Driving in Bryce Canyon: 10 Things You Need To Know

One of the most common questions I receive is: how do I get around Bryce Canyon?

Although Bryce Canyon is a small national park, it’s in the desert and has some remote roads and a shuttle system.

You can access the Amphitheater, the most popular site in Bryce Canyon, via their free shuttle, but you will need your own car to access the scenic drive and the rest of the park. It’s a 30-40 minute drive from the entrance at Bryce Canyon City to Rainbow Point at the end of the park without stops. There are gas stations outside of the park, but none within it.

I’m Cheryl and my husband, Matt, and I write travel guides to make trip planning easy for those visiting the West. We were both born and raised in Utah and have been to Bryce Canyon over 10 times. I’ve received many questions about this topic, so keep on reading because I’m going to cover the main things you need to know!

How Many Entrances Are There?

Bryce Canyon is a small and simple national park. There is only one entrance and it’s at the beginning of the park. Bryce Canyon City, the gateway town, is right on the border of the park which means that it’s easy for travelers to stay just minutes away from the entrance gate. A free shuttle is also available that will pick visitors up in Bryce Canyon and transport them to the main areas of the park. Proof of paying the park’s entrance fee is required.

There is a separate section of the park, Mossy Cave, which is wonderful and worth a visit, but it’s disconnected from the rest of the park and there are no ranger stations to pay an entrance fee.

How Long Does It Take To Drive Through the Park?

There is one road that travels north and south from the entry to the end of the park. Then you must turn around.

This 18-mile road takes 30-40 minutes to drive if you don’t make any stops. But… it takes most people 2-3 hours to do this drive properly because there are some great lookouts including…

• Black Birch Canyon. The least impressive.
• Ponderosa Canyon. Beautiful deep red hoodoos with lots of pine trees.
• Agua Canyon. Look for two prominent rock formations: the white rabbit (standing tall), and the hunter (the loner). Note the hunter has some trees on its flat top!
• Natural Bridge. This is the most popular stop and a must-see.  
• Farview Point. This has the largest parking lot and sometimes you can find the Dawg House food truck here. You can also take a little walk to Piracy Point. However, these aren’t as impressive as the other stops (to us).
• Swamp Canyon. Little side canyon but not as impressive as some others. 
• Rainbow Point. This is at the end and has a nice little hike, the one-mile Bristle Comb Pine Trail.

It all ends at Rainbow Point.

Do I Have To Use the Shuttle System?

No. You can take your personal vehicle anywhere the Bryce Shuttle goes. But, we do love using the shuttle for a few reasons.

First, the shuttle services the most popular area of Bryce Canyon, the Amphitheater. This is where you will see the highest concentration of hoodoos, the red rock spires you see in all the pictures of Bryce. This is also where you will see the most crowds. The parking lots are small and often fill up by 8:00 am. It’s great to start your day when you want and not have to worry about parking.

Second, the shuttles are incredibly easy to use. There is only one route and no reservations are required. You can catch the shuttle within the park or in Bryce Canyon City. This is especially convenient because there are many places you can stay where you can walk out of your hotel and catch the shuttle.

Third, the shuttles are great for hikers because you can hop off the shuttle, walk along the Rim Trail, and then pick up the shuttle at another stop, eliminating the need to backtrack.

CHECK OUT: Are There Shuttles at Bryce Canyon? How to Get Around Bryce Canyon

It’s important to know that the shuttles do not service the Scenic Road and only run from the beginning of April through late October. Check the NPS website for details on the time you are visiting.

How Do I Use the Shuttle System?

You can catch the shuttle in Bryce Canyon City or within the park and there are 13 stops along the route. On average, they pick up every 15 minutes.

The best places to park your car are at the visitor center (within the park) or the Shuttle Station (in Bryce Canyon City). You’ll need to show your park pass or receipt to ride the shuttle from Bryce Canyon City. There are ranger booths and kiosks near many of the shuttle stops to purchase your park pass.

Shuttles are wheelchair accessible. Pets are not allowed but exceptions are made for service animals.

What Is the Speed Limit and Traffic Like?

The speed limit is usually between 25-35 mph so plan on taking your time as you drive through the park. I’ve never seen too much traffic on the scenic drive, but traffic can get quite congested at the viewpoints and parking lots of the Amphitheater.

Bryce Canyon is very popular for its sunrises and sunsets. It can get especially crowded at these times in addition to the times most tourists are viewing the park (8:00 am- 3:00 pm).

In our 40+ years of exploring national parks, one of the best tips we can give people is to consider exploring the parks after 3:00 pm. Crowds are clearing out and the parks are very pleasant.

DON’T MISS: 45 Great Things to Do at Bryce Canyon

Where Can I Get Gas?

There are no gas stations within Bryce Canyon National Park. The good news is that there are plenty of gas stations in Bryce Canyon City as well as in Tropic and Panguitch.

One thing that I think is really important for people to understand is that the West is BIG! Bryce is almost always visited as part of a larger trip to Utah’s other national parks and the roads between the parks can be lonely and desolate. As a general rule, we don’t let our car get below 1/2 a tank in the desert because you never know when you’ll get to the next city with a gas station.

What If I Have an Emergency?

There are few things that terrify me more than having car trouble on a vacation. The great news is that Bryce Canyon City actually has a few auto repair shops. You can try the Bryce Canyon Auto Care Center (at Ruby’s Inn) and the Sinclair in town can even do simple repairs like flat tires. Bryce Canyon Towing, in Panguitch, can tow your car if you get in a pinch.

Many people who visit Bryce Canyon are also interested in driving the All-American Road: Scenic Byway 12. We have done this a few times and highly recommend it! But, these roads are incredibly remote and you can go hours without seeing another car. When we do this, we make sure our spare tire is in good repair, we have the skills to change a tire, and we have plenty of food, water, and warm clothing (yes- it can get cold at night in the desert) in case of an emergency.

If you have a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. The nearest hospital is 30 minutes away in Panguitch. There are first aid kits and over-the-counter medications at the General Store at Ruby’s Inn or Clark’s Country Market in Panguitch.

How Is Cell Coverage in the Park?

The closer you are to Bryce Canyon City, the better your coverage will be. As you get more into the park, count on losing it.

This is especially true if you are driving some of the remote roads near the park.

The Park is Always Open, But the Roads Aren’t

Did you know that Bryce Canyon receives snow in the winter? It’s a higher elevation and gets its fair share of snow, just like most of Utah. According to the NPS website,

Following snowstorms, the main park road closes temporarily at mile marker 3 to allow snow plow crews to clear snow from the higher elevations of the park’s scenic southern drive. Closures typically last a day or more, depending on snowstorm durations.

There are two minor roads that are closed the entire winter season, the road leading to Fairyland Point and the road leading to Paria View.

We have been to Bryce a couple of times in the winter and it is beautiful. But, many of the hiking trails are closed and if they aren’t, they are pretty slick and treacherous.

If this is your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Bryce, make sure to visit when there isn’t snow.

GOOD TO KNOW: The gates to national parks are almost always open, even if the ranger booth is closed. You can still enter the park if that is the case. Just make sure to pay your entrance fee later when a ranger is at the booth.

Are There Charging Stations For EVs?

The nearest charging station is a Tesla Destination Charger located at Bryce Canyon Inn in Tropic, UT (approximately 10 miles/13 minutes from the park). 

But there are other chargers available at

• ChargePoint Charging Station in Kanab, UT (approximately 77 miles/1.5 hours from the park).
• Electrify America Charging Station in Cedar City, UT (approximately 92 miles/1.5 hours from the park). according to the NPS site.

Can I Drive My RV In Bryce Canyon?

Yes. But, there are limits on parking your RV. If the length of your RV is over 23′, you will not be able to park at many of the viewpoints during the hours of shuttle operation. These include the visitor center, Sunrise Point, Bryce Lodge, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, and Bryce Point.

The parking is really tight at Paria View and RVs over 35 ft in length are unable to turn around.

Do I Need a 4-Wheel Drive Vehicle?

No. The roads in Bryce Canyon are paved and really nice to drive on.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are some spur roads on Scenic Route 12 that many people use to enter or exit Bryce that are dirt roads that I would certainly recommend a 4-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle! Check out our blog post about Scenic Route 12.

The land surrounding Bryce Canyon is run by the BLM and ATVs are allowed. In fact, it’s one of our favorite things to do when we visit Bryce and you can check out how to do this on our blog post, The Best ATV Rentals and Tours in Bryce.

Is There Anything Else I Should Know About Bryce Canyon?

Yes! If you want ALL the secrets to have an amazing trip to Bryce Canyon, check out our itinerary.

We give you a step-by-step guide to see the BEST of Bryce and it comes with an audio guide to tell you all about it while you drive through the park!