Fairyland Loop Trail

Fairyland Loop is the trail for people who want to see Bryce Canyon without the crowds. At 8 miles it's the longest maintained trail in the park, and that extra distance filters out a lot of casual visitors. We had entire stretches of trail to ourselves, which felt like a luxury after fighting crowds at the more popular viewpoints.

We started at Fairyland Point and went clockwise. The descent into the canyon is immediate and dramatic - within minutes you're walking among hoodoos that tower above you like ancient sentinels. The formations in this part of the park are somehow even more varied and whimsical than what you see from the main amphitheater viewpoints.

The highlight is Tower Bridge, about 3 miles in. It's this massive natural arch formation that looks like it belongs in a fantasy movie. There's a short spur trail to a viewpoint that gives you a perfect angle. We sat there eating lunch and just marveling at it. The entire Fairyland Canyon stretching out below Tower Bridge is one of the most incredible things we've seen in any national park.

The middle section of the loop follows a dry wash through a narrow canyon. It's quieter and more intimate than the amphitheater trails - you can hear the wind and not much else. Then the trail climbs back up toward Sunrise Point with a series of switchbacks that give you constantly improving views.

The elevation changes are no joke. 1,700 feet of cumulative gain at 8,000 feet altitude means this is a real workout. The last couple miles climbing out tested us. But it's spread out over 8 miles so the grade is manageable if you pace yourself.

Bring plenty of water and food - this is a half-day commitment minimum. We did it in about 5 hours with breaks. Start early to beat the heat and have the canyon in good light. This is the trail that made us realize Bryce Canyon is so much bigger and more diverse than most people experience.