Â鶹APP

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park- Photo by Mattia Bericchia on

The Bryce Canyon National Park, which is a sprawling reserve in Southern Utah, is best known for its crimson-coloured hoodoos that are spire-shaped rock formations.

It has overlooks at Sunrise point, sunset point, inspiration point and Bryce point.

1. Despite its name, Bryce Canyon’s main feature is not a canyon

Bryce Canyon- Photo by Oleg Chursin on

Despite its name, the main feature of the Bryce Canyon National Park is not a canyon but rather a collection of giant natural amphitheatres.

These amphitheatres are along the Eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau.

2. Best known for its geological structures

The unique red rocks at Bryce Canyon- Image by Brigitte Werner from

Bryce Canyon is unique and distinctive due to its geological structures known as hoodoos.

Hoodoos are typically tall, thin spires of rocks that protrude from the bottom of an arid drainage basin.

They are formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary rocks.

At Bryce, the red, orange and white colours of the rocks are a tourist attraction as they provide them with spectacular views.

3. Bryce Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers

A photo of Mormon Pioneers- Source; Library of Congress-

Mormon pioneers were members of the Latter-day Saints who migrated in the mid-1840s across the U.S.

In the 1850s, therefore, the Bryce Canyon was settled by them and named after , a Mormon pioneer and the person who designed Pine Vallet Chapel. He settled in the area nearby Bryce National Park in 1874.

4. The area surrounding Bryce Canyon was originally designated as a national monument

In 1923, the area around Bryce Canyon was originally designated as a national monument by President Warren G. Harding.

A national monument in the U.S context is a protected area that can be created from any land owned or even controlled by the federal government through an act of congress or by proclamation of the president.

So initially, Bryce Canyon was designated as one but in 1928, it was redesignated as a national park.

5. Receives fewer visitors compared to other parks due to its remote location

Visitors at Bryce Canyon- Photo by Amy Humphries on

Compared to national parks like or , Bryce National Park substantially receives fewer visitors largely due to its more remote location.

In 2016, Zion registered nearly 4.3 million visitors while grand canyon registered nearly 6 million.

Two years later in 2018, Bryce Canyon received 2,679,478 recreational visitors. This was however an improvement and an increase of 107,794 visitors from the year before.

6. A ship was named after Bryce Canyon National Park

USS Bryce Canyon ship- Source; U.S. Navy All Hands magazine-

Between September 15th 1950 and June 30th 1981, a ship by the name USS Bryce Canyon (AD- 36) served as a supply and repair ship in the U.S Pacific Fleet.

It was a Shenandoah-class destroyer tender and the only ship to ever be named for the Bryce Canyon National Park.

It was launched by Charleston Navy Yard and sponsored by Mrs William J. Carter, wife of Rear Admiral Carter.

7. Gained the status, ‘International Dark Sky’

Bryce Canyon’s Sky at night- Image by AnnBoulais from

In 2019, Bryce Canyon officially gained the status of ‘International Dark Sky.’ This is because of its high elevation, clean air and remote location that typically creates some of the darkest skies.

Clear and dry air means good visibility and Bryce Canyon benefits by being on a high elevation park far from civilization. Thus, the clean air is easy to see through and at night, it is as dark as dark can be.

8. It is phenomenal for stargazing

A view of the stars from Bryce Canyon- Image by Adam Derewecki from

Bryce is a perfect place for stargazing because of its clear skies at night. As recognized by various visitors who visit the place, there are very few places left in the world where one can stand in one place and see so much undeveloped land.

Additionally, as many of them remark, “When I look out across the grand staircase, it kinda feels like I have the whole planet to myself.”

On a clear day at Bryce, one can see nearly 200 miles to the Black Mesas in Eastern Arizona. It is said that on a very clear dark night, one can see 2.2 million light-years or 527,000,000,000,000,000 miles to the Andromeda galaxy.

9. The Hoodoos at Bryce Canyon are up to 60 metres

The Hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park- Photo by Mick Haupt on

The rock canyons’ formation has often been referred to as ‘ bewitching’ thus the name hoodoo.

They are tall skinny shafts of rock and are commonly found in the high plateaus region of the Colorado Plateau in the badlands regions of the Northern great plains.

As much as hoodoos are typically scattered throughout these areas, they are nowhere in the world as magnificent and abundant as in the Northern section of Bryce Canyon National Park.

They are so tall up to about 60 metres thus their uniqueness. They also range in size from that of a human and their heights can even exceed a 10- story building.

10. Bryce has more than 400 native plant species

Vegetation at Bryce Canyon National Park- Image by mblashoto from

At Bryce Canyon, more than 400 live there. Surrounded by deserts, the highland plateau of Bryce gets much more rain compared to the lowlands below and stays cooler during hot summers.

Thus, the lush ecosystems that result are like fertile islands towering above a vast landscape.

For example at the amphitheatres, there are pink cliffs and meadows perfectly exposed, there are also seeps and springs and all these are habitats for the different grassy plant communities.

Many of these meadows at Bryce Canyon National Park are high and dry and home to rabbitbrush, sagebrush and grasses.

Photo by Sebastian on

Given how unique it is, Bryce Canyon keeps on attracting visitors thus remaining to be an attraction site regardless of it being in a relatively remote area. Its unique beauty and features remain to be mind-blowing.