The main road through Bryce Canyon National Park is an 18 mile (one-way) Scenic Drive with 13 viewpoints. Elevations along the road range from about 7900 feet at the Visitor Center to 9100 feet at Rainbow Point at the end of the road. Over two million visitors annually take the road through the park either in their own car, the park shuttle or tour bus.
During the winter, the scenic drive closes past Bryce Amphitheater and Mile 3 following winter storms. Closures typically last between one and three days depending on the storm’s severity.
Bryce Amphitheater
This area is the most visited section of the park with cliffs, hoodoos and castles formed in a break in the eastern slope of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The varied hardness of the rock has allowed softer spots to erode, with wind and water molding the remaining harder rock into the shapes seen here. The Bryce Canyon Amphitheater is just southwest of the park visitor center and North Campground, near Bryce Lodge and General Store which sit on the canyon rim above it. The major viewpoints for it are Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, and Bryce Point.
Thor’s Hammer
Thor’s Hammer is an iconic hoodoo in the Bryce Amphitheater in Bryce Canyon National Park. It is located by Mile 2 of the Scenic Drive.
Inspiration Point
This viewpoint is between Sunset Point and Bryce Point. The turnoff from the Scenic Drive is located about 1.5 miles south of the Visitor Center. It has a small parking area and a multi-level overlook. Visitors can look back from here to see the many hoodoos in the Bryce Amphitheater. The elevation is 8100 feet, about 200 feet lower than Bryce Point.
Bryce Point
This is considered one of the most scenic vistas for the Bryce Ampthitheater. It is named for Ebenezer Bryce, who settled in the valley in 1870 and is the namesake for the canyon. It is a popular place to see the sunrise. Bryce Point is also the beginning of the Under-the-Rim Trail which descends into the canyon and allows backpacking south for 23 miles to Rainbow Point.
Paria View
This overlook with a southern view is located on the same turnoff as Inspiration Point and Bryce Point. After proceeding past the parking area for Inspiration Point, turn right at the fork in the road to reach the overlook rather than Bryce Point (to the left). It is about two miles from the Scenic Drive at an elevation of 8176 feet.
Swamp Canyon
A small canyon which provides access to a loop trail using the Sheep Creek Connecting Trail, Under-the-Rim Trail, and Swamp Canyon Connecting Trail. The overlook is located just past Mile 6 on the Scenic Drive, at an elevation of 7998 feet.
Farview Point
Farview Point at an elevation of 8819 feet offers magnificent views of the Grand Staircase and offers visibility to Navajo Mountain 90 miles away and potentially as far away as the Black Mesas in Arizona 160 miles distant. It is located between Mile 10 and 11 on the Scenic Drive, between Swamp Canyon and Natural Bridge.
Piracy Point
A short trail of a few minutes leads from Farview Point to Piracy Point. Note the two large buttes which resemble sailing ships in battle with a little imagination.
Bryce Natural Bridge
This stop on the scenic drive allows visitors to see one of several natural arches in Bryce. It was formed by erosion from rainwater and rock weakened by cracks from frozen water. The rock of the Claron Formation is rich in iron oxide minerals.
Ponderosa Canyon
This stop overlooks Ponderosa Canyon which is named for the Ponderosa pine trees on the canyon floor growing taller than 150 feet in height. It is located just before Mile 15 on the Scenic Drive, between the stops for Aqua Canyon and Black Birch Canyon. The Aqua Canyon Connecting Trail departs from here.
Black Birch Canyon
An overlook pullout on the Scenic Drive around Mile 16 at an elevation of 8750 feet north of Rainbow Point. The cliff drop off is steep here with a modest view of hoodoos.
Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point
Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point are located at the end of the scenic drive in Bryce Canyon National Park, where the elevation exceeds 9100 feet. From Rainbow Point, visitors can see the entire park to the north. The nearby southern overlook at Yovimpa Point allows visitors to see a large portion of the rock layers called the Grand Staircase.
