Bryce Point

Bryce Point stands at 8,300 feet on the southern edge of the Bryce Amphitheater. It looks north across the full sweep of the park's densest concentration of hoodoos. It is the broadest viewpoint in the amphitheater section and, for many visitors, the most rewarding. The NPS calls it "perhaps the most iconic of the park's viewpoints."

Best Sunrise Views in the Park

The overlook faces north and east. This makes it one of the best spots in the park for sunrise photography. Morning light hits the hoodoos head-on from across the Paria Valley. It lights up the Wall of Windows, Silent City, and the rows of spires beneath Sunset and Inspiration Points. Sunrise Point and Sunset Point draw bigger pre-dawn crowds because their names suggest they are the designated sunrise spots. Bryce Point is often quieter at dawn, with a wider field of view.

Panoramic Views Beyond the Amphitheater

The 180-degree panorama covers more than the amphitheater. To the east, the town of Tropic sits nearly 3,000 feet below in the Paria Valley. The Table Cliffs of the Aquarius Plateau stand 13 miles out. On clear days, the Kaiparowits Plateau and Navajo Mountain are visible roughly 80 miles to the south.

To the west, the Grottos fill the slopes below the rim. These are large dissolved cavities in the white limestone Claron Formation. A forest of Douglas fir also covers these slopes. The Wall of Windows extends as an eroding fin between the Grottos and the amphitheater. It's one of the most dramatic geological features visible from any rim viewpoint.

Cultural History and Naming

The Southern Paiute name for this place translates to "Red Rock Standing Like a Man in a Hole." In their tradition, the hoodoos are Legend People turned to stone by the trickster god Coyote. The viewpoint and the park itself are named for **Ebenezer Bryce**. He was a Mormon pioneer who settled in the Paria Valley in 1870. He built a timber road into the canyon that now bears his name. He lived in the area for just five years.

Major Trailhead for Park Hiking

Bryce Point also functions as one of the park's most important trailheads. Three trails depart from the north end of the parking lot:

• Peekaboo Loop (5.5 miles, strenuous) drops over 1,000 feet into the heart of the amphitheater. It passes through tunnels and alongside the Wall of Windows.

• Hat Shop Trail (4 miles round trip, strenuous) follows the first section of the Under-the-Rim Trail south. It leads to a cluster of balanced-rock hoodoos wearing gray dolomite caps.

• Under-the-Rim Trail continues 22.9 miles to Rainbow Point for a multi-day backpacking trip

The Rim Trail also has its southern terminus here. It connects Bryce Point to Inspiration, Sunset, Sunrise, and Fairyland Points over 5.5 miles.

Transportation and Parking

The park shuttle stops at Bryce Point from mid-April through mid-October. This is the **southernmost shuttle stop**. No park transportation serves any point beyond here on the Southern Scenic Drive. The parking lot is small and fills by mid-morning during peak season. Parking attendants actively manage traffic when the lot reaches capacity. **If you are driving, arrive before 9:00 AM or take the shuttle.**

There are no restrooms at Bryce Point itself. The nearest facilities are at the Sunset Point area. That's about 1.5 miles north on the Rim Trail or a short drive back along the spur road.

The spur road to Bryce Point branches left off the main park road at Mile 3. This is just past the turn for the Bryce Amphitheater viewpoints. Follow it 2 miles to the end. Paria View is on the same spur road. It's a less-visited overlook with southeast-facing views of the upper Paria River valley.