After visiting most of America’s famous national parks and exploring the world for many years, we can confidently tell you that Bryce Canyon is one of the most photogenic landscapes we’ve seen. As soon as we saw those famous jagged sandstone hoodoos bursting out from the Bryce Canyon amphitheater, we knew that taking photos from sunrise to sunset was going to be a lot of fun.
In this guide we show you the photo spots you can’t miss in Bryce Canyon National Park, based on our experiences.
Our Experience
We spent 2 days at Bryce Canyon back in October 2019 as part of our very first 3 month US road trip. During our first day in the park we hiked Queens Garden Navajo Loop Trail, drove Bryce Canyon Road all the way down to Rainbow Point and watched the sunset. Next morning we watched a special sunrise, explored a bit more and then hit the road bound for Zion.
Overall we found photography came so easily in Bryce Canyon. We had our first ever camera back then (trusty Sony a6000!) and we were still learning, but it was hard to go wrong with the park’s rugged hoodoos and natural formations. So whether you’re a beginner or pro, we know you’re going to love taking photos in Bryce Canyon. Read more about us.
READ: 40 stunning US photo spots
1. Sunrise Point
Sunrise Point is our favorite photo spot in Bryce Canyon. It’s a raised fenced-in platform with a wide open 180-degree view from north to south. To the east where the sun rises you can see as far as the horizon with no obstructions, but the best viewpoint is looking south at the amphitheater as it illuminates a deep and fiery red at sunrise.
We woke up early, drove to Sunrise Point and set up our tripod in civil twilight with just one other photographer. It was a freezing cold morning so we were wrapped up in heavy coats and had a bucket-sized hot coffee each as we waited patiently for the sun to appear. And once it finally did, boy did it blow us away. It was like someone was shining a gigantic red torch into the amphitheater.
2. Sunset Point
At the back end of the day, you absolutely can’t miss Sunset Point. We’ll be up front and let you know right now that it’s nowhere near as picturesque as sunrise, but it’s still definitely worth seeing. At sunrise the sun lights up the amphitheater, whereas at sunset the sun is behind you so a deep shadow slowly grows larger and larger away from you towards the horizon.
We sat on a bench right at the top of Navajo Loop Trail and watched the amphitheater transition from light to dark and from hot to cool. There weren’t many people around because it was October, but we imagine this area would be much busier in summer. The good news is Sunset Point isn’t a fenced-in viewpoint, instead it runs across the rim so there’s plenty of room for everyone to enjoy the spectacle.
3. Queens Garden Trail
Unless you’re a serious photographer wanting to sell a Bryce Canyon sunrise photo, you’re probably going to find the Queens Garden Navajo Loop hike the best place to take photos in the park. Why? Because you can immerse yourself into the hoodoos, spires, weirdly shaped sandstone formations, slots and switchbacks. And they’re all exceptionally photogenic.
Hiking down into the amphitheater was our favorite part of visiting Bryce Canyon so we highly recommend you walk this trail. We encountered a surprising amount of trees and vegetation, cool formations like Wall Street and Two Bridges, and doorways built into sandstone. Our phones and old camera got a real workout on the hike.
4. Thor’s Hammer
Ever wondered if you’re worthy enough to lift Thor’s Hammer? Well, you have the chance to find out in Bryce Canyon. On the eastern side of Navajo Loop you can raise your hand and find out if Mjolnir will move for you. Our pretty reasonable guess is that nobody has ever been successful, but it’s still a fun photo to take home if you’re visiting with the kids (or adults!).
We hiked up the western side of Navajo Loop so we could walk through Wall Street and climb the more iconic switchbacks. Then we looped around to the eastern side and walked down as far as Thor’s Hammer to grab a quick photo of Mark inevitably not being worthy.
5. Navajo Loop Switchbacks
No matter which side of Navajo Loop you choose to hike up or down, you have to contend with a series of photogenic sandstone switchbacks. As we just mentioned, the western side of the loop has the more iconic switchbacks so we recommend you go for that side if you’re interested in taking a better photo.
We knew the switchbacks were going to be fun, but we didn’t expect them to be so picturesque. It looked cool from below but it looked even better from above, so if you don’t want to deal with hiking up them you could simply walk down as far as the top of the switchbacks for a photo before turning back for the rim.
6. Inspiration Point
Okay, let’s move out of the main touristy area around the amphitheater and head for Inspiration Point. Now, you can either walk 20 minutes (around 0.7 miles) on the Rim Trail to reach Lower Inspiration Point, or you can hop in your car and drive instead. Once you arrive you should visit both Lower and Upper Inspiration Point vistas because they’re both among the best viewpoints in the park.
If we’d had another morning in Bryce Canyon we would definitely have gone to Upper Inspiration Point for sunrise photography. It’s a higher vantage point overlooking the amphitheater from the opposite side to Sunrise Point. But the view is more expansive and you’ll have more flexibility over your framing.
7. Bryce Point
Continuing further down Bryce Point Road from Inspiration Point you’ll reach Bryce Point, which has a fantastic wide open 180-degree view. From here you can no longer see the main amphitheater, but that’s a good thing because it’s the only thing you’ll have taken photos of so far.
We walked out to the fenced-in viewpoint, spent about 5 minutes taking in this new scene which stretched as far as the horizon and quickly realized there’s more to Bryce Canyon that just its amphitheater. Don’t get us wrong, this viewpoint is nowhere near as photogenic but it’s still certainly worth visiting for a different perspective.
Travel tip: If you visit in peak season you might want to consider taking the park shuttle to Inspiration Point and Bryce Point instead of driving your own car.
8. Natural Bridge
If you’ve spent time exploring other parts of southern Utah you’ll know there’s a bunch of naturally formed sandstone arches pretty much everywhere you look. But Bryce Canyon is more about hoodoos than arches, and we bet Natural Bridge will be the only arch you’ll notice the whole time you’re in the park.
We pulled into the surprisingly large parking lot, walked over to the viewpoint and took a few quick photos of the arch. It was probably the easiest stop we made all day. The large window-like arch is southeast facing from the viewpoint so we think photos will be better if taken later in the afternoon when the sun lights up the front of the formation.
9. Ponderosa Canyon
There’s a bunch more photo spots you can visit as you drive down Bryce Canyon Road, but we think the next place you shouldn’t miss is Ponderosa Canyon. By now you’ll have taken a lot of photos of sandstone hoodoos, so switch it up here with a view over an ocean of ponderosa pine trees.
The parking area was much smaller here but we guess fewer people make this stop. We really liked the view because there’s a sandstone wall in the foreground that kind of opens like a canal lock into a view of the ponderosa forest on the canyon floor. It’s an east facing view so you could also do sunrise here.
10. Rainbow Point
At 9,115 ft in elevation above sea level, Rainbow Point is the highest point in Bryce Canyon. It’s the very last stop you can make at the end of the park road, and we think it’s well worth making the trip down. The expansive 180-degree view is from northwest to southeast, and because you’re higher than anywhere else, you have a sensational view onto distant horizons above the national park.
Again, we think Rainbow Point would make for another superb sunrise photo spot in Bryce Canyon. But you only have so many mornings and you’ll likely prioritize Sunrise Point. The view is awesome from Rainbow Point, but it’s also worth coming here just to say you’ve been to the highest point in the park.
Bryce Canyon Photo Spots Map
Click or touch the map below to activate. Zoom in and out, move around the map and you’ll see the locations of each photography location mentioned in this guide. You can also click on the view larger map icon in the top right to expand the map, which is much easier to see.
Map key:
- Red – photo spots
As you can see the popular photography locations are mostly in and around Bryce Canyon amphitheater. After that, it’s a case of jumping in the car and stopping at the overlooks all the way down to Rainbow Point at the end of Bryce Canyon Road.
The Morgan Conclusion
What we like: One of our favorite things about Bryce Canyon is how small it is and therefore how easy it is to get around to the photo spots. It’s not overwhelming, there’s barely any driving involved and it’s incredibly picturesque. We also love the potential for amazing sunrise photos.
What we don’t like: The problem with a small park and one major attraction (the amphitheater) is that your photos end up being very similar. Sure, there are different viewpoints but the style of image remains the same. That’s why it’s important you use light, dawn, dusk and colors to your advantage.
More From Bryce Canyon
- Hiking Queens Garden Navajo Loop
- 3 days Zion + Bryce Canyon itinerary
- 10 amazing Utah road trips
- Places you must visit in Utah
- The hikes you can’t miss in Utah
Want more Utah content? Head over to our Utah Travel Guides to explore the mighty five national parks and beyond.
We hope our Bryce Canyon photography guide helps with planning your visit to Utah!
Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
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Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.
Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us.