We do a lot of hiking so many of our posts are for fairly strenuous hikes but you do not have to hike to see some awesome views of Bryce Canyon. The main park drive is eighteen miles long (one way with a 30 mph limit) and has 14 viewpoints along it. The entire road is at the top of the canyon so all of the viewpoints are looking down and out onto beautiful vistas. Those at the northern end of the park, near the entrance, look down into the Bryce Amphitheater and Fairyland Canyon with thousands upon thousands of multi-colored hoodoos. These are also the most popular and most crowded.

Sunset Point

Almost all of the overlooks have a short, paved path from the parking area to the overlook where you will find interpretive signs either explaining the view or giving the history of the park and the humans that came before us.

Bryce Point Panorama

Bryce Point overview is absolutely incredible. There is a nice, easy to access, platform with railings and great views. The more adventurous can walk a short trail out on a fin of rock (some areas with no rails so hold onto those children) to a fenced and railed area where you feel as though you are hovering over the canyon itself. It is a dizzying look down for sure but a definite must-see view.

Sunrise Point

When you stop at an overlook, look at the map they have posted there and look around for other trails. Several have that second viewpoint and even though it may only be another hundred feet, the view can be completely different.

Fairyland Point

Fairyland Point – shown above – is actually the first overlook you come to after you enter the park but it is off down its own road and comes before the fee station so most people drive right on by. The view down Fairyland Canyon is beautiful with hoodoos, rolling sandstone hills and far away vistas. There is a hiking trail here that goes down into the canyon. Many people hike down then back up the same way just to get a view from down in the hoodoos. The entire loop hike is covered under another post. Note that there is no restroom here. This was a great disappointment to us after we climbed up out of the canyon after chugging about a half gallon of water on our first 6 miles of the loop hike. It was another 2.5 miles to the restroom at the General Store but we made it.

If you have the time, venture all the way to the end of the road for some more awesome views.

Raven posing for pictures at Ponderosa Point

Ponderosa Point

Just a little wildlife shot thrown in there. The raven stayed like that for quite some time as people took his photo. But someone got too close and he flew away so we went back to taking pictures of beautiful rocks.

Natural Bridge Overlook

All the photos in this post were taken from less than fifty feet from the road along paved paths. So even if you don’t hike, you can still marvel at the wonders of nature at Bryce Canyon.

Farview Point

And to show that the drive is worth it, here is the end of the road at Rainbow Point.

Rainbow Point – the end of the park road

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