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10. The Hat Shop Hike
This four-mile in-and-out Bryce Canyon hike is named after the ivory rocks precariously perched atop the towering hoodoos you will see on your journey. If you have actually hiked a number of the more popular trails in this park and are simply seeking a trail that is generally uncrowded, then this is it. Keep in mind though, that this steep hiking trail is also physically challenging.
Your descent into the canyon is a sharp one. Once you hike past the hoodoos and reach the bottom though, you will be amazed when you turn and look skyward. Look up 1,000 feet and note the hike back out that awaits you. Be sure not to miss the views of the Kaiparowits Plateau and the Paria River Valley too.
11. The Sheep Creek And Swamp Canyon Hike
You have hiked most of the top-rated loop hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park. You’ve gazed in awe at all those high hoodoos and now just long for some peace and quiet. If solitude appeals to you, then get ready for the Sheep Creek and Swamp Canyon hike.
This serene route takes you through a quieter place that few tourists even know exists, the Bryce Canyon backcountry. Here is something else unique to this pleasant pilgrimage: You will actually see running water. Running water is a rare sight for most of the hikes in this park.
This particular trail is moderately difficult as it has a distance of over four miles and an elevation change of 800 feet. It is also part of the well-known Under the Rim Trail. Veteran visitors say it is best to hike this trail clockwise.
They also confirm that the best time to see Bryce Canyon is generally from May to September. Sections of the area around the trail have been impacted by relatively recent wildfires, so now in the spring it fairly bursts with colorful wildflowers. Look for wildlife as well, and, as always, my fellow national park perambulators, Happy Trails!
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