How to Visit Bryce Canyon National Park Without a Car

Last Updated on March 24, 2023 by admin

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most unique national parks in the United States. Although it’s technically not a canyon, it’s actually a series of natural amphitheaters that have been carved over thousands of years. What makes Bryce Canyon special, though, is the fact that it contains hundreds of hoodoos (tall columns of rocks that pack the canyon floor). Bryce Canyon is also located in a very remote area of Utah, so you might be wondering if you can even get there without a car. The good news is that there are a few options available to travel to Bryce Canyon without a car. Once at Bryce Canyon National Park, you can use the park’s free shuttle system to hit the major viewpoints and hikes. In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know to visit Bryce Canyon National Park without a car.

(For a full list of all our posts about things to do in Utah, click here!)

Join our newsletter (linked here) for monthly updates!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. These sales help to run this blog without any additional cost to you. See our policy page for details.

How to Get to Bryce Canyon Without a Car

Fly 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.

TIP: If you’re looking for flights to Las Vegas, I recommend checking the SkyScanner website to search for the best airfare prices for your dates of travel.

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.

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 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.

inspiration point viewing platform at bryce canyon national park — *Inspiration Point viewing platform*

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 trail here.

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.

Where to Stay at Bryce Canyon

Booking.com

If you’re able to secure transportation that drops you off, we recommend staying two nights in Bryce Canyon so you can have one full day to see all of the sights.

We recommend that you look into the following hotels:

For a full list of hotels near Bryce, click here.

What to Bring With You On Your Trip to Bryce Canyon

You’ll want to bring comfortable hiking shoes. Make sure that your shoes are a bit worn in so that you don’t have to deal with blisters. Always bring a first aid kit with you just in case. Bring your favorite sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat for extra sun protection. We also recommend bringing a pair of binoculars so you can fully see all the details in the canyon. This selfie stick with a tripod and remote will let you take photos with everyone in the picture. Bring a portable charger so your camera doesn’t run out of battery. Finally, bring lots of water. We recommend an insulated water bottle to keep your water cool.

If you’re not familiar with the 10 Essentials for hiking preparedness, we recommend you check out our post here about it!

We also recommend that you purchase a guide book ahead of your visit. You’ll also want to bring a map, especially if you plan on doing a lot of hiking.

(Click on any of the above images for a link to purchase.)

Guided Tours of Bryce Canyon National Park

Booking a guided tour can help to personalize your tour and give you a unique experience. Whether you want to go horseback riding or have a gourmet picnic, there is a tour for you!

Here’s a few ideas:

Horseback Riding at Bryce Canyon: When you book this tour, you’ll be able to go horseback riding through Bryce Canyon National Park with a trained guide. You’ll basically be exploring the area the same way that Butch Cassidy did!
Private Guided Hike with a Gourmet Picnic: When you book this tour, you won’t have to worry about a thing. Your trained guide will take you to the Navajo and Queens Garden trail, and you’ll even get to have a gourmet picnic at Sunrise Point.
Scenic Tour of Bryce Canyon: You’ll join a small group in an air-conditioned vehicle as your tour guide takes you through the park.
Self-Driving Audio Tour: If you choose to drive yourself through Bryce Canyon, you can download an audio tour that will teach you all about the major sites.

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!

If this article was helpful to you, please consider sharing it on your social media accounts to further help support our blog. Also, don’t forget to join our newsletter. Thank you!

pinterest pin bryce canyon without a car — *Pin for later!*

If you enjoyed this post, you might also be interested in the following posts:

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.

Hi, I’m Kelly!

After studying abroad in Spain, I became passionate about international travel. Since then, I’ve traveled to 6 continents and 36 states within the United States. When I’m not travel blogging, you can find me hiking, reading Spanish novels, or playing cribbage. I hope my blog inspires you to see the world!