I Crossed Two Trails Off Of My Hiking Bucket List And They Were Totally Worth The Hype
By Chris Dodge|Published May 13, 2024
×
Chris Dodge
Author
My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
Ever since we saw a video of the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop Trail we were utterly convinced that they were the best hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park. We planned a massive national park trip out west and this was one of the highest priorities for places to see. Our inclinations were not wrong, they were, in fact, the best trails in the park.
We arrived at the Ruby Inn Campground after a long day of traveling. The park is seemingly in the middle of nowhere with only a few amenities which are all conveniently located just outside of the park.
We had more daylight than expected so we knew we had to get a peek at the amphitheater. Part of what makes the hoodoos in Bryce so remarkable is how they look during different times of the day. You will be treated to different views all depending on where the sun is located. The whole place simply took our breath away. We snapped a few pictures and went back to rest before the next day's hike.
We arrived early the next day very excited to descend into the trail system that showcased these amazing hoodoos. What to know before hiking the Queens Garden & Navajo Loop Trail is that it is simply the best trail in Bryce Canyon.
Also, we started our trip at Sunset Point which I think is the best starting point for the trail, but you can just as easily start at Sunrise Point. If you travel the same way we did then one of the first formations you will come across is Thor’s Hammer. This is an iconic formation in the park and one you will want to keep an eye out for.
Advertisement
Soon after that, we traveled down one of the famous sections of switchbacks. This was not the area known as Wall Street since it had been washed out a few weeks before we arrived. I was delighted to learn that this wasn't the only place where you could find that iconic shot of the switchbacks. I was also thankful we were going down and not up.
As the trail continued I just got lost in the beauty. I had never seen anything like this before and every corner showcased new and exciting things to see.
Alot of hikes we do are destination hikes meaning that you work hard to get to some end goal, maybe a waterfall or an overlook. However, this trail itself is the destination where we enjoyed every step of the way.
If you were wondering what to see in Bryce Canyon then you need not have to worry while on either the Queens Garden or Navajo Loop Trail. There are plenty of formations along the way and stunning landscapes with massive diversity.
A must-see is the Queen which you can find by taking a simple spur trail. At the top of one of the hoodoos, you can see the image of what looks like Queen Victoria and the reason for the trail name.
Part of the fun on this trail is the opportunity to hike through the tunnels carved directly out of the red stone. These may seem simple enough but offer a great way to fully immerse yourself in Bryce Canyon.
I loved filming through the tunnel and there are even several tunnels on the trail so you will have multiple chances to enjoy them. I had a hard time even filming in the canyon because I had so much I wanted to show. At one point it must have looked very comical because I had two separate cameras running at the same time just so I could capture it all.
Along the way, we pointed out some of our favorite hoodoos and tried to make up names for the different shapes we had seen. There was one point in the trail where you could look out and see rolling rock formations as far as the eye could see. They looked like sand dunes and my wife said she could easily picture seeing a caravan of camels traveling through the desert.
We didn’t see camels, however, we did see horses as riders were enjoying a trek through the horse trail. Once we arrived at the end point for the trail there was certainly a sense of accomplishment but we were slightly sad that it was over. We even seriously contemplated doing it all over again and I can tell you this, we wouldn’t have regretted that decision one bit.
After going I can say unequivocally that these are the best hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park. Not only that but it ended up being one of my favorite hikes of all time. It was one thing to stand on the rim and behold the beauty of Bryce but it was an entirely different experience to walk among the hoodoos. If you want an adventure of a lifetime and memories you can keep forever then this is a great trail for you. I would suggest preparing yourself beforehand by downloading the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail on AllTrails and using it to guide you along the way. I would also like to suggest staying in the park for a while and Ruby Inn is a great choice if you need a place to stay. Make sure you check out the full video of our hike with this Adventuring in the Moment video.
Looking for more wild Utah adventures I would suggest going to Arches National Park, it was a mind-blowing experience and one of our favorite parks on our trip.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
