Friday, May 2, 2008

Bryce Canyon Trail Spotlight: Fairyland Loop

Most Ruby’s Inn guests enjoy hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park during their stay. As such, we would like to highlight the park’s trails in this blog to help you plan your hiking itinerary. We will begin with the Fairyland Loop Trail, the closest Bryce Canyon trail to your accommodations at Ruby’s Inn.

The Fairyland Loop Trail begins at Fairyland Point, reached by taking a left onto a spur road off UT 63 even before you reach the park’s fee station, only minutes from your Ruby’s Inn motel room. The 8-mile round trip hike offers spectacular views of colorful hoodoos and mesas. It is an ideal trail to hike if you would like to get away from the crowds. The first 1.5 miles of the trail winds through the north side of Boat Mesa, descending into Fairyland Canyon, the lowest point of the hike. The next 2.5 miles climbs out of Fairyland Canyon and offers views of Sinking Ship Mesa , which truly resembles an enormous sinking ship.

The mid-way point of the hike is the 0.2-mile spur trail to Tower Bridge , an excellent spot for a lunch break. From the Tower Bridge Junction, the trail ascends 1.5 miles back to the rim of Bryce Canyon’s main amphitheater. This portion of the trail traverses Campbell Canyon and offers superb views of the Chinese Wall. When you reach the rim, you can return to Fairyland Point or stroll along the rim to Sunrise Point and the park’s main tourist area.

Click here for the official National Park Service web page about the trail and here for a description of the trail on the Travel West website.

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