How to Visit Bryce Canyon National Park Without a Car
Last Updated on January 19, 2024 by Kelly
Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most accessible national parks if you don’t have a car. The park has a free shuttle system to hit the major viewpoints and hikes. The tricky part is just getting to Bryce Canyon without a car. In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know to visit Bryce Canyon National Park without a car.
How to Get to Bryce Canyon Without a Car
Flying to Bryce Canyon
The nearest major airports to Bryce Canyon are Las Vegas (airport code LAS) and Salt Lake City (airport code SLC). Both airports are about equal distance from Bryce Canyon National Park (267 miles and 273 miles), so we recommend flying into Las Vegas because the fares are typically lower and there are more domestic flight options.
| Bryce Canyon was just one of our stops during our 3-week road trip to Utah and Arizona. |
Transportation from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon National Park
Once you’ve booked your flight to Las Vegas, you’ll need to figure out transportation to Bryce Canyon National Park since you won’t have a car. We recommend booking a direct shuttle to Bryce Canyon. The St. George Shuttle offers a shuttle from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon.
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It’s also super convenient to book a tour from Vegas to Bryce Canyon. This tour will take you to both Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park over the course of 14 hours.
We were not able to find any public busses to Bryce Canyon. The nearest bus stop is Cedar City which is approximately 90 minutes away from Bryce Canyon. If you take a Greyhound bus to Cedar City, you can book a tour through Southern Utah Scenic Tours that departs from Cedar City and takes you to Bryce Canyon National Park. This tour includes sights such as Natural Bridge, Bryce Point, Far View Point, Sunset Point, and Inspiration Point. There’s also an option to add a hike into the canyon based on interest.
Using the Shuttles in Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park has a free shuttle system. We recommend that you book a hotel in the town of Bryce, so that you can easily hop on the free shuttle into the park. The free shuttle will take you to all of the major points. It’s super convenient, and you won’t have to worry about parking lots being full.
If you stay at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon, Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, or Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel, you’ll be located along one of the park’s free shuttle stops.
The shuttle will take you to all the primary viewing areas within Bryce Canyon National Park.
The only thing you might miss without a car is the Mossy Cave Trail. (But even then, you might be able to get a ride share to take you to the trailhead.)
And that’s how you visit Bryce Canyon without your own car!
Driving *Part* of the Way to Bryce Canyon
If you’d rather not drive within the park, but you are comfortable renting a car and driving to Bryce, then you could definitely see much of Bryce Canyon. You could simply drive to Bryce City, and then use the free park shuttle to see all of the major points of interest. You wouldn’t have to worry about parking or traffic congestion within the park.
What to See at Bryce Canyon
We recommend that you definitely see Sunrise Point and Sunset Point. (You can even walk the Rim Trail along the canyon rim which connects both points.) You’ll be able to see a full view of the canyon with all of the hoodoos. The Lodge at Bryce Canyon is also located along the trail, which is a great place to stop for a meal. We wrote a complete post about the Rim Trail if you’d like to see more photos!
If you’re able to do a short hike, we recommend the Queen’s Garden Trail which takes you into the canyon among the hoodoos.
We also really enjoyed Inspiration Point. The viewing platform provided a different angle on the canyon, and it was fun watching all of the hikers below wind through the maze of hoodoos.
Pssst… looking for a hotel near Bryce Canyon? We stayed at the Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel, and we would recommend it to others!
Summary: Visiting Bryce Canyon Without a Car
In comparison to other national parks, getting to Bryce Canyon National Park is a bit difficult without a car (but not impossible). To the best of our knowledge, there is no direct transportation from any major airport to the park itself. We found that it would be much easier to visit the Grand Canyon without a car, but it’s technically still possible to visit Bryce Canyon National Park without a car as well. We hope this guide helps you plan your visit!
Disclaimer: We always strive for content accuracy. Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information.
