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Bryce
Canyon Forum
The Ultimate Southwest Vacation includes Bryce Canyon!
Stay in Mount Carmel Junction, the heart of the parks, and
visit the treasures of the Southwest.
Mileage from Mt. Carmel Jct.
Bryce Canyon 60 miles
Zion National Park 12 miles
Grand Staircase 9 miles
Sand Dunes 11 miles
Dixie Forest 22 miles
Cedar Breaks 45 miles
Red Canyon 47 miles
Coyote Butte 57 miles
North Rim 85 miles
Toroweap 90 miles
Plan your Bryce Canyon
vacation with our Utah
maps and information
In these pages you will find insiders information on Bryce
Canyon adventures and hiking. This detailed guide includes road maps, park maps,
pictures, trail beta, backpacking, history, fees, geology, flora, fauna, campgrounds,
things for kids to do and even information on Bryce Canyon's hidden treasures.
Making summer memories in the Utah National Parks and National
Monuments.
Utah!
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Bryce
Canyon Map
Directions to Bryce Canyon
From Salt Lake City travel south on Interstate 15 past Beaver
to UT 20. Exit on UT 20. Turn south on UT 89 and travel past Panguitch. Follow
UT 89 to UT 12. Travel along UT 12 through Red Canyon to Bryce Canyon. Turn south
on UT 63 to enter the park.
From Las Vegas: Travel Interstate 15 past St. George to Exit
16. Drive through Hurricane, Utah. Follow Hwy 9 through Hurricane and to the
only stop light in LaVerkin. Turn right at the stop light. Continue on Hwy 9
to the south entrance of Zion Park. Drive through Zion to the junction of UT
9 and UT 89 at Mt. Carmel Jct. Turn north on UT 89, then exit on UT 12.
Follow UT 12 through Red Canyon, turning south on UT 63 to enter
Bryce Canyon.
The Bristlecone pine at the top of the Bristlecone Pine
Trail in Bryce Canyon is more than 1,600 years old. The Bristlecone pines are
the oldest living things on the earth.
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Bristlecone Pine Trail
This short hike, set above the rim, leads to the oldest bristlecone pine tree in Bryce Canyon. The 1,600 year old tree has a lofty seat at Yovimpa Point where the North Rim of the Grand Canyon can be seen on a clear day.
See our vacation planning section for suggested Bryce Canyon National Park trails. The shuttle in Bryce Canyon is voluntary.
Bristlecone Pine Trail at a Glance
Photo Album: Bristlecone
Pine Trail Pictures
Trail Map: Bryce
Trail Map
Day Hike: Yes
Distance: 1 mile/1.6km round trip
Average Hiking Time: 1 hour
Accessible: Easy trail, but the path is dirt.
Difficulty: Easy
Sun Exposure: Full sun in most places
Permits: Not required.
Trail Conditions: Well maintained. Most of the trail is on
packed dirt.
Trailhead: Rainbow Point
Trailend: Trail loops back to Rainbow Point
Elevation Change: 100'/31m
Hazards: Do not hike this trail if
there is thunder and lightening.
Water Availability: None, bring your own.
Restrooms: Vault restrooms are located at the trailhead.
Water: No reliable water source
Bristlecone Pine Trail
Drive to Rainbow Point, located at the farthest end of the park.
The trailhead is located 17 miles from the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center. Rainbow
Point is the highest section of the park, set at an elevation of 9115'. This
is the also the trailhead for the Under the Rim Trail, Riggs Spring Trail
and the Bristlecone Pine Trail.
From the Rainbow Point parking lot, locate the signed Bristlecone
Pine Trail. The trail winds up and down through Douglas fir, junipers and ponderosa
pines. The dirt path is lined with rock. To the right, hoodoos are seen below
the rim, at the initial part of the trail. The gentle slope of the trail goes
up and down. There is a shaded rest area up farther on the trail that offers
a nice view below the rim. After leaving the gazebo, the trail heads up
hill. There are manzanitas on either side of the trail as the uphill trek ends
at a view point of hoodoos and the 1,600 plus year old bristlecone pine. The
loop wanders around the cliffside offering nice views below the rim before the
trail heads back into the forest. Follow the signs back to Rainbow Point.
Bristlecone Pine Trees
In Bryce Canyon the type of bristlecone pines are called pinus
longaeva or Great Basin Bristlecone. Beside the Bristlecone Pine Trail, the
pines can be seen on the Fairyland Loop and Peekaboo Trails.
Options
The Bristlecone Pine Trail on
Highway 14 near Cedar Breaks in Dixie National Forest offers a short hike to
thriving bristlecone's and a nice view of Zion National Park in the distance.
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