Hiking the Queen’s Garden Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park
Distance (Roundtrip): 1.8 miles / 2.9 km
Located in the heart of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, the Queen’s Garden Trail is a favorite in Bryce Canyon National Park, as it traverses through some of the most beautiful tunnels and hoodoos to an area below Sunrise Point, known as the Queen’s Garden.
That being said, the Queen’s Garden Trail and neighboring Navajo Loop Trail are often combined into one longer loop, utilizing a small portion of the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail. However, I personally recommend against this option, for reasons explained later in this article. If you want to learn more about why I feel this way, click here to skip ahead.
In any case, the distance above is the roundtrip distance from the trailhead at Sunrise Point to Queen’s Garden and back. It does not include the optional 0.9-mile (1.4 km) Horse Trail shown below, where hikers can create an alternative loop, instead of hiking back on the same trail.
Queen’s Garden Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Queen’s Garden Trail is located on either Sunrise Point Road or in the adjacent overflow lot for Sunrise Point.
That being said, parking near popular viewpoints around the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, such as Sunrise and Sunset Point, can be challenging by mid-morning during the busy summer travel season. Therefore, it may be easiest to park elsewhere and take the Bryce Canyon shuttle to the trailhead shown below.
Google Maps Directions: Queen’s Garden Trailhead (Sunrise 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 Queen’s Garden Trail
To get to the Queen’s Garden Trailhead, walk the path that leads to the Rim Trail and Sunrise Point, located about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) away.
At this split, go right to continue toward Sunrise Point.
Rim-Horse Junction
Then, take the middle trail to keep on the path toward Sunrise Point and the Queen’s Garden Trailhead.
However, if you’d prefer to hike in the opposite direction as shown in this article, go left to descend the Horse Trail and begin the Queen’s Garden-Horse Loop Trail in the clockwise direction.
Read My Separate Post: Rim Trail
Queen’s Garden Trailhead (Sunrise Point)
The Queen’s Garden Trail begins directly below Sunrise Point, where the trail descends roughly 375 ft. (114 m) over 0.9 miles (1.4 km) from Sunrise Point to Queen's Garden down below.
For photographers, these beginning sections were among the best to create unique angles of the Queen’s Garden Trail from above.
That being said, don’t forget to hike with a polarizer in order to cut through some of the harsh desert light, bringing out the best of the colors on the hoodoos!
Queen’s Garden-Horse Junction
After 0.5 miles (0.8 km), the Queen’s Garden Trail splits, with the Horse Trail that leads back up to the junction shown previously.
With that in mind, this is the loop I recommend hiking if you’re interested in returning on a different trail, as opposed to the Navajo Loop, for the reasons mentioned below.
In any case, go right to continue hiking toward the Queen’s Garden.
These tunnels can create some of the most unique angles for those interested in taking some cool photos!
Queen’s Garden-Navajo Loop Connector Junction
On the far side of the third tunnel, the Queen’s Garden Trail splits immediately with the Navajo Loop Connector.
To finish the Queen’s Garden Trail, go straight, where the trail will come to an end about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) ahead.
Read My Separate Post: Navajo Loop Trail
Queen’s Garden
In short, the Queen’s Garden is the end of the Queen’s Garden Trail, which is named after a specific hoodoo that bears resemblance to Queen Victoria, most notably a famous statue of her in London.
Once back at the Queen’s Garden-Navajo Loop Connector junction, visitors often consider whether it’s better to continue onto the Navajo Loop or return to the Rim Trail on the Queen’s Garden/ Horse Trail.
That being said, I personally recommend against connecting the Navajo Loop with the Queen’s Garden Trail because both the Two Bridges and Wall Street switchback sections of the Navajo Loop are, without a doubt, some of the best parts of any trail in Bryce Canyon National Park.
This means that if you make a loop with the Queen’s Garden, Navajo Loop, and Rim Trail, you’ll surely be missing out on at least one half of one of the best day hikes in the park.
For this reason, I highly recommend treating the Navajo Loop Trail as a stand-alone day hike or one that you connect with the Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail, so that you can enjoy the best of both sides of the stunning Navajo Loop on its own!
Read My Separate Post: Navajo Loop Trail
Queen’s Garden-Horse Junction
Upon returning to the Queen’s Garden-Horse junction shown previously, hikers either have the option to return back up the Queen’s Garden Trail to Sunrise Point or go right to begin the alternative Horse Trail that returns to the Rim Trail at the junction near the Sunrise Point parking area shown at the beginning of this article.
Horse Loop Trail
I chose to go right on the Horse Connector Trail, which splits immediately into the 1.4-mile (2.3 km) Lower Horse Loop Trail.
Here, go left to continue on the fastest route back up to the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail.
This first section of the Horse Loop Trail is a great place to see some of Bryce Canyon’s Bristlecone Pines, one of the oldest tree species on Earth!
Lower Horse Loop-Horse Junction
Then, the Lower Horse Loop meets with the Horse Trail that climbs back up to the Rim Trail junction, located just to the north of Sunrise Point.
To continue on the fastest trail, go straight (left) here to begin the 0.8-mile (1.3 km) ascent back up to the top.
After the split above, the Horse Trail begins the roughly 400-ft. (122 m), 0.8-mile (1.3 km) climb back up the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail.
Rim-Horse Junction
Finally, this is where the Horse Trail meets back up with the Rim Trail, adjacent to the path that leads to the Sunrise Point parking area.
That being said, I encourage you to learn more about the full Rim Trail in my separate article, as the trail, extending from Fairyland Point in the north to Bryce Point in the south, passes by some of Bryce’s best and most popular viewpoints, while also traversing areas that are seldom visited by most who come to the park.
For this reason, I think that the full 5.4-mile (8.7 km) Rim Trail can make for a great day hike, especially when combined with the Bryce Canyon shuttle to create a shorter, one-way adventure, as opposed to an out-and-back hike.
Read My Separate Post: Rim Trail
