The Toadstool Hoodoos are cool rock formations formed by differential erosion. They look like…read moremushrooms, as the harder rock caps and protects the softer rock underneath. The hike is an easy 1.5 miles. The views at the end are worth it, and you can get close to the rock formations as you like (although don't topple the rocks!). It's suitable for families with small children. If you don't mind driving on an unpaved road (I did it in a 2WD sedan), check out House Rock Valley Road for unparalleled views of the landscape with swirling sandstone, painted hills, and other cool rock formations. Check out the Wire Pass Trail for amazing slot canyons, although check the weather. If there's any chance for rain, do not enter the slot canyons since the formations channel water and form deadly floods in the canyon. The visitor center in Kanab is huge, with lots of good pamphlets and displays about the geology and archaeology of the area.

This feels like a review in progress because the area is so large - but was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow much more I want to explore this region. We did Willis Creek Narrows and Lower Calf Creek Falls - both incredible. Now adding to the wish list for return trips. The drive along US 12 is just spectacular. Definitely recommend a high clearance vehicle with 4WD to access some of the more remote locations. Be prepared to adventure and bring what you need as this is not a manicured national park, but more a haven for those looking for an off-grid escape.

The employees & rangers here went out of their way to help us store our motorcycle gear in a pinch…read moreso that we could hike hands-free! We would've had to get scrappy with our stuff (or worse, carry it during our hike) if not for them. We won't forget it! Really wonderful shop, as well. Highly recommend. Thank you, Bryce Canyon team!

This visitor center has all of the things that make a visitor center great: a large parking lot,…read morebathrooms, exhibits, helpful people, and a gift shop. It's also quite large, perfect for the hordes of guests during the busy season. The layout is literally perfect. As you enter, you see the washrooms marked to your left. It's perfectly out of the way if people have to queue, and doesn't disrupt the flow of the other parts of the building. Straight ahead is the NPS ranger desk, which has excellent sight lines from the entrance. You're not going to be confused where to ask for help! The rangers were super helpful with my night sky viewing questions. There is a large gift shop to the right, and then to the left are the exhibits. The gift shop has an extended selection of things to buy, probably due to its large size. It has the usual offerings of NPS items plus clothing, etc. The exhibits focus a lot on the geology of the area (which makes sense, people visit for the hoodoos!), but also on the ecosystem and the native Americans who live here. Great information.

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Capitol Reef National Park became one of the most beautiful surprises of the entire journey. The drive from Death Valley to Capitol Reef was already an adventure, with constantly changing landscapes along the way. But nothing prepared us for the moment we arrived. Suddenly, the desert opened up into an incredible world of red rock formations, towering cliffs, and colors that seemed almost impossible. It was breathtaking. Capitol Reef is a smaller national park compared to some of the giants we visited, but it has a beauty and personality all its own. In fact, it became my husband's favorite park of the entire trip. There is something about the combination of landscapes, colors, history, and peacefulness that makes this park truly special. The scenery changes dramatically throughout the park. One area is filled with the famous red rock formations, cliffs, and sandstone walls that look like they were painted by nature. Then, as you explore other areas, the landscape changes into lighter limestone formations, with shades of yellow, cream, and gray. Everywhere you look there is a different view, a different texture, and a different color. One of the unique things about Capitol Reef is the historic Fruita area, where early settlers planted orchards along the Fremont River. Today, visitors can still see these beautiful fruit groves, which feel almost magical surrounded by the desert landscape. There is also a historic building in the Fruita area where they sell homemade fruit pies, and it is incredibly popular for a reason. The pies are absolutely delicious. We could not resist and enjoyed having pie and ice cream one morning for breakfast. When you are traveling, sometimes breakfast rules become a little more flexible! The park also has fascinating history, including ancient petroglyphs left by the Fremont people. Seeing these markings carved into the rock walls was a powerful reminder that people have been connected to this landscape for thousands of years. The hiking was another highlight. I especially enjoyed hiking through the Narrows, where I was able to explore on my own and experience the beauty and quiet of the canyon. Walking through the towering walls, surrounded by the colors and textures of the desert, was unforgettable. Capitol Reef feels like nature's own painting. The reds, oranges, yellows, blues, turquoise, and greens all come together to create a landscape that is constantly changing depending on the light. It is a park that invites you to slow down, look around, and appreciate the incredible creativity of the natural world. Capitol Reef may not always get the same attention as Utah's more famous parks, but it deserves it. It is beautiful, peaceful, full of history, and absolutely worth the visit.

This is an amazing national park. One thing I noted about the park is that it offers things for…read morepeople to do regardless of their activity level. If you're super fit and want to do hikes, good for you as there's plenty of strenuous hikes! If you aren't as active or use a mobility assistive device, you can travel on the very, very scenic drive and also learn about the ghost town of Fruita (although the NPS employees live there). If you time your visit right, you can even pick fruits from the orchards. I combined the Rim Overlook trail with the trail to Hickman Bridge to get amazing views, as well as hiked the Cassidy Arch trail. The trails weren't too crowded, so it was a great place to listen to nature and focus on hiking. You're rewarded with amazing views. Definitely hit up Gifford Homestead for fruit pies. They often sell out in the afternoon.

Very, very limited hours due to budget cuts by the current administration unfortunately. This…read morevisitor center focuses on the early geologic and paleontological discoveries in the region. I didn't know, but apparently there are fourteen new dinosaur species that were discovered in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Super impressive especially given how unwelcoming the weather can be. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibits about paleontology and geology. There are also bathrooms and picnic areas, although it was pretty hot when I visited and no one was using them. Very informative! It's worth a stop if you're in the area.

We stopped here on our way to Page, AZ from St. George, UT. We initially did not know that it was…read morethere and turned around to visit after we saw the signs as we passed by. We learned this visitor center is one of four visitor centers in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and is operated by the Bureau of Land Management. The visitor center has a lot of information about the monument especially regarding the dinosaurs who once lived in the area and the fossils that have been found in the area. They also have a small book store and gift shop. Overall, it is worth the stop. We didn't plan on doing any trails while in the area as it was a cold afternoon in January but the woman working seemed to be very knowledgeable and was giving another couple recommendations.

Pretty standard visitor center with a ranger desk, exhibits, and a gift shop. The washrooms have a…read moreseparate entrance, but are in the same building. The rangers were very helpful about trail conditions as it had recently rained. They patrol the trails on a regular basis to make sure that no one is stuck and needing rescue. The exhibits discuss the geology of the area, covering information about the Waterpocket Fold which defines the distinctive landforms seen in the national park. They also discuss the flora and fauna in the area. I didn't see any animals during my visit, but that doesn't mean they're not there! I learned a lot from the easy to understand displays. The gift shop has the usual litany of items for sale- postcards, books, clothing, and even dog gear! Checkout was efficient.

This visitor center is very nice, and has tons of parking. It's easy to access just off the main…read moreroad by the entrance to the park (no pay station prior to entering). The volunteers were very helpful and they have several types of maps. Really appreciated the recs they gave for a short trip! The bathrooms are clean too, and plenty of parking right out front. The views on the way in and near the center itself are also exceptional; even if you don't have time to do almost any hiking you can get some great pics there!

Unfortunately, the Cannonville Visitor Center is closed until further notice. :( It's usually open…read morefrom mid-March to mid-November, but with the budget cuts from the current administration, there's no one left the staff the ranger desk. You can still stop by and enjoy the outdoor interpretive displays on human history in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It seems like it was a lot of hard work to survive here! Water had to be hauled in from the muddy Paria River. The botanical garden outside the visitor center showcases 19th century agricultural practices including how durable fencing was built with the most minimum of materials. A peek indoors reveals information about historic settlements in the area. I hope this place opens back up soon!

The day between visiting Bryce Canyon NP and Zion NP, I decided to take a few detours. The first…read moredetour was to hike the Willis Creek slot canyon. The drive along Highway 12 was straightforward and it's easy to spot the turnoff onto Main St Cannonville. The Cannonville Visitor Center was easy to find as well. There were plenty of parking spots nearby. The visitor center looks very modern and comfortable inside. The employees were very helpful. They provided maps and useful tips on how to find Willis Creek slot canyon, including accurate number of miles to drive before making turns. The employees also suggested driving along scenic Highway 12 to see the views within Grand Staircase-Escalante, but I didn't have the time. Maybe on my next visit?

Highly recommend!! I…read moredid the the Figure-8 Combination hike, which combines three amphitheater hikes, Queen's Garden, Navajo Loop, and the Peekaboo Loop. The NPS recommends to do the hike in a clockwise direction due to the elevation slope at the end of the hike, but I wanted to be contrarian haha. It wasn't bad! I liked how there were some tunnels going through some of the hoodoos, and there were various parts of the trail in the shade and in the sun just by going around the rock formations. It was absolutely beautiful when I went, with great cottony white clouds against an azure sky. Do note that there's no water on the trail, and seasonal pit toilets on Peekaboo Loop, but otherwise no restrooms on this portion of the trail. I spent the morning hiking, and then went back to town for a buffet. I couldn't image hiking on a stuffed stomach.

This hike is iconic, probably the most famous in the park. The rec is to do this hike as a loop…read morecoupled with queen's garden for a 4-5 mile round trip trek. You get up close to the hoodoos and see lots of beautiful vantage points in the park. It was closed for a while in early 2026 because of a mud slide but reopened in March and as far as I know has remained open since I was there in April 2026. You can do this hike either clockwise (starting near sunrise viewpoint) or counterclockwise (starting near sunset viewpoint). I was recommended to do it clockwise. There was plenty of parking near sunrise view point, I had no trouble on a Sunday in early April. Took me a couple hours to do the whole thing from start to finish. Overall if you have time for only one hike in Bryce, this is the one I'd rec! You'll see so many iconic and beautiful spots here.

Very informative center! There are photos, artifacts, and a movie about how the dam was built…read more There are great views of the dam itself. You can also walk out on the bridge and get views ofboth sides of the dam. Plenty of parking so be sure to stop in!

First off, I love how large the parking lot is. It's rare that I comment on the parking situation,…read morebut given how many visitors this place sees (with a bunch of tour busses too!) I like how they split up the lots with overflow parking. The visitor center is pretty big. As you enter you can see a big area of exhibits that talk about the geology of the dam as well as how Glen Canyon Dam compares to other dams in the world. Quite ominously, there was a exhibit about the water levels and it hadn't been updated in years...the overall trend was that there isn't a lot of water now. You can also watch a movie in back, shop at the gift shop, and get more information about the dam and surrounding areas at the information desk. Don't forget to walk on the bridge nearby, although it can be a bit unnerving to have traffic whizz by with not a lot of distance between you and them.

Bryce National Park is beyond beautiful…read more The park has many walking trails along the rim as well as down in the canyon trails. Summer time can be a bit hot, average around 90* F. Bring plenty of fluids and be sure to have some healthy food before embarking on the trails Parking is very limited before 12pm. Utah is an hour ahead of NV and AZ. Be sure to pay attention. Park Rangers are available at all times. EMT are also on stand by. Take care and safety first. Stay 20ft back from the edge, no safety railings. Definitely worth every mile driven. The park is spectacular

What's not to love about touring around to visit national parks? Nothing! That's what…read more In 2020 I did a lot of road-tripping. I drove more than 8000 miles between August and October. One of the many places on my list to see was Bryce Canyon National Park. I wanted to see the red rock canyons and formations. The skies were blue. The temps were hot but thankfully the soft breeze cooled it down a little. There were groups of people taking the canyon trails down into the valley. We weren't feeling that adventurous and we had our American Akita with us so it was a no go. The views were exceptional. The rock formations were really cool. We drove in and out of several areas of the park to check out the park and red rock from different angles. It was pretty cool. The visitor center was informative too. Highly recommend!

Very Good pizza. You can choose every ingredient for your personal pizza or their pizza.read more

Amazing people, pizza, salads and cake! We ordered the 16" build your own pizza, salads (sharing…read moreApple Pecan Arugula with add chicken). We'd already began digging in on salad and cake before the pictures! Excellent place in Escalante!