Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point and the Queen's Garden Trailhead

Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point is the northernmost of the four major viewpoints over the Bryce Amphitheater, and it is the trailhead for the Queen's Garden Trail. It is a good place to watch sunrise. Sunrise Point also works at sunset: it sits slightly above the Rim Trail and the forest to the west, so the view opens a full 360 degrees, including the western horizon.

The View from Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point

Sunrise Point looks across the whole Bryce Amphitheater, from the crumbling rim at your feet to colorful badlands farther east. The point stands at 8,100 feet, slightly higher than the Rim Trail and the ponderosa forest to the west. That small rise opens the view a full 360 degrees.

The rock below shows every stage of hoodoo formation. The rim wears back into walls, or fins, of layered rock. Frost-wedging breaks windows through the fins, and the windows widen until only isolated columns of stone remain.

Farther east, the hoodoos give way to badlands spotted with plants, including bristlecone pines. The crown-shaped formation in the middle of the amphitheater is Bristlecone Point, and binoculars can pick out the scraggly trees on its white cap. Beyond it lies the broad Paria Valley, with Navajo Mountain on the southeastern horizon.

Looking Northeast and South

To the northeast, flat-topped Boat Mesa and the tilted slope of Sinking Ship sit against the Pink Cliffs of the Table Cliff Plateau, 17.5 miles away. Sinking Ship leans at roughly 30 degrees because it is caught on the Paunsaugunt fault, which runs north to south along the park's eastern edge. To the south, Sunset, Inspiration and Bryce Points line the forested rim, and a sharp eye can find Thor's Hammer below Sunset Point.

Right at the overlook, a limber pine nicknamed Stilts stands on roots that erosion has left bare. The rim here wears back one to four feet every century. Those exposed roots show how quickly the ground under the tree is disappearing.

Watching Sunrise at Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point

Sunrise Point is a good place to watch daybreak, and its view is as striking at dawn as at day's end. The point and its neighbor, Sunset Point, got their names as a way to draw early Lodge visitors to easy spots on the rim at both times of day.

Plan your arrival around the sunrise time for your date and get there before first light. The shuttle's first bus is at 8 a.m., and in 2026 it runs only April through mid-October, so plan to drive to the Sunrise Point lot for daybreak.

Face east toward Bristlecone Point and the Paria Valley for first light.

Pack layers and binoculars. For temperatures by season, see Bryce Canyon weather by month.

Parking and the Sunrise Point Shuttle Stop

Sunrise Point has its own parking area and its own stop on the free park shuttle, Stop 13, beside the General Store. In 2026, the shuttle runs April through mid-October, and riding it is optional but recommended. Buses come about every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in spring and fall, with service until 8 p.m. in summer.

Shuttle rides come with park admission. Paying the $35 entrance fee entitles everyone in your vehicle to unlimited shuttle use, and an annual pass waives that fee.

Size limits apply while the shuttle runs. Vehicles 23 feet or longer cannot enter the Bryce Amphitheater area during shuttle hours, and oversized vehicles cannot use the Sunrise Point lot at those times. If you are not staying overnight in the park, the park asks you to leave your car at the Shuttle Station near Ruby's Inn, on the left before the entrance, or at Ruby's Campground. For current shuttle and parking updates, check the Bryce Canyon National Park website.

Queen's Garden Trailhead and Rim Trail Routes

Sunrise Point is the trailhead for Queen's Garden, the least strenuous of the six trails that drop from the rim into the Bryce Amphitheater. The trail descends 0.9 miles along a ridgeline to a hoodoo said to resemble Queen Victoria. Take the short spur at the bottom to see it.

The out-and-back hike is 1.8 miles round trip and takes one to two hours. The elevation change varies from about 320 to 450 feet. The high altitude and steep pitches still rate it moderate. Near the Horse Trail junction, look for a grove of bristlecone pines.

Grades average 11 percent and reach 25 percent, and due to the park's natural terrain Queen's Garden is not considered an accessible trail. Pets are not allowed on it, though service animals are. If you travel with a dog or use a wheelchair, take the paved rim walk to Sunset Point instead.

Queen's/Navajo Combination Loop

The 2.9-mile Queen's/Navajo Combination Loop takes two to three hours and is best hiked clockwise. Descend Queen's Garden, climb out on the Navajo Loop to Sunset Point, and return along the Rim Trail. Use the Two Bridges side year-round, because the Wall Street side opens only in summer.

The 6.4-mile Figure-8 adds the strenuous Peekaboo Loop and takes four to five hours. Both loops pass the junction where Queen's Garden meets the Navajo Loop.

Rim Trail North and South

The paved walk south to Sunset Point is the easiest walk in the park, with only minor elevation changes. It is wheelchair accessible except in severe weather, and it is the only part of the Rim Trail where leashed pets are allowed. During shuttle season, you can walk one way and ride back.

Heading north, Fairyland Point is 2.8 miles away. Fairyland has no shuttle stop, so plan to walk back or arrange a ride. The full Rim Trail runs 5.5 miles from Bryce Point to Fairyland Point.

Sunrise Point vs Sunset Point

The two points sit half a mile apart on a paved path. The differences come down to which trail you want to hike and which services you need.

Choose Sunrise Point if you want to start the clockwise combination loop right after dawn, since that loop begins on Queen's Garden. Choose Sunset Point if you need year-round restrooms. A round trip between the two takes 20 to 60 minutes, so you can watch from one and walk to the other before the hike.

Services and Lodging Near Sunrise Point

The General Store sits near Sunrise Point, beside the shuttle stop, and has accessible restrooms and a water-fill station in season. Fill your bottles there before heading down Queen's Garden.

Overnight options in the park include Bryce Canyon Lodge, North Campground and Sunset Campground. Staying at one of them lets you keep your car in the park instead of using the Shuttle Station near Ruby's Inn.

Outside the park, Dark Light Collection is building glass pyramids on private land about 15 minutes from Bryce Canyon National Park, opening in 2027. Each pyramid at the Bryce Canyon location is designed with a king bed positioned for sky-gazing and a personal deck telescope. For more lodging options, see where to stay near Bryce Canyon.

Pick your date, set an alarm for well before first light, and park at Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point in time to watch the eastern view take shape.