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to turn left on Forest Road 087 and follow it to Tropic Reservoir (see “Fishing,” below). This part of the journey does not form a loop, so you would turn around once you’ve reached the reservoir.

      FISHING The closest fishing hole to the park is Tropic Reservoir, a large lake in a ponderosa pine forest. From the intersection of Utah 63 (the park entrance road) and Utah 12, drive west about 3 miles to a gravel road, then about 7 miles south. Facilities include a forest service campground open in summer, a boat ramp, and fishing for rainbow, brook, and cutthroat trout. Locals say the fishing can be better in streams above the lake than in the reservoir itself. For more information, contact the Dixie National Forest (see above).

      HIKING One of Bryce Canyon’s greatest assets is that you don’t have to be an advanced backpacker to really get to know the park. However, all trails below the rim have at least some steep grades, so wear hiking boots with a traction tread and good ankle support to avoid ankle injuries. During the hot summer months, go hiking either early or late in the day, carry plenty of water, and keep in mind that the deeper you go into the canyon, the hotter it gets.

      The Rim Trail, which does not drop into the canyon but offers splendid views from above, meanders along the rim for more than 5 miles. Overlooking Bryce Amphitheater, the trail offers excellent views along much of its length. An easy to moderate walk, it includes a half-mile section between two overlooks—Sunrise and Sunset—that is suitable for wheelchairs. This trail is a good choice for an after-dinner stroll, when you can watch the changing evening light on the rosy rocks below.

      Your best bet for getting down into the canyon and seeing the most with the least amount of sweat is to combine two popular trails—Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden . The total distance is just under 3 miles, with a 521-foot elevation change, and it takes most hikers from 2 to 3 hours to complete the trek. It’s best to start at the Navajo Loop Trail head at Sunset Point and leave the canyon on the less-steep Queen’s Garden Trail, returning to the rim at Sunrise Point, a half-mile to the north. The Navajo Loop Trail section is considered fairly strenuous; Queen’s Garden Trail is rated moderate. Along the Navajo Loop Trail section, you’ll pass Thor’s Hammer—wondering why it hasn’t fallen—and then ponder the towering skyscrapers of Wall Street. Turning onto the Queen’s Garden Trail, you’ll see some of the park’s most fanciful formations—including majestic Queen Victoria herself, for whom the trail was named—plus the Queen’s Castle and Gulliver’s Castle.

      Those up for a challenge might consider the Hat Shop Trail, a strenuous 4-mile round-trip with a 1,336-foot elevation change. Leaving from the Bryce Point Overlook, the trail drops quickly to the Hat Shop, so-named for the hard gray “hats” perched on narrow reddish-brown pedestals. Allow 4 hours.

      For die-hard hikers who don’t mind rough terrain, Bryce has two backcountry trails, usually open in summer only. The Under-the-Rim Trail runs for some 23 miles, providing an excellent opportunity to see the park’s spectacular scenery on its own terms. Riggs Spring Loop Trail, 8½ miles long, offers splendid views of the pink cliffs in the southern part of the park. The truly ambitious can combine the two trails for a weeklong excursion. Permits, available at the visitor center, are required for all overnight trips into the backcountry. They cost $5 for 1 or 2 people, $10 for 3 to 6 people, and $15 for 7 to 15 people (group sites only).

The Biggest Bird of All

      The rarest flying bird in North America, and one of the largest anywhere, by 1987 the California condor’s population had dwindled to just 22 birds. An aggressive breeding program brought the huge raptors (they have a 10-foot wingspan) back from the edge of extinction and today there are nearly 500 in existence. One of the few spots you might see them is in Bryce Canyon. Ask a park ranger for the likeliest places and times.

      Horseback Riding Some of the early Utah pioneers were lucky enough to arrive on horseback. Canyon Trail Rides (www.canyonrides.com; 435/679-8665) offers a close-up view of Bryce’s spectacular rock formations from the relative comfort of a saddle. The company has a desk inside Bryce Lodge. A 2-hour ride to the canyon floor and back costs $65 per person, and a half-day trip farther into the canyon costs $9 per person. Rides are offered April through October. Riders must be at least 7 years old for the 2-hour trip, at least 10 for the half-day ride, and weigh no more than 220 pounds.

Spotting Peregrine Falcons

      For a good chance to see peregrine falcons, go to Paria View and sit quietly away from the crowds; look out over the amphitheater, where these beautiful birds can often be spotted.

      Guided horseback rides in Red Canyon are offered by several companies, including Ruby’s Inn Horse Rides (www.horserides.net; 435/834-5341), at Ruby’s Inn (p. 248). Rates range from $65 to $135 for a full day, including lunch. Ruby’s will also board your horse (call for rates).

      WILDLIFE-WATCHING The park is home to a variety of wildlife, ranging from mule deer to mountain short-horned lizards, which visitors often spot while hiking down into the canyon. Occasionally you might catch a glimpse of a mountain lion, most likely on the prowl in search of a mule-deer dinner; elk and pronghorn may also be seen at higher elevations.

      The Utah prairie dog, listed as a threatened species, is actually a rodent. It inhabits park meadows, but should be avoided, as its fleas may carry disease (see “Safety,” earlier in this chapter).

      There are 175 species of birds in the park; you’re bound to hear the triumphant call of the “camp robber” Steller’s jay. Watch for swifts and swallows as they perform their exotic acrobatics along cliff faces; binoculars will come in handy.

      If you see or hear one, give the Great Basin rattlesnake a wide berth. Sometimes more than 5 feet long, this rattler is the park’s only poisonous reptile. However, like most rattlesnakes, it is just as anxious as you are to avoid confrontation.

      Winter Fun

      Bryce is beautiful in the winter, when the white snow creates a perfect frosting on the red, pink, orange, and brown stone columns standing strong against the cold winds. Cross-country skiers will find several marked, ungroomed trails (all above the rim), including the Fairyland Loop Trail , which leads 1 mile through a pine and juniper forest to the Fairyland Point Overlook. From here, take the 1-mile Forest Trail back to the road, or continue north along the rim for another 1¼ miles to the park border.

      Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park except on cross-country-ski tracks. There are also connections to ski trails in the adjacent national forest.

Winter Safety

      Although the entire park is open to cross-country skiers, rangers warn that it’s extremely dangerous to try to ski on the steep trails leading down into the canyon.

      Stop at the visitor center for additional trail information, and go to Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn (p. 249), just north of the park entrance (www.rubysinn.com; 435/834-5341), for information on cross-country ski trails, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling opportunities outside the park. Ruby’s grooms more than 30 miles of ski trails and also rents snowshoes and cross-country ski equipment.

      Camping

      In the Park

      Typical of the West’s national park campgrounds, the two campgrounds at Bryce offer plenty of trees for a genuine “forest camping” experience,

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