Thing to Do

Hike the Hoodoos

An interpretive wayside display shows a peregrine falcon beside text near a wooden gazebo
The Bristlecone Loop has one medallion along its 1.0 mile (1.6 km) trail.

NPS Photo

Hike the Hoodoos Program

To encourage visitors to stay healthy while having fun, Bryce Canyon National Park has developed an activity called "Hike the Hoodoos!" Part hike, part scavenger hunt, visitors must hike at least 3 miles on specially-marked trails and find "Hike the Hoodoos" benchmark survey markers along the way. Visitors may either obtain rubbings of the benchmarks, or take pictures of themselves with the benchmarks, to prove they hiked the required distance. Upon showing their rubbings or photos to the Visitor Center ranger, they are then presented with a special reward.

Where to Hike

There are nine "Hike the Hoodoos!" benchmarks located along eight different hiking trails in the park. Although only 3-miles of hiking (and finding benchmarks) are required to earn a reward, some visitors are opting to attain rubbings/photos of all nine benchmarks - for a total of 18.4 miles of hiking! Quite an accomplishment, indeed!
Medallions can be found on the following trails:

Trail Distance Number of Medallions
Mossy Cave 0.8 mi (1.3 km) 1
Bristlecone Loop 1.0 mi (1.6 km) 1
Queen's Garden* 1.8 mi (2.9 km) 1
Navajo Loop* 1.3 mi (2.2 km) 1
Tower Bridge 3.0 mi (4.8 km) 1
Swamp Canyon Loop 4.0 mi (6.4 km) 1
Peekaboo Loop 5.5 mi (8.8 km) 2
Fairyland Loop  8.0 mi (12.9 km) 2


*Hikers often combine the Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop into the 3 mile (4.6 km) Queen's/Navajo Loop to get two medallions and claim the prize.

Thanks

The "Hike the Hoodoos!" program was made possible, in part, by a grant from the National Park Foundation through the generous support of the Coca-Cola Foundation.

 

Details
Duration
2-6 Hours
Activity
Hiking
Pets Allowed
No
Access to the activity comes with park admission.
Reservations
No
Season
Year Round
Accessibility Information
Service animals are permitted on all of the included trails. Trail surfaces are not paved and include some steep grades and loose rocks. Not accessible for wheelchairs. 

Bryce Canyon National Park

Last updated: April 13, 2021