Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Fairyland is the Bryce hike where you stop seeing other people. It runs eight miles and alternates between the plateau rim near Boat Mesa and the canyon floor, so you get long views across the amphitheater and then hours down inside it. There is no shuttle stop at Fairyland Point, which is half the reason it stays quiet and the reason you should sort out your car before you start. Mid-winter snow on this loop can run several feet deep.
The Trail
Quieter full-day hoodoo circuit past Tower Bridge.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Hard)
3 liters water or hydration pack, hiking boots, layers, headlamp, trail mix and jerky, trekking poles, first-aid kit.
Official figures differ. NPS lists 1,900 feet of gain (NPS). Our distance and gain come from GPS tracks, so treat both as approximate.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: North Campground (Bryce) (Camping, 1 mi) · Sunset Campground (Bryce) (Camping, 2 mi) · Sevier River (Upper) (Fishing, 16 mi) · Panguitch Lake (Fishing, 28 mi)
More hikes nearby: Queen's Garden + Navajo Loop (Hike, 2 mi) · Peekaboo Loop (Hike, 2 mi) · Mossy Cave & Waterfall (Hike, 2 mi) · Angel's Palace (Hike, 13 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Fairyland Loop hike?
- 8 miles round trip with 1716 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Fairyland Loop?
- Hard. Kid rating: 2 out of 5.
- When should I hike Fairyland Loop?
- Best season: Spring-Fall.
- Why hike Fairyland Loop?
- You get the full Bryce Amphitheater over eight miles instead of the two-mile highlight reel, with Tower Bridge and the rim near Boat Mesa along the way. Budget four to five hours and a lot of climbing spread over the day. The loop can close itself off in deep winter snow.