Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah is not technically a canyon but an amphitheatre — a series of natural bowls carved into the edge of the Colorado Plateau by frost and erosion. The result is the largest concentration of hoodoos (irregular columns of rock) on earth, in shades of red, orange, white, and pink. The view from the rim at sunrise is one of the most dramatic in the American West.
The park has an 18-mile scenic drive along the rim with pullouts at the major viewpoints. Below the rim, trails descend into the amphitheatre and wind among the hoodoos — the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trails are the most popular, both manageable in a few hours. Serious hikers can combine trails for a longer loop. The altitude is high (around 2,400–2,700 m), so the air is cool even in summer.
Bryce Canyon Lodge is the only accommodation inside the park. Outside the park entrance, the small town of Bryce has motels and campgrounds. The park is isolated — the nearest city of any size is Kanab, about 80 km south, and most visitors come as part of a Utah national parks road trip combining Bryce with Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches.