Did you know you can backpack Bryce Canyon?

Did you know you can backpack Bryce Canyon?
This trip took a little longer than expected. We tried before, but Tina didn't feel well the night before, so we decided to come back another day. That was a pretty good decision since this isn't what I'd call an easy hike. Anyway, the time finally came to try again, and....spoiler, we went.
I always wanted to backpack Bryce Canyon National Park. But after researching it a bit, it seemed like the normal backpacking route - the Under the Rim Trail - didn't have the views I expected from Bryce. It was explained as more of a forest hike where you could view the yellowish-orange cliffs of Bryce from a distance. So I decided to make my own route that included the more 'traditional' Bryce views.
We went in at Sunset Point, taking the Navajo Loop and then Peek a Boo loop trails. The views were stunning. From Thor's Hammer to the switchbacks, the Navajo Loop did not disappoint. Sure, there were a lot of people, but these are popular trails. It's to be expected. And after a short hike to the bottom, the crowds dropped off drastically. I'd hiked this section before, but not the Peek a Boo loop. It also did not disappoint, with amazing views of all of the hoodoos you think of when you picture Bryce Canyon National Park. The climb up to Bryce Point wasn't bad. I find that sometimes when the views and experience are amazing, you kind of forget the physical challenge of a hike. That was certainly the case here.
After Bryce Point, we were finally on the Below the Rim Trail. This is, at least in my research, where the traditional backpacking trail at Bryce picks up. The descent back into the canyon from Bryce Point was gorgeous, but being completely honest, the views dropped off somewhat after that. Don't get me wrong. It was still beautiful. It's just that the views from the Navajo and Peek a Boo Loops had set a high bar. The clouds blew away and the temperatures climbed. We were hiking from shade to shade to take breaks to keep from getting too hot. It wasn't fun, but it worked well enough.
At camp I was absolutely dead. I've finally learned that when I am exposed to extreme heat, my body just runs out of energy. I'm gonna make a mental note of that so I keep myself out of trouble in the future. Anyway, at camp we relaxed and hung out until the sun went down and things cooled off. Night time temps were perfect and we both slept like babies.
We started the day with a steep climb immediately after our campsite. From there it was up and down and up and down. The views from the ridges were incredible, and the forest trail in the low spots provided some nice shade. It was still a hot and difficult day, but that's why we backpack things like this; the challenge just kinda makes the beauty even more memorable.
Eventually, we made it back to the 4Runner and headed home. Um...the end. Anti-climactic, but hey, I'm not a writer and I'm only on my 2nd cup of coffee. You get what you get.
Also, yes, my collar is screwed up for the wrap up. I saw that and it makes me crazy. Not crazy enough to re-shoot it, but my OCD requires that I make it clear I saw it.
Shuttle service:
OK, so we used Red Rock Shuttle. They offer a shuttle from a couple of spots to Bryce, but they are located much closer to Zion National Park. They're actually my go-to shuttle service for Zion. So I guess I'm saying don't use them for Bryce, but not because they aren't awesome. They just come from a long way away, so they're expensive. There is another, closer shuttle service, but I haven't tried it. Since they normally servce Bryce, they're a lot less expensive. Still, Red Rock Shuttle is great, so feel free to use them and definitely use them if you need a shuttle in Zion:
redrockshuttle.com/
Local shuttle (I have not used)
brycecanyonscenictoursandshut...
Permits available at recreation.gov
Music by Artlist:
Suite No. 1 - Ardie Son
Us - Fjodor
Memento Mori - The Duke of Norfolk
Flocks of Light - Yehezkel Raz
Let Go - Roniit
Lover Please Stay - Shtriker Big Band
Denali at Dawn - SPEARFISHER
Love of Mine - The Hunts

[@STACYBURK]

Great job Jerry. You two are blessed to have each other. My wife and I used to hike all over the West just like y'all do. We literally did everything together and were never apart. We even worked together. That is, until she passed away last year of breast cancer. She was only 54. I can honestly say I don't have one bad memory of her. We were two of the happiest people alive and so grateful for each other. I'm so glad we didn't take each other for granted. I miss her so much, but I'm blessed to have known her. She changed my life forever. She never lived in the past and didn't worry about the future. She enjoyed each moment with me. I never knew someone that really knew how to live in the present and enjoy it like she did. Her name was Nitzia.

[@JerryArizona]

Stacy, I'm really sorry for your loss. Nitzia sounds like an amazing person. It's great that you both found each other and realized what you had while you had it. I'm sure you know how rare that is. I wish you all the best.

[@STACYBURK]

@@JerryArizonaThank you so much Jerry.

[@mmadman]

You make me miss the Southwest more than any other vlogger. Excellent pacing, cinematography, music, and companions. You might think you aren’t as tough as you used to be, but your skills have only improved with wear and tear.

[@leilaluginbill916]

I used to just watch you on my iPad with my morning coffee…now, my husband and I watch you as our after dinner entertainment on the big screen TV! We both hiked Zion and Bryce Canyon years ago and have many fine memories. Now, it’s nice to watch you get hot and tired, while we sit on the couch. Getting old still beats the alternative, but I wish we could still hike🤗.

[@kennyw871]

A good time to remember the backpackers saying: What goes down must go up."

[@jwhoward182]

We have done this, but your music and cinematography make it so much better.

[@RamblinRoadies]

Videos and pictures cannot really reflect the beauty of Bryce Canyon. You really have to go there. Excellent video. Thanks

[@oldboater]

Another great episode, nobody does it better.

[@mrcury8014]

Awesome Awesome Awesome. Wow just breathtaking

[@bethanyweber3989]

My boyfriend and I went to Bryce in March some years back. The plan was to car camp, but it was so cold at night that after the first night we gave up and decamped to one of the hotels near the entrance, along with everyone else who was tent camping. (IIRC, the forecast low the next night was 16F and sustained 20-30mph winds.) Hiking was nice during the day, though! We did the Peek-A-Boo loop the second day and had not been expecting all the up and down -- oops. Beautiful, though.

[@SteffenThomsen]

I have been to Bryce two times and it is my favorite national park in Utah.

[@joannewinters9616]

❤ so beautiful so mystical❤

[@michaelyates3424]

So glad to see you and Tina full on backpacking again, takes me back to when I first started watching the channel. Hope your shoulder if feeling good enough to continue. Thanks for taking us along, we've been to Brice a couple times, great place. Nats suck, I live in the land of mosquitoes and nats. HATE THEM, HATE THEM, HATE THEM.

[@JerryArizona]

Those gnats have driven me to long, explicitive-ridden rants on many occasions. I absolutley hate them. The shoulder felt great on this trip. Still working on getting my range of motion back, but it's not sore anymore. Hopefully we'll be out backpacking a lot more soon.

[@laurenjensen4222]

Your camera is amazing and so is the photographer......

[@dianateran2249]

Love your videos! Thank you for all your outdoors adventures ❤️

[@sleepingbirddog5314]

Nice. My wife and I really enjoyed hiking Bryce. We were there in October so no gnats! I can't decide which I like better: Jerry videos where I can say "I've been there!" or Jerry videos where I say " I gotta get back out there so I can see this in person."

[@nonsensequitter]

President of the No See Um magnet club. ✋

[@calvinallen9508]

I've been following y'all for a while and always appreciate all your content. You're a natural with narration Mr Jerry. Thanks for all your hard work. Shout out to your. Lovely bride.

[@martinforrester8249]

Camped here( tent) at the highest 8000ft campsite in 1992. It was mid September. So bl...dy ccold, so went into the heated toilets to get warmed up. Lots of hikes, beautiful area, really enjoyed two days there exploring various trails.

[@scottrydings8579]

I love watching you two. You really get out there and get beat up. But it's obvious that you love it. Thanks for sharing it all with us !

[@lizbaggetta5615]

Love following you guys on your adventures! Awesome views. Bryce was my favorite of the Big 5.

[@mattfroeming640]

Another great video Jerry! Good call on starting at sunset point. My 1st ever trip out to Utah was at the end of April 2010. A volcano in Iceland shutdown all Euro flights so Bryce was practically deserted. I did the Navajo, Peek-a-Boo, Queens Garden hike in almost solitude plus there was some snow on the hoodoos! Epic! P.S. I'm from WI...30's is great sleeping weather!. LOL!

[@JerryArizona]

That must've been amazing in the snow. Also, yes. Yes, 30's is very cold.

[@steveelliott1160]

Amazing scenery Jerry. Great video!

[@davemischio7892]

Been to Bryce Canyon once and just loved it. Thanks for the video, J & T.

[@jwebbw]

Thanks for the heads up, looks to be the best way to see Bryce if you ask me.

[@n-xplorer]

Thanks Jerry! I've got some friends visiting from New Zealand heading there to Bryce Canyon very soon. I sent them a link to your marvelous video!

[@Mike89138]

I've found that starting at Sunset and exiting Sunrise is easier. Of course, it is easier if you don't do it in summer. :) Thanks for the video.

[@dixielambrecht7009]

Thanks for another awesome video.

[@genemccabe9657]

Yes, noseeums really do suck in that area in June. They love to hang out in the pines and cedars and wait for unsuspecting eyes, ears and nostrils to show up. I stay often in nearby Hatch and they will drive you crazy so I finally bought a Clam pop-up screened canopy - works like a charm in keeping those little a-holes of your orifices. BTW a nice under the radar hiking option nearby is the Golden Wall/Buckhorn loop trail in Red Canyon. Mini Bryce without the crowds. And for dining Escobars is fine but for some different takes on Southwestern/Mexican dishes try the the Rockin' V Cafe in Kanab. The El Verde bowl never disappoints.

[@JerryArizona]

Appreciate the tips. Especially the route in Red Canyon. Been looking at that area for years now, but haven't picked a trail yet.

[@genemccabe9657]

@@JerryArizona Appreciate the videos - the narration and camera work have a unique and genuine vibe that really stands out from the crowd.

[@macimages4215]

You two make those bug nets look good! Well, at least Tina does.

[@roberttalmadge8874]

Great Video. Nice homage to Dana at the end!!

[@2023pb_az]

Amazing!❤

[@firedog451]

You’re always the best Jerry! We love your work. Been there a few times. Escobars is SO good to! Thanks for your tips. Really makes a difference when we hike! Happy 4th!

[@sudanese8]

Just love your narration, videography, editing, info, direction, comedy, and music. Thank you so much from Iowa. Still vicariously living thru you. PS. Those gnats live here too, same time of year. Cept they stick to your face from the humidity. My sympathies!

[@mauromacchi4442]

Hi Jerry, thanks for the great video. I'm nostalgic for Bryce Canyon. I visited it in 2016 (I live in Italy) and did two trails (Peekaboo Loop and the Rim Trail) and in the evening dinner at Ruby's Inn with meat and shrimp. I always follow you with interest and a lot of envy because you visit areas that I have partly seen in my travels in the USA. Thanks again for everything. Mauro

[@skipandcherieadventures116]

Nice job….this was an interesting and informative video-especially if you are going to backpack Bryce. My husband commented that really enjoyed it as well! …….what is truly magical is hiking below the rim when there is snow on the hoodoos in the winter. There are far less people and the quiet and with the snow is magical!

[@JerryArizona]

We've been day hiking there in the snow and it's amazing. My blood is too thin to sleep outside in the snow though.

[@alisondailey3834]

Hello You Two ~ Hearing Bach's soothing music at the beginning lured me in. Those teeny tiny 'no see ums/ems' - misery. Finding refuge inside a tent just to get away from bugs - oh my! I would be cursing those f**Ke*s endlessly. Maybe a wet bandana around the neck would keep you cooler? or use to swat away all those nasty little bugs while hiking... but I have enjoyed watching your hike while sitting on my rumpus tumpus. You two are very lucky to have each other. Now I am hungry for Mexican food. YUM. Always enjoy your content!! Thank You!

[@DannyW-uz5kl]

My old friend. You literally FLOORED me at 0:08 - "You can backpack Bryce..."

[@JerryArizona]

I want to explore the wilderness around it too. Dixie National Forest has spots that look like Bryce, but I never hear anyone talk about it.

[@pixelpeter3883]

Loved that shot at 8:18 thru the trees :-)

[@lynnnorthrup8914]

That was a tough walk and a good video! Loved the “GoPro stop recording.” We’re doing Cedar Breaks this month where hopefully it will be a cool walk among the Bristle Cone trees and amazing views. That was another one of your nice videos. Thanks for sharing your adventures with great images and entertainment. You’re lucky you can get Tina to do these adventures with you. She’s awesome! 😀👍

[@wandaneuschwander47]

You nailed it once again. I have had a very complicated day and this was so very peaceful thank you❤

[@zeldathewelder]

Another very helpful report! Huge thanks for doing the heavy lifting for us up here in the Pacific Northwest.

[@westcoastislander6699]

Oh cool! It's Jerry and Tina! This is one trail that has been on our list for a long time. Done lots of hiking in Bryce, but no backpacking...yet. My Canada Day viewiing tonight. Thanks!

[@patdewald9516]

Another A++ video. Gorgeous vistas, magical places, spot on choice of beautiful soundtrack and, as always, entertaining narrative. We've come to expect nothing less; and are never disappointed. Sorry bout the gnat attack.

[@KarlDeckerPresents]

Man, I've been Mt. Biking all over the Desert lately on big Classic rides and I feel your pain, often. The Greatest Cozy Move? Any time I see water, I take off my hoodie and fully soak it and it is SO NICE, especially with a hoodie vs shirt, I brought a little Micro fiber towel for my homie's head and he is still thanking me. Carrying a 10oz little "trash bottle" can equal 2 soaks as well. You got to try it and you could show off your surgery scar! The key with the little bottle is to focus on soaking the hood, then it just slowly soaks down as it cools! Or maybe it's time for some cool Colorado alpine action? I know a guy. . .Some Unreal 4x4 to incredible alpine strolls. . . Let me know if I can help.

[@melissacampbell8033]

Glad to see you guys had such a nice trip... good shots and time lapse sequences! Maybe we'll run into you one of these days!

[@russward2612]

Welcome to Utah, Jerry and Tina. Arizona's not the only state with amazing scenery, though it is one of the prettiest ones. Maybe you can spend time with Pando. It's not far from Bryce Canyon NP, l just north of Fish Lake State Park. Sorry, not a state park but a national forest.

[@JerryArizona]

We loved Fish Lake. Now I have to add Pando to the list. Thanks for the tip!

[@russward2612]

@@JerryArizona my pleasure.

[@jstephenf9546]

Great video. I can’t wait to visit Bryce. Buggables wipes are one of the only things I’ve found to combat gnats and no seeums. And they don’t work for long, long enough to enjoy supper but not much more than that

[@TimmyCramer]

I'm river rafting the Colorado next week. I pray you and Tina will be on the boat......finally have that happy hour with you! Lol. Timmy C Arizona

[@DeltaLimaActual]

Great production as usual, Jerry. I spent my youth as a mountaineer and I always joked that I preferred to be in the alpine environment because the snow, cold, and wind kept the bugs & bears from bothering me. I was always, however, only half-joking. Such a little thing in large numbers can be the worst annoyance imaginable.

[@etthealienouttheresomewher1296]

Great trip, I love Bryce all year round, winter is beautiful too, noseeums are out in force in McDowell Mountain Park now.

[@jamespazera3038]

❤ hi guys!

[@jerryphillips7330]

Glad you went down Wall Street instead of coming back to the top this way.

[@WJr_88]

Bryce Canyon is beautiful but the people pollution can make it ugly. That place can get extremely cold. Great video. Thanks for sharing!

[@robhebbs7960]

When you mentioned nats , I was wondering if you brought head nets. Great move, probley saved your marriage. Its funny how living in Phoenix as i do, You would think 82 degrees would be nice. I guess walking up hill with a big pack makes it hotter. Have a hundred pics of that canyon, Thanks you two , Im going to save your video , to show guest at my house because your camera work puts mine to shame. LOL.

[@richardb.7054]

I just finished a long backpack in the Canyonlands Needles. Daytime highs were right near 100° on exposed and unmaintained trails. Made it to Angel Arch, but I would only do that again in cooler months.

[@JerryArizona]

Canyonlands has to be brutal around now. Definitely better in the spring and fall. Glad you got to check it out though (and survived!)

[@chipwellington1179]

😍

[@zbutler111]

We were there the first week of July last year. At 5 PM it was 55 degrees with a 30 mph wind at the ridge. The rangers said there was a dusting of snow the week before.

[@chipwellington1179]

I haven't had no seem em mosquitoes only in Colorado idk and crazy flies mostly in Kentucky

[@thunderdogproductions]

that food! dammit now i wanna eat and its 10pm!

[@JerryArizona]

It's always the right time for Mexican Food.

[@Vile_412]

Bryce was the first national park I ever hiked. Sad that Zion steals so much of the attention, but both beautiful parks.

[@Colby168]

Does Packet Gourmet still make the Queso Rico dip? I’ve seen you guys eat that a few times and every time I try and find it nothing comes up. Looks tasty!

[@JerryArizona]

We order it off their website. They're starting to show up in stores, but not many of their meals. You should be able to order it direct though. Love their margaritas, cheesecake and several of their backpacking meals.

[@chipwellington1179]

How are you wearing sunglasses enjoying nature 😂

[@tommyphillips6584]

I don’t know if those were the same bugs that kept hitting my windshield a month ago driving to the north rim of GC, but they were hitting like raindrops.

[@JerryArizona]

They must've been. Now that you mention it, we were just up at the north rim and had the same thing. Hadn't put the two together.

[@JP-lk1hp]

Jerry we love your posts. This is a comment for your sweetie it hurts me to see her flip the finger all the time I realize some people think it's cool but it is not very becoming. I don't word things very well so please take this comment with love for you both. I'm the recipient of being flipped off all the time from the person that loves me and to me it feels terrible. Bless you both.

[@JerryArizona]

Definitely don't take the comment wrong. That's just...who we are. We like giving each other a hard time because that's our sense of humor. But it's never truly meant to be mean. I know some people don't like that particular gesture, but...it's just us. No harm intended.

[@jamiepizz]

I did this hike 3 years ago and made it a 2-night trip (Yellow Creek and Swamp Canyon.) I hiked up to the road at a nearby connecting trail. I was lucky and happened to hitch a ride with some people that I previously met the day before at yellow creek (they were coming back from picking up their car.) I agree, not as scenic as I hoped but still some nice views, especially out by Swamp Creek. Have you done the Kolob Canyon side of Zion? I did that one on that same trip.

[@JerryArizona]

Haven't hiked much on the Kolob side. But it's on the list.

[@erinstanton1790]

Ammonia

[@kw2764]

Who do hoo doo, do you?

[@kw2764]

That was a great trail. Thanks for all the info on the water situation and the campsites. If I ever get back to Bryce I wouldn't mind doing what you did---maybe earlier in the year to avoid heat? Uff da!! Maybe the cold wouldn't be so bad for me being from WI. Thanks so much for the beautiful film and info.

[@tylerdempsey3612]

Did a run from Swamp Cr TH to Rainbow Point and back last Saturday and nearly died 3 or 4 times.

[@trekfortruth2841]

I did 4 days in Feb backpacking Bryce...lost my tent stakes at 10 below the first night...ouch!

[@JerryArizona]

10 below is about 40 degrees colder than I can tolerate.

[@edjones2199]

You looked a little whooped on this one But the scenery was unbelievable since I didn’t have to do the work. I think it was well worth it. 🫵👀 Thanks again you guys are awesome ! oh,, I forgot to mention the music is awesome again!