In case you missed my previous Top 10 posts, here they are:
10. Grand Canyon National Park
My Top Ten National Parks of North America
7. Bryce Canyon National Park
The Statistics
Date established: February 2, 1928
Annual visitation (2014): 1,435,741
Size: 35,835 acres
Location: Southern Utah
My Experience
Number of visits: Two
Total days in the park: Three
Where I stayed: Two nights in the North Campground and one night in Bryce Canyon Lodge. Both were enjoyable options.
Can’t miss sight: The hoodoos within Bryce Amphitheater. They are an absolutely stunning sight, unlike anything else I have seen.
My favorite view: Sunrise Point. This viewpoint is also the start of the Queen’s Garden Trail, which is one of several trails that descend into the canyon. There are many great vistas along the rim of Bryce Amphitheater, but Sunrise Point, with its great view down into the canyon and out over the hoodoos takes first prize from me.
Wildlife seen: Deer
Favorite hike: Combining the Queens Garden Trail with the Navajo Loop Trail through Wall Street, which forms the “Best three mile hike in the world” according to the staff at Bryce Canyon. If you give it a try, you’ll see just how hard it is to argue with them. It’s a short, fairly easy hike down into the canyon and out through the amazing slot canyon known as Wall Street. This is a definite can’t miss hike for anyone venturing into the park.
If I Return
I’d definitely like to return to Bryce and spend as much time within the amphitheater as possible. I would like to try the 8-mile Fairyland Loop Trail, which would take me to a different area of the amphitheater.
Why You Should Visit
Because this place is awesome. You won’t be sorry. The colorful hoodoos are out of this world. You can get a nice taste of the place in one day, but I could also see totally falling in love with the place and never wanting to leave. This is my favorite of all the seven National Parks I have visited in the Southwest.
The Bad
It’s a bit out of the way, but that’s all I can think of.
The Adventures of a Day Hiker 
So great! Love it here!!
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I agree. I like that it’s not as crowded as Zion, Arches, and the Grand Canyon, too.
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Definitely a place I need to get back to!
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I was just there in June and couldn’t agree more.
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It’s amazing. So different than the other canyons of the southwest.
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Debating taking the family of 7 to explore the Mighty 5 this summer or head to Voyageurs and the boundary waters. Hard to make a bad choice, I think! Thanks for the countdown. As someone who loves the national parks and has spent time writing about them, I appreciate your information and efforts.
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The Utah parks are awesome. I’ve never been to Voyageurs or Boundary Waters, but I bet they’re great, too.
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