Visiting & Photographing Bryce Canyon National Park
- markhoude
- Oct 19
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 22
During my visit to Bryce Canyon, I talked with many people who were there just for the afternoon before heading to Zion. In my opinion, they are missing out on some of the most incredible landscapes on the planet, and spending a little more time here really does the soul good! In fact, I gave up visiting 3 of Utah's National Parks on this trip (known as the Mighty Five) so that I can spend more time in two of them with additional visits to surrounding state parks and national monuments - which, btw, are a lot less busy. See Kodachrome and Cedar Breaks at my Utah Gallery
I recommend staying at Ruby's Best Western Inn, as it's literally just outside the park entrance, a bonus for aspiring photographers who really should be on site an hour before sunrise. Yeah, it's only an additional 30 minutes of sleep, but it adds up quickly. Not to mention returning at night. That extra 30 minutes of windshield time can now be put to good use with a lovely hot shower, charging batteries, and backups, which now total an hour+ of your time better spent. Time or money...
I was mesmerized by Bryce Canyon's towering hoodoos and their neighboring conifers, especially the Rocky Mountain Juniper and Bristlecone Pines, with a special mention to the Ponderosas. These trees are survivors, among high elevations, dry climates, and harsh winters. They happen to be some of my favorite subjects, especially when composed with their countering rockscapes, and while the trees are wonderful here, Bryce is all about its rock formations, sometimes called earth pyramids, fairy chimneys, but mostly known as hoodoos; tall rock spires formed by erosion with a combination of sedimentary and volcanic rock.
Experiencing this landscape in person, you can't help but ponder how the hand of nature has so delicately and elegantly sculpted this canvas of rocks and trees. It's quite extraordinary, and for me, it never grew old, stop, after pullout, after repeat overlook visits, the beauty just kept delivering.
If you're traveling through the lens, I recommend spending a few days at Bryce, hiking down into the canyon, and getting up close to the hoodos and this unique environment. Visit the fringes of the park as well, like Fairyland Point and Rainbow Point; they can be less crowded, especially before first light and after sunset. Of course, no trip to Bryce Canyon should be without a visit to Bryce Point, which offers some of the most spectacular views of the amphitheater.
The Navajo Trail Loop provides stunning views during the descent into the canyon, throughout the canyon, and as you ascend to the rim. Bryce's hikes are challenging due to the switchbacks and elevation. The high altitude & climate can also add difficulties, and so I'd recommend packing a light kit with one or two lenses, neither of which is a telephoto lens. You'll thank me later.
In fact, I never once used my telephoto lens while in the canyon. I did, however, use it quite a bit at all the rim views. You may even consider ditching the tripod on this hike and shooting handheld, if you're comfortable shooting without a tripod, that is.
I used a 24-120mm lens on my Nikon Z8 for most of the hike, and several compositions with an ultra-wide lens (14-30mm). I think an even better kit for the Navajo hike would have been my Z6 with the 24-120 teathered and no tripod. I would have been a much happier hiker while stopping to capture more images along the way. Oh, and don't forget your trekking poles. They come really handy for the switchbacks.
- The Houdsta
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