Hiking the Navajo Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park
Distance: 1.5 miles / 2.4 km
Elevation Change: ~515 ft. / 157 m
The Navajo Loop Trail is, without a doubt, one of the best but also most popular day hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park!
I say this because the Navajo Loop Trail, beginning at Sunset Point, is easily one of the most photogenic trails within the park, especially if there’s snow on the hoodoos!
Therefore, expect the Navajo Loop Trail to be one of the busier adventures in Bryce Canyon, but if you plan for either an early morning or late evening hike, you can enjoy the best of the beautiful light on the hoodoos, without the crowds that frequent the trail by midday.
Navajo Loop Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Navajo Loop Trail is located at the very end of Sunset Point Road in the parking lot for Sunset Point or in the overflow parking lot at the Bryce Canyon Lodge.
That being said, the Navajo Loop Trail is the most popular trail in Bryce Canyon National Park, meaning that parking is typically easiest at the Bryce Canyon Lodge, unless you get an early start.
Google Maps Directions: Navajo Loop Trailhead (Sunset Point)
Hiking Checklist - Bryce Canyon
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Hiking the Navajo Loop Trail
From the Sunset Point parking area, simply take one of the many trails toward Sunset Point, where the Navajo Loop Trailhead can be found adjacent to the viewpoint.
Once on the Navajo Loop Trail, the path immediately begins descending, which remains constant for the first half of the hike, regardless of which direction you decide to go at the loop junction.
Navajo Loop Trail (Two Bridges-Wall Street Junction)
After 0.2 miles (0.3 km), the Navajo Loop Trail splits into either the Two Bridges or Wall Street side of the loop.
Personally, I prefer to go left in the clockwise direction because I think it allows for the most beautiful photo opportunities on the switchbacks above Two Bridges.
Two Bridges Trail
After the split, the Navajo Loop Trail continues to descend for another 0.1 miles (0.2 km) before reaching the top of the Two Bridges switchbacks.
Don’t forget to look to the left before the switchbacks to see Thor’s Hammer, which is arguably the most prominent named formation on the entire trail.
Given that social media is what it is, these switchbacks on the Navajo Loop Trail are typically what people think of when they picture Bryce Canyon National Park.
With that in mind, photos are best taken here, and on other trails like the Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail, during either the mid-morning or late afternoon hours of the day. Shadows really help bring out the best of the colors, and for photographers, don’t forget to hike with a polarizer!
Two Bridges
At the bottom of the switchbacks, the Navajo Loop Trail levels out significantly compared to the sections prior.
This is where the Two Bridges viewpoint can be found, almost immediately after.
Next, the Navajo Loop Trail begins its final descent down toward the junction that connects with the Queen’s Garden and Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail.
Navajo-Queen’s Garden-Peek-a-Boo Junction
At the very bottom of the hike, the Navajo Loop Trail links up with both the Queen’s Garden and Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail, but to stay on the Navajo Loop Trail, go right at both of the splits.
Read My Separate Posts: Queen’s Garden Trail / Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail
Wall Street Trail
After the junction at the lowest point of the hike, the Navajo Loop Trail begins climbing gradually up toward the Wall Street switchbacks.
All of these photos were taken in the late afternoon light!
This narrow passage at the bottom of the Wall Street switchbacks is easily one of the most beautiful sections of the entire hike.
At the bottom of the Wall Street switchbacks, the National Park Service warns of the rockfall danger, which can prompt trail closures following significant rockfall events that can occur without warning.
Wall Street
The very last section of the Navajo Loop Trail is the climb up the Wall Street switchbacks, which, in my opinion, feels steeper than the Two Bridges switchbacks shown previously.
If you’re planning on visiting Bryce Canyon when you expect there to be snow and ice on the ground, bring micro-spikes! I say this because many of the trails in the park that descend steeply from the canyon rim, like the Navajo Loop Trail, can be especially dangerous in the winter and spring—especially when the snow is melting during the day and freezing again at night.
I personally use the Yaktrax below.
Navajo Loop Junction
Once back at the beginning of the Navajo Loop Trail, you can either take this switchback along Juliet’s Balcony or continue back up toward the beginning of the hike.
Juliet’s Balcony
I chose to continue along Juliet’s Balcony, which gives you beautiful views across the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater from the viewpoint shown below.
In all, the Navajo Loop Trail is easily the most popular day hike in Bryce Canyon National Park, so if hiking without the crowds is something that is important to you, consider an early morning or late evening hike.
This is also the time of day that I recommend for hiking for beautiful photos and to avoid the worst of the summer heat in June, July, and August.
With that in mind, many hikers chose to connect both the Navajo Loop Trail and Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail into one longer hike, which can be a good option to consider if you would rather not descend and ascend into Bryce Canyon more times than necessary.
However, the entire Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail, including the descent, is easily one of the most beautiful and photogenic hikes in all of Bryce Canyon, but I do think that the ascent out of Peek-a-Boo is more challenging than the Navajo Loop, so it’s really a toss-up regarding which way to hike both trails is the right choice for your situation.
