Navajo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon - Things to Do at Navajo Loop Trail

Things to Do at Navajo Loop Trail

Complete Guide to Navajo Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon

About Navajo Loop Trail

The Navajo Loop Trail drops you straight into Bryce Canyon's other-planet amphitheater, where orange-pink hoodoos tower over your head and the air smells of sun-warmed ponderosa bark. You'll hear your own boots crunching on the loose gravel while raven wings whistle overhead, and every switchback reveals another layer of rock that looks like it was sliced with a giant bread knife. It's the kind of trail that makes conversation stop—partly because you're breathless from the climb back up, partly because the stone corridors feel like a natural cathedral. Morning light turns the fins and spires the color of ripe peaches, and if you happen to be here after a rain, the whole canyon gives off a wet-clay scent that lingers in cool pockets between the walls.

What to See & Do

Wall Street slot

Two sheer cliffs pinch to arm's width above you, casting zebra-strip shadows while your footsteps echo off Navajo sandstone that still holds the night’s chill.

Twin Bridges

From the trail you’ll glimpse two natural rock windows framing sky; pine needles crunch underfoot and the wind sometimes whistles through the holes like a low flute.

Thor’s Hammer

The trail swings right beneath this lone hoodoo—its caprock looks precarious up close and you can taste dust every time the breeze loosens grit from the ledge.

Silent City viewpoints

A side spur opens onto a ridge where hoodoos stand like crooked skyscrapers; you’ll hear nothing but distant voices bouncing up from Wall Street and smell sun-baked juniper.

Sunrise Point descent

The first switchbacks drop so fast that pine trunks blur beside you, and the stone stair treads warm your palms when you steady yourself on the climb back out.

Practical Information

Opening Hours

The Navajo Loop gate at Sunrise Point follows Bryce Canyon National Park hours—open 24 h spring through fall, though the road may close by 8 p.m. in winter after heavy snow.

Tickets & Pricing

You need a park pass at the entrance station; no extra fee for the trail itself. A private vehicle pass lasts seven days and is cheaper than most Utah ski-lift tickets.

Best Time to Visit

Hit it right after sunrise when hoodoos glow salmon and the uphill slog stays in shade; midday heat can feel like a hair-dryer in the canyon, and afternoon crowds stack up at Wall Street.

Suggested Duration

Loop takes 60–90 minutes if you keep moving; tack on another 30 min if you stop every five feet to photograph the same rock, which, honestly, you probably will.

Getting There

From Bryce Canyon Visitor Center, drive or hop the park shuttle north 2 miles to Sunrise Point parking. In peak months the lot fills by 9 a.m.; if that happens, stay on the shuttle to Sunset Point and walk the rim path back—flat, paved, about 15 minutes. No shuttle fare, and bikes aren’t allowed on the Navajo Loop itself, so lock up at the rack by the restrooms.

Things to Do Nearby

Queen’s Garden Trail
Links to Navajo Loop at the bottom—add it for a longer 3-mile figure-eight that pops you out at Sunrise Point with more hoodoo close-ups along the way.
Sunset Point
Five-minute stroll on the rim; evening light bathes the amphitheater in rust and violet, and you’ll hear camera shutters clicking like cicadas.
Mossy Cave Trail
Ten miles north on Hwy 12, this short spur leads to a dripping waterfall—cool mist on your face after the dusty Navajo ascent.
Bryce Canyon Lodge
Log-and-stone lodge a two-minute walk from the trailhead; porch rockers overlook spruce tops and the coffee’s strong enough to fuel the climb back.
Inspiration Point
Catch the shuttle one stop farther; upper deck gives a crow’s-nest view down onto the Navajo Loop switchbacks you just survived.

Tips & Advice

Pack at least a liter of water—there’s zero shade once Wall Street opens up and the ascent feels twice as long when you’re parched.
Yaktrax or micro-spikes save your knees from March through April when melted snow refreezes into slick ice on the upper switchbacks.
Start counter-clockwise (down Wall Street) for steadier traffic flow; rangers post a tiny arrow sign, but most people still miss it.
If afternoon thunderheads build, exit via the Queen’s Garden connector—lower elevation keeps you out of the lightning funnel that the rim turns into.

Tours & Activities at Navajo Loop Trail

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