The Queen’s Garden Trail

The Queen’s Garden Trail at Bryce Canyon National Park is popular among hikers. Visitors can see a few man-made bridges and beautiful rock formations. One of the favorite sites to see is a plateau called the Sinking Ship. It’s the site of tectonic activity that is thought to have occurred millions of years ago. Overall Queen’s Garden Trail has a lot to see, is fairly easy to hike and easily accessible.

History
The Queen’s Garden Trail is part of the Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Trails Historic District. It was first developed as a way for visitors to explore the area, including the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The five trails include not only the Queen’s Garden Trail, but the Peekaboo Loop Trail, the Fairlyand Trail, the Navajo Loop Trail and the Rim Trail. The trails were built between 1917 and 1935 and they intersect so they are easily accessible to each other.

About The Pathway
Round trip, the trail is about 1.8 miles in length depending on where you start. It generally takes hikers around 2 ½ hours to hike it if they don’t stop. The trail is fairly easy to complete with the easiest part being below the rim. The best time to hike it is from April through October. If you want a longer hiking experience you can combine it with the Navajo Trail which is slightly harder.

Getting To It
The Queen’s Garden trail is a little less than half a mile from the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center. The visitor center is located about 1 mile within the park. Visitors can park at the Sunrise Point Parking area and either ride on a shuttle bus or hike too it. The park is 4 ½ miles south of Highway 63 and Highway 12. There is no public transportation available to the park.

About The Park
Bryce National Canyon is open 24 hours a day, although there may periodically be closures due to things like poor weather. The visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Entrance into the park is $25 per vehicle. For those entering by foot or bicycle, the fee is $12 per person.

If you visit the park remember that it is in full sun and there are no water fountains nearby. However, there are plenty of places to stop and take a break if you need too. There are trees at the end of the trail where you can enjoy the coolness of the shade and catch your breath.

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