Ready for Spring at Bryce Canyon National Park
- Peter Densmore, NPS
- Mar 24, 2022
- 3 min read
With visitation levels often two to three times that of February, March marks both the beginning of spring and Bryce Canyon’s peak season. To best serve our visitors, facilities are beginning to reopen, hours are extending, and shuttle service will soon resume. No reservations are required to enter the park, but we encourage planning ahead for the best experience.
Instead of the park Visitor Center and Bookstore being open every day from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., due to daylight savings, hours will extend to 6 p.m., beginning on Sunday, March 13, and then to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 8.
To help reduce parking congestion at the Visitor Center and popular viewpoints, the Bryce Canyon Shuttle will begin service on Friday, April 1. Unlimited use of the shuttle is free with park admission. As in years past, vehicles 20 feet (six m) and longer remain restricted from parking at Bryce Amphitheater viewpoints during shuttle operating hours.
The 2022 shuttle season will run from April 1 through October 23, with daily service beginning at 8 a.m. The final bus will depart the park at 6 p.m., with extended hours to 8 p.m., from May 14 through September 25. Those boarding the shuttle outside the park should be prepared to show proof of admission, such as an annual or digital pass. Ready for spring at Bryce Canyon National Park Instructions for purchasing a digital pass will be posted at boarding areas. Purchasing a digital pass in advance can also help visitors save time at park entrance stations.
Riding the shuttle is an excellent option to pair with camping in one of the park’s developed campgrounds. Loop A of North Campground remains open all winter for first-come, first-served camping, and will transition to reservation-based camping from May 27 through October 1. Sunset Campground will offer first-come, first-served camping from April 15 through October 31. The Sunset Campground Group Site remains on reservation and will be available from May 20 through October 15. Reservations for North Campground and the Sunset Campground Group Site can be made six months in advance at Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.
To provide lodging, food and other amenities, the Lodge at Bryce Canyon and Sunrise Point General Store will reopen on Friday, April 1. Lodging reservations can be made by visiting www.brycecanyonforever. com or by calling Forever Resorts at 877-386-4383.
The historic Lodge Dining Room will serve breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Snacks, groceries, a penny machine, showers, and other amenities can be found at the Sunrise Point General Store. General Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours to 8 p.m., between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Valhalla Pizzeria is also expected to reopen by early summer this year.
For those looking to explore below the canyon rim, Canyon Trail Rides will begin providing horse and mule rides when weather and trail conditions allow, no later than May 1. Visit www.canyonrides.com or call 435-679-8665 for booking and other information.
The National Park Service has recently updated its masking guidance to use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new COVID-19 Community Level tool, which helps communities decide what prevention steps to take. Depending on COVID-19 Community levels, masking will be mandatory in some areas, but not required in others. Visit Bryce Canyon’s Current Conditions page for the latest on COVID-19 and park operations.
As your 2022 visit to Bryce Canyon approaches, we recommend first visiting www.nps.gov/brca for updates, alerts and other important information. Those planning a visit are also welcomed to contact the park via social media, or to call the park’s main information line at (435) 834-5322.
