Backcountry Hiking

Backcountry hiking isn't a huge part of the Bryce Canyon experience, but that said there are a pair of trails inside the canyon that are designated for overnight hiking: the nine-mile Riggs Spring Loop and the 23-mile Under the Rim Trail. The Under the Rim Trail, which runs from Bryce Point to Rainbow Point, is the easier of the two to access, with four connector trails along the park road; there are eight backcountry campsites on this trail. The Riggs Spring Look Trail begins and ends at Yovimpa Point in the southern end of the park and has four campsites. Note that both trails and campsites are in forest, not among the hoodoos, and that there is no park-provided shuttle service to the Yovimpa Point trailhead. Backcountry hikers must register at the visitor center and pay a $5 fee for backcountry camping. Campfires are not permitted on either trail, and hikers should carry in and out their own food and water (minimum one gallon per person, per day) and use bear-proof food canisters.