Wall of Windows

Wall of Windows is a perforated limestone fin extending from the Grottos near Inspiration Point. Its closest visitor view is on Peek-a-boo Loop, so think of it as a stop within a hike, not a quick roadside viewpoint. After the switchbacks descend through an arch and grotto, the trail briefly follows the fin’s base. From here, look up toward the Grottos along the rim and stay on the established trail.

Start at Bryce Point; the Peek-a-boo trailhead is at the north corner of its parking lot. The loop is 5.5 miles and takes about three hours. Published difficulty labels differ, so plan for a strenuous hike rather than a casual stroll. Hikers and horses share the route, and there’s no water along it; bring enough before you leave the trailhead.

The fin is part of the Claron Formation’s especially soluble white limestone. Groundwater worked through the layer and hollowed out the Grottos, while less soluble rock above and below limited similar formations elsewhere. The Wall is exposed on both sides, so it weathers faster. Freeze-thaw action widens cracks and breaks the rock down from walls into windows, then into the hoodoos Bryce is known for. The surrounding rocks began as sediment around an ancient lake and floodplain system about 50 million years ago.

Peek-a-boo Loop winds below Inspiration and Bryce Points among formations including the Three Wisemen, the Organ and the Cathedral. For a photo of the Wall, shoot from the trail beside its base and include the Grottos at the rim above it; that keeps the fin connected to the larger cliff rather than turning an opening into an isolated shape.