Parking
Use the trailhead at the eastern park boundary, reached via Bryce Way through Tropic. The final approach is a dirt road; after storms, check access before driving.
Overview
About Tropic Trail
Why go
- One of the park’s least-traveled frontcountry hikes
- The only amphitheater approach that starts below the rim
Heads up
- The 3.5-mile outing returns on the same trail
- The final dirt-road approach can be affected by storms
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Bryce Canyon map
Full mapElevation6,919–7,552 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Bryce Canyon alerts
- ClosureWall Street closed after recent rainsWall Street is closed until further notice because of recent rains. - Other park trails are open, but hikers are urged to use caution. Check current park conditions before hiking.Official details
- CautionUnder-the-Rim Trail damage and hiker advisoryUnder-the-Rim Trail conditions are deteriorated in many places; hike at your own risk. - Use a map and be able to navigate in the backcountry; strong wayfinding skills are essential.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Bryce Canyon Tour Guide
Your drive to Tropic Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Bryce Canyon National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Bryce Canyon audio tourRecorded for this area
Bryce Point: The Whole Amphitheater0:00 / 0:35
“You're approaching Bryce Point, where you can look across the whole hoodoo-filled amphitheater. Keep this stop if you want to see how the rows of towers fit together.”
Plays on the road 1.5 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Bryce Canyon Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Sunrise Point: Pines Above the Hoodoos
- Sunset Point and Thor's Hammer
- Bryce Canyon General Store and the Old Service Station
- Bryce Canyon Lodge: History and a Meal
- 30 audio storiesacross Bryce Canyon’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Wapiti, Utah Prairie Dog, Mule Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 24 trails, 41 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Super fun and useful app! We especially enjoyed the guide as we drove through Bryce Canyon National Park.”
Trail guide
Hiking Tropic Trail
A quieter way inTropic Trail is a 3.
Tropic Trail is a 3.5-mile out-and-back from Bryce Canyon’s eastern boundary into the amphitheater. It is the only route into the amphitheater that starts below the rim, and one of the park’s least-traveled frontcountry hikes. Take it if you want a quieter approach through lower-elevation forest instead of starting at a busy rim overlook.
The climb and the mileageThe path climbs steadily through juniper and pine to the junction with Peekaboo Loop, Navajo…
The path climbs steadily through juniper and pine to the junction with Peekaboo Loop, Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden. The listed 1.7 miles is the way in; return the same way for about 3.5 miles total. The park rates it moderate and lists about 590 feet of elevation change. Plan on around two hours, plus time if you continue onto another trail.
Turn around at the junctionThe Tropic Trail ends at the amphitheater trail junction. Turn back there for the mapped route.
The Tropic Trail ends at the amphitheater trail junction. Turn back there for the mapped route. Continuing toward the rim on the connected trails adds a separate, steeper climb, so it changes the length and effort of your hike.
Getting to the trailheadReach the trailhead at the eastern park boundary by following Bryce Way through Tropic.
Reach the trailhead at the eastern park boundary by following Bryce Way through Tropic. The final approach is a dirt road and has been reported impassable after storms, so check road access before driving it. Pets are not allowed on this unpaved trail.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Bryce Canyon
15 sightingsWapitiMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
51 sightingsUtah Prairie DogMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
334 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
120 sightingsPronghornMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
41 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around noonSighting map
44 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Bryce Canyon. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
