Bryce Canyon With Kids: 14 Incredible Activities Not To Skip

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Planning a trip to Utah’s stunning national parks? Bryce Canyon National Park is definitely one not to be missed, with so many family friendly activities, stunning scenery, and chances to get up close to nature. We highly recommend visiting Bryce Canyon with kids and have compiled a list of reasons we think you should!

When we visited Salt Lake City, we decided to take the drive down to Mystic Hot Springs and Bryce Canyon National Park, and we did not regret it! From family friendly hikes that take you down into the canyon, an 18 mile scenic drive with plenty of easy access overlooks, and opportunities for some of the best stargazing in the country, there is something for everyone.

About Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon is one of Utah’s “mighty 5” national parks. Located in the Southeastern part of the park, Bryce Canyon was officially established as a national park in 1928.

Bryce Canyon is one of Utah’s smaller parks, at 20 miles long, but it holds a lot to see within its borders! The park was formed by rocks deposited by the ancient Lake Claron that were uplifted, eroded, and weathered.

Bryce Canyon is known for its unique hoodoos formations and colorful cliffs, with the highest concentration of hoodoos in one area in the world. Its hoodoos are rock spires created through erosion over millions of years. The park’s most well known feature is the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, located along the side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau.

Best Things to Do in Bryce Canyon With Kids

Go For a Scenic Drive

Taking a scenic drive is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to explore Bryce Canyon National Park, especially if you have limited time. The park’s main scenic road runs 18 miles from the entrance to Rainbow Point & Yovimpa Point, the highest viewpoints in the park.

Along the way, visitors can stop at scenic overlooks that provide views of Bryce Canyon’s colorful hoodoos, cliffs, and forested plateaus. Most viewpoints are located just a short walk from the parking area, making them accessible for families and visitors of all ages.

Many visitors choose to drive to the southern end of the park first and then stop at overlooks on the way back north, which helps avoid crowds and makes it easier to find parking at the most popular viewpoints.

Go For a Hike

Hiking is one of the best things to do in Bryce Canyon with kids and gets you close to the park’s unique hoodoos. Many of the park’s trails take you right into the canyon, while others take you around the rim overlooking the amphitheater and other areas of the park.

Some of the best family friendly trails in the park include the Queens Garden Trail (descending into the canyon), the Navajo Loop Trail (descending down into the canyon through narrow rock walls and Wall Street), and the trail from Sunrise to Sunset Point.

The Rim Trail is mostly flat and keeps you along the canyon’s rim, avoiding the ascents/descents. It is a good alternative for families with younger children.

Join the Junior Ranger Program

The Junior Ranger Program is one of the best activities in Bryce Canyon with kids. Good for children ages 4 and up, the program encourages exploration of Bryce Canyon’s unique geology, wildlife, and history through a fun activity booklet.

Kids can pick up the free booklet at the Visitor Center and complete a series of challenges such as identifying hoodoos, spotting animals, learning about the park’s dark skies, and understanding how erosion shapes the landscape.

After completing the activities, return to the Visitor Center or speak with a ranger to turn it in, take the Junior Ranger Pledge, and receive a Bryce Canyon Junior Ranger badge. .

Explore the Visitor Center

The visitor center is a great first stop for your trip to Bryce Canyon with kids. You can explore exhibits that explain how Bryce Canyon’s famous hoodoos formed, along with information about the plants, wildlife, and human history of the area through interactive displays and short films.

Park rangers are also available to answer questions, recommend kid-friendly hikes, and provide updates on trail conditions, weather, and ranger-led programs.

There is a bookstore on site, maps of the park, and families can pick up a junior ranger activity book to complete while exploring the park. You can also find restrooms, water bottle filling stations, and shaded seating areas.

The visitor center is located near Sunrise Point, making it easy to combine a quick stop inside with a short walk along the rim for your first view of the amphitheater’s colorful hoodoos.

Join a Ranger Led Program

Ranger-led programs are free programs are offered throughout the year and typically include guided rim walks, geology talks, wildlife presentations, and evening programs at the campground or lodge area.

One of the most popular ranger-led experiences at Bryce Canyon is the park’s astronomy and stargazing programs. As an International Dark Sky Park, Bryce Canyon offers incredible night sky viewing with minimal light pollution. Rangers often host evening presentations followed by telescope viewing sessions at locations such as Sunset Point or the visitor center area.

Ranger programs typically last 30–90 minutes, and schedules vary by season, so it’s best to check the daily program board at the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center when you arrive.

Visit the Park’s Overlooks

Bryce Canyon National Park has no shortage of jaw dropping overlooks to stop at and admire. If you only have a short time to visit Bryce and want to see some of the best views, driving the 18 mile scenic drive and stopping at the overlooks is one of the best ways to do it.

It can get very busy during peak times, though, so as an alternative to driving, you might want to consider taking the free park shuttle. Some of the best overlooks in the park include:

• Sunrise Point: The closest overlook to the visitor center, Sunrise Point is reachable after a short walk from the parking area and offers views of the main amphitheater.
• Sunset Point: Sunset Point is about a half mile past Sunrise Point, and offers some more great views of the main amphitheater and unique hoodoos.
• Inspiration Point: a multi-level overlook with stunning views of hoodoos and canyons below.
• Bryce Point: One of the most popular overlooks in the park, Bryce Point looks into the main park amphitheater. The Peakaboo Loop Trail & Hat shop Trail are also accessible from this point.
• Natural Bridge: A unique, natural Arch formation that makes a quick and easy stop.
• Rainbow Point & Yovimpa Point: The end point along the scenic drive, offering views overlooking colorful cliffs, forests, and the Grand Staircase’s layered rock formations.

Go Stargazing

Sitting between 8,000 and 9,000 feet above sea level and away from light pollution, Bryce Canyon has some of the clearest night skies in the United States and is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park. On a clear night, visitors can often see thousands of stars, the bright band of the Milky Way, and even distant galaxies with the naked eye.

Several areas of the park offer excellent stargazing opportunities, with Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, and the area near the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center being popular viewing spots.

The park also offers ranger-led astronomy programs throughout the year. These events often include educational talks followed by telescope viewing, where rangers help you identify constellations, planets, and deep-sky objects. Even if you don’t attend a program, bringing a blanket and spending some time looking up at the night sky is a peaceful and unforgettable way to end a day exploring Bryce Canyon.

Go Biking

Biking is another one of the best ways to explore Bryce Canyon with kids. The park features a paved shared-use path that runs from Bryce Canyon City to Inspiration Point, passing through beautiful forest and canyon viewpoints along the way.

This path is separated from the main road with several viewpoints to stop at, including Sunset Point and Sunrise Point. Biking is also allowed on the main park road and in other parts of the park, including campgrounds.

The park’s elevation—over 8,000 feet—can make biking more challenging than expected, so it’s important to bring plenty of water and take breaks as needed. For visitors without their own bikes, rentals are available at the park.

Hike to Mossy Cave

The Mossy Cave Trail is one of the best trails in the park for families. It is located along Route 12 outside the main area of the park. The trail follows along a stream with a steady incline. As you approach the end, the trail splits into two directions, with one way taking you to Mossy Cave and the other taking you to Water Canyon.

The trail is 0.8 miles round trip. The hike begins with a climb, and descends on the way back to the parking area. The elevation gain for this hike is about 150 ft. The short distance and mild inclines makes it a great hike when visiting Bryce Canyon with kids.

Winter Activities

If visiting in the winter months, Bryce Canyon National Park offers many winter activities to enjoy. Witnessing the snow covered hoodoos alone is worth the trip alone, but you can also enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and sledding.

Snowshoeing is permitted on all trails in the park. Cross-country skiing is permitted on trails above the rim, but not allowed in the canyon. You can also enjoy hiking on many of the park’s trails, but you will want to plan ahead and bring extra equipment (such as traction devices). Bryce does offer family friendly slopes for sledding, but again sledding into the canyon is not allowed.

If you plan to visit in the winter, make sure you check for road conditions and road closures. The main scenic drive sometimes closes past mile 3 due to snow storms/dangerous winter conditions.

Visit Nearby Red Canyon

Red Canyon was an unplanned delight for us on our visit to Bryce Canyon. We had not planned on visiting, but glad that our journey to Bryce Canyon allowed us to cross paths with it. Red Canyon is within the Dixie National Forest along Scenic Byway 12, just 9 miles outside of Bryce Canyon.

The highlights of Red Canyon include red rock hoodoos similar to those in Bryce Canyon and hiking trails through pine forests, with fewer crowds. The scenic drive takes you under red rock tunnels, a highlight of the drive for us. You can also enjoy biking and camping in the park, making it a great addition to an outdoor adventure at Bryce Canyon with kids.

You can make a quick visit on your way to Bryce, or choose to spend more time in the area. Short trails like the Pink Ledges Trail and the Birdseye Trail offer fun, low-effort opportunities to walk among hoodoos and colorful rock formations. There are also picnic areas, wide open spaces to explore, and opportunities for biking along paved paths.

Enjoy an ATV/UTV Tour

An ATV/UTV Tour is a great way to see parts of Bryce Canyon National Park. Ruby’s Inn offers one hour guided ATV/UTV tours that take you through ponderosa pine forests to the rim of Bryce Canyon. The ride will give you some thrills combined with views of the unique Bryce Canyon hoodoos.

To drive the ATV/UTV, you must be at least 16 with a valid drivers license. Passengers must be 7+ years for ATVs, and for UTVs passengers under 4’10” or under 7 years must have a car seat. Rides start from the Bryce Canyon Auto Care Center.

Explore Bryce Canyon City

Bryce Canyon City is often described as the gateway to the national park. You can find dining, shopping, accommodations, and fun family activities here. Old Bryce Town has an old Western feel with unique shops, ice cream and treats, the Canyon Rock Shop, and plenty of spots to take antique looking photos.

Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon city offers a variety of family friendly activities for you to enjoy. You can join a one hour guided ATV/UTV Tour, rent a mountain bike, access trails to Dave’s Hollow from the inn, or book a helicopter or airplane ride along Bryce Canyon through Ruby Inn,

Enjoy Dinner & a Show Ebenezer’s Barn & Grill

Ebenezer’s Barn & Grill is a unique dining experience featuring live country music from the Bryce Canyon Wranglers. Dishes include steak, chicken, salmon, and a vegetarian option. There is also a kids bowl option. You can choose a dinner and show combo, or purchase a ticket just for the show. The show lasts about 1 and a half to 2 hours.

Tips for Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park

• Bring lots of water! In the summer months, it gets very hot and you will want to make sure you stay hydrated.
• Cell service in the park can be spotty, with no service in some parts. Plan ahead, download maps, or grab one from the visitor center to avoid any unexpected mishaps.
• Bryce Canyon is at an elevation of 8,000-9,000 feet. Plan to start slow on the first day to adjust to the elevation change. It can cause you and the kiddos to tire more easily.
• Many areas of the park do not have much shade. Make sure you bring sun protection-sun hats and environmentally friendly sunscreen.
• Many areas of the park have cliffs with steep drop-offs. Be sure to keep small children close and watch them carefully.
• Be sure to follow all Leave No Trace Principles when visiting the park to protect yourself, the environment, and wildlife.
• Using the park shuttle can not only reduce your waiting time to reach the main park overlooks, it also helps to decrease congestion and protect the environment.

How To Get Around In Bryce Canyon National Park

The best way to get around Bryce Canyon with kids is to use the complimentary park shuttle. We did not do this during our visit, but I wish we had! Parking can be extremely challenging during the peak season, especially at the main highlights. There were several times we had to circle back to find parking.

Alternatively, you can drive through the park, but except difficulty with parking at some park overlooks. Hiking and biking are also great ways to get through the park. You can combine a shuttle ride with a hike, as the shuttle provides access to many of the park’s best hiking trails.

Frequently Asked Questions

***The Navigating Mom (and this post) may contain affiliate links. If you purchase from one of these links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.****