Bryce Canyon Trails Open Despite Winter
Bryce Canyon National Park trails remain open despite winter conditions, with Queens Garden Trail, Peekaboo Loop Trail, Fairyland Loop Trail, and Rim Trail all accessible. Park officials recommend microspikes for safety and note fewer crowds with stunning winter colors. The update was posted March 3 with current trail photos.
While many of Bryce Canyon's most famous trails are currently accessible, some popular routes remain closed for the winter season. The Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop is shut due to rockfall danger, and a section of the Rim Trail between Inspiration and Bryce Points is closed because of dangerous snow cornices. The park's high elevation, reaching over 9,100 feet, creates a unique winter environment. The same freeze-thaw cycle that carves the iconic hoodoo rock formations, a process known as "ice wedging," also creates slick and icy conditions on the trails as daytime melt freezes overnight. This process occurs around 170 days each year. To combat these icy patches, officials recommend microspikes, which are lightweight traction devices that stretch over hiking boots. Unlike larger crampons designed for mountaineering, microspikes have smaller steel spikes and chains that grip packed snow and ice, acting like tire chains for your feet and preventing slips. Even with the right gear, conditions can change rapidly. In late February 2026, unseasonably warm weather led to rapid snowmelt, causing mudslides and rockfall that forced the closure of the Two Bridges side of the Navajo Loop trail. The open trails offer unique geological sights, such as the Fairyland Loop which winds through whimsical, turret-like hoodoos and past the "Chinese Wall" formation. The Queens Garden Trail is named for a specific hoodoo that bears a resemblance to a queen on her throne. Winter remains a quieter time to visit Bryce Canyon compared to the summer months, though its popularity has been growing. In recent years, the park has seen a significant increase in winter visitors, with January 2025 marking the busiest January on record.
