Self-Guided Field Trips

Exploring Bryce Canyon National Park through a self-guided field trip is an excellent way to spend the day with your students! A hike down into Bryce Canyon’s spectacular collection of natural hoodoo formations is a sure way to spark the curiosities within your students about the Earth’s dynamic processes. In order to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for everyone, there are several guidelines and regulations that we ask you to read over.

 

Logistics for Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park

Park Entrance Fees

Accredited educational institutional group that visit Bryce Canyon National Park for educational purposes and meet the requirements will not be charged park fees. Before requesting an academic fee waiver, visit the Academic Fee Waiver page to see if your group meets the listed requirements. Academic fee waivers must be requested two weeks in advance of the scheduled trip to allow for processing.

 

Hiking

There are many easy trails suitable for larger groups in Bryce Canyon National Park. For map and trail descriptions, download the Park Map and Guide. Before selecting a hike, please take note of the chart that lists the distance, hours, and the description.
Group sizes on a single trail may consist of 40 people maximum. This 40 person limit includes students, teachers, and chaperones. For the safety of the students, we ask that there will be one adult chaperone for at least every 10 students.
If the maximum number of people within a visiting group is larger than 40, we please ask for the consideration of other visitors and protection of our resources that groups split up into groups of 40 people maximum and either: hike on different trails from one another OR stagger the timing of hikes so that no more than 40 people are on a given trail at once.

 

Preservation

The national parks belong to all of us. Please help us protect our resources by following these guidelines:

● Stay on established trails – Hiking off trails can lead to injuries to yourself and others by falling rocks from eroded cliffs.

● Do not feed the animals – Feeding animals is detrimental to their health. Consequences of feeding animals makes them dependent on humans and can ultimately kill animals.

● Take only pictures, leave only footprints – Enjoy the rocks and plants but leave them for others to enjoy. Do not carve or write on rocks and trees.

● Take out all trash – We must keep the park clean and beautiful for the enjoyment of ourselves and for others.

We must protect our national parks for ourselves and future generations by respecting the rules. Failure to comply with the following guidelines can result in ticketing. You can help protect our national parks and other natural areas by following the Leave No Trace Seven Principles.

 

Safety

There are many safety guidelines that are necessary to consider before visiting Bryce Canyon National Park.

● Hiking trail difficulty – Understand that students have varying degrees of what they are capable of hiking. Make sure that you know which students may have hiking difficulties and consider their safety by choosing an appropriate trail.

● Water – Everyone must bring water. Visitor dehydration is a daily occurrence, especially in the summer months.

● Lunch – Consider having students bring a small lunch on their trip. Remember not to feed or disturb the wildlife.

● Clothing – Everyone should dress according to the weather. Summers can reach highs of 90ºF (32.2ºC) and winters can reach lows of below 0ºF (-17.7ºC). Please check the weather before arriving.

● Hiking boots – Hiking boots with good grip are highly recommended. Many trails can have loose rocks which act like marbles under your feet.

● Map familiarity – Every adult that is accompanying the trip should be aware of the map and what trail they will be hiking with students.

● Monsoon Season – The summer months are our monsoon season. During the monsoon season consider arranging hikes in the morning time, as afternoons frequently experience high percentage chance of thunderstorms. Please check the weather before departing on a hike and for the safety of yourself and your students. Always seek shelter indoors during a thunderstorm.

 

Restrooms

It is advised that students use restrooms before beginning a hike. Year-round restrooms are located at the Visitor Center and Sunset Point parking area while other restrooms are open seasonally throughout the park. Most trails inside the canyon do not have restrooms. Please visit the Park Map and Guide for more information.

 

Picnicking

Popular picnic areas can be found at Sunrise and Sunset parking areas. We ask that you and your students please remember to search the area for litter when finished and to keep food away from wildlife. Feeding the animals is detrimental to their health and safety. Use recycling bins and trash cans located at picnic areas.

 

Visitor Center

The Visitor Center is located near the entrance to the park. The building features a 22-minute park orientation film shown on the hour and the half-hour, museum with interactive exhibits, and a bookstore. Restrooms are available inside the building.

If the Visitor Center is a planned stop on your trip, consider splitting up the class into two groups: one group can watch the park film while the other group explores the exhibits. The two groups can switch after 30 minutes. Years of experience show that this is a great way to spend time in the visitor center! Please remember to be respectful to other visitors by being space conscious, using inside voices, and walking at all times.

If students decide to enter the bookstore please have them accompanied by a chaperone.

 

Bryce Canyon Shuttle

The shuttle bus runs from April – October and remains within the main amphitheater. School bus parking is available at the Visitor Center and viewpoints throughout the park. Please check the Park Map and Guide to see location and sequence of shuttle bus stops.

 

Guest Speakers

If your class is planning a self-guided field trip to Bryce Canyon, rangers may be available, based on staffing, to present an orientation or topic-based presentation to your group before you explore the park. Talks are usually 20 to 30 minutes long and may include Leave No Trace, park history, plant and animal adaptations, geology, and ecology. To check the avaliblilty of a ranger for an oreentation talk for your self-guided field trip, please email us.