alongside my two cousins who were like brothers to me. They were a bit older and it was tough when they went off to college – especially since they both went all the way to Utah for their studies.
My cousins would spend all their free time hiking and exploring, and I was always insanely jealous of their adventures. Utah looked so cool! It was like another planet. I promised myself I would make it there someday and that my cousins could show me around. After college, I finally had time.
I spent just under two weeks in Utah exploring the Mighty 5 National Parks along with some other sights like Monument Valley and Horseshoe Bend in Arizona. I started with Arches, then moved on to Canyonlands and Capitol Reef. After Capitol Reef, we drove down to Bryce Canyon National Park.
We got there earlier than anticipated, so we drove into the park before sunset to get the lay of the land. We woke up early the next morning and drove into the park for sunrise. I’m a sucker for sunrise photos! We stayed until sunset which made for just over a full day in Bryce Canyon.
Favorite Part of Bryce Canyon: Thor’s Hammer
There are no bad viewpoints in Bryce. Everywhere you go is stunning because the park is covered in mystical orange hoodoos. However, I must say that one hoodoo in particular stood out. It’s named Thor’s Hammer because it’s shaped exactly like the iconic mjolnir from the Marvel movies.
I’m a geek for all things superhero – so this was cool to see! Even if you don’t like Marvel movies, you will still be amazed by Thor’s Hammer.
3 Best Things To Do in Bryce Canyon National Park
As far as US national parks go, Bryce Canyon National Park is pretty compact. This is great because you can see and do a lot in a short amount of time. Below are my recommendations for this adventure playground!
1. Discover all the Amazing Viewpoints
You can spend as much (or as little) time as you like at Bryce Canyon and the views you come across are to die for! Don’t miss Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Bryce Point and Inspiration Point. Lots of the viewpoints connect by walking Rim Trail – so if you do nothing else, walk the Rim Trail.
2. Walk the Breathtaking Rim Trail
The Rim Trail is one of the best experiences of Bryce Canyon National Park. Discover fantastic hiking opportunities around Bryce Amphitheater as you look over the incredible hoodoos and landscapes. Expect a couple of steep elevation changes and 5.5 miles of walking one way.
3. Hike the Popular Queens Garden Trail
The most popular trail in Bryce Canyon is Queens Garden and for good reason. It offers an alternative perspective by taking you down into the sea of hoodoos and connecting you to the Navajo Loop Trail and Wall Street. Make sure you bring your camera for plenty of photo opportunities!
*Those are the hikes I did and I highly recommend them. The hikes are easy overall but they become steep in parts to get back up to the top.
Favorite Memories of Bryce Canyon National Park
I have a couple of favorite memories from my trip. Firstly, if you have seen my Instagram, then you know I was wearing a dress for a good portion of the day. We were pretty far from the car and about to start taking photos in this awesome spot when I realized my dress was on inside out!
There wasn’t a bathroom anywhere nearby but there sure were a lot of people! Although I was freaking out at the time, looking back it was quite funny trying to finagle my dress the right way while trying not to flash any innocent bystanders at the national park. I think I was pretty successful.
Other than that, it was just magical watching the sunset with so many other people. Everyone was in awe and it was a surreal feeling. It was one of those things you see with your own eyes but can hardly believe is real. You can just sense that everyone around you is feeling exactly the same way.
Tips for your Visit to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is a popular national park and there is accommodation for every kind of traveler. I stayed for one night and opted for a small motel in the town of Bryce. I’m not a huge fan of camping but other than that I have never been picky about where I hang my hat for the night.
Like I did, many people who visit Bryce also check out Utah’s other national parks and this is something I highly recommend. Buy the “America the Beautiful Pass” to get into as many national parks as you want for a whole year. It will pay for itself in no time if you plan on taking new adventures.
Last but not least, this final one is a real insider tip – so listen up! As wonderful as Bryce Canyon is, they messed up with some of the names. The best sunset in the park can actually be seen at Sunrise Point. Trust me!
