Illustrative artwork — an impression of Bryce Canyon — Navajo & Queen’s Garden, not a literal photograph.
The Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden trails combine into Bryce Canyon National Park's signature day hike, dropping off the rim through Wall Street's narrow switchbacks and threading among the amphitheater's orange hoodoos. It's a day hike, not an overnight trek, so the real lodging question is where to base yourself the night before — right at the rim, in the park's campgrounds, or in the gateway town just outside — so you can start early, before the crowds and the heat.
Why hike here
The appeal is in the contrast: you start on a forested rim near 8,000–9,000 feet, then drop through Wall Street, a narrow switchback corridor cut between towering rock walls, into an amphitheater crowded with hoodoos — thin, orange-and-white spires eroded out of the cliffside. Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden show different sides of the same formations, so combining them means seeing the hoodoos from the tight slot canyon and from the more open, garden-like basin. Because the whole route sits near 8,000 feet, temperature and light shift fast — mornings stay cold enough for a jacket even in summer, and the rock's color changes with the sun through the day. It's short by distance but delivers more scenery per mile than almost anywhere else in the park.
Getting there
Most visitors fly into Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, the two major airports within driving range, then rent a car for the trip to the park — there's no practical way to reach Bryce Canyon without one. From the highway, Bryce Canyon City sits just outside the park entrance, and a seasonal shuttle runs from the main visitor areas to the amphitheater viewpoints where the Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden trailheads begin, so you don't need to drive within the park once you've arrived. Give yourself extra time on the final approach roads, since they wind through high desert terrain.
Where to stay
The realistic options, closest-to-the-trail first. Book through the official links — we don't list prices or availability because they change all the time.
Illustrative — evokes the setting, not a specific property. For example: The historic lodge and cabins near the rim, on the shuttle route
Hikers who want to be steps from the amphitheater at sunrise.
The only lodging inside the park; books far ahead for summer.
Park lodging (official site)For example: Two rim-area campgrounds, part reservable and part first-come
Campers who want an easy walk to the trailheads.
High elevation means cold nights even in summer.
Recreation.govFor example: Hotels and rentals just outside the park entrance
Anyone who missed in-park options.
A short shuttle or drive to the rim.
Nearby-town lodging (official park info)Permits & rules
No permit is needed for the day-hike loop. A seasonal park shuttle serves the amphitheater; overnight backcountry trips need a permit.
Gear you'll want for this trip
Matched to the terrain and conditions here. Real products — check current price on Amazon.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to hike the Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden?
No. Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden are day-use trails within the main amphitheater, and no permit is required to hike them. A backcountry permit is only needed if you plan to camp overnight below the rim on one of the park's longer backcountry routes, which is a separate undertaking from this loop hike.
Where should I stay the night before hiking?
Your main options are The Lodge at Bryce Canyon, the only lodging inside the park and close to the rim; North or Sunset Campground, both inside the park with some sites reservable through Recreation.gov and others first-come, first-served; or a hotel in Bryce Canyon City, just outside the entrance.
What should I know about the weather and elevation?
The rim sits near 8,000 to 9,000 feet, so nights are cold even in summer — pack layers regardless of when you visit. May through October is generally the best window for hiking, when trail conditions are most reliable; outside that range, check current conditions before you go, since snow and ice can affect the route.
Complete gearsets for this trip
Full curated kits built for exactly this kind of hike — what to bring, why, and links to similar gear.
Lodging details are compiled from official parks, refuge associations and reservation systems and can change without notice. We publish no prices, availability or ratings — always confirm current information on the official site before booking or setting out. Product links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; prices and availability are shown on Amazon. See our affiliate disclosure.