Utah · Hiking

Bristlecone Loop wayside (107)

Bristlecone Loop wayside (107)Photo: NPS
0.8 mi
loop
79 ft
climb
9,093 ft
high point
Loop
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Bristlecone Loop wayside (107) open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Bryce Canyon National Park. It doesn't name Bristlecone Loop wayside (107), so check the source for the area it covers.

  • Trail Closures Due to Recent Weather

    Park closure covering Bryce Canyon National Park · NPS · Bryce Canyon National Park

  • Current Fire Restrictions

    Park alert covering Bryce Canyon National Park · NPS · Bryce Canyon National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Bryce Canyon National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Bristlecone Loop wayside (107) is a short, easy hike in Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, managed by the National Park Service. The route is 0.83 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 79 feet, and it starts at the Bristlecone Loop Trailhead. The trail runs between about 9,000 and 9,100 feet, so it is a low-elevation outing in the park's high country. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 80°F with lows near 52°F, while winter highs stay in the upper 30s. That station sits roughly 1,200 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. The hike is a wayside stop rather than a full trail, and it sits among several other routes. The Bristlecone Loop Trailhead at Rainbow Point, the Under-The-Rim Trail and the Riggs Spring Loop Trail all lie about 0.1 mile away. For an overnight stay, King Creek Campground is about 9 miles off.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Bristlecone Loop wayside (107)

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      37° / 17°

      6 wet

    2. Feb

      39° / 18°

      7 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 23°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 29°

      6 wet

    5. May

      63° / 37°

      5 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 45°

      4 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 52°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 50°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 42°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 32°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      46° / 23°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      37° / 17°

      6 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bryce Canyon Np Hqrs, UT, 12.1 mi away at 7,890 ft. The station sits about 1,200 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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Bristlecone Loop wayside (108)

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This trail takes you through a forest of white fir, Douglas-fir, limber pine, and ponderosa pine. Bristlecone pines—some over 1,000 years old—grow at the trail's southern end where hikers enjoy grand views to the south. Small mammals and a variety of birds, including woodpecke…

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Bristlecone Loop Trailhead at Rainbow Point

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Bristlecone Loop Trail Difficulty: Easy Total Distance: 1.0 miles (1.6 km) Elevation change: 200 feet (61 m) Average time: 1-2 hours This trail may be inaccessible during mid-winter due to snow depths ranging from 2-15 ft (0.7-5 m). The Bristlecone Loop reaches elevations…

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Riggs Spring Loop Trail

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East Side Road

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Bristlecone Loop Gazebo

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A small octagon shaped log shelter built by the park in the 1980s after the Bristlecone Loop was completed. At this point in the trail you might recognize smaller bristlecone pines nearby. Look for densely bunched needles travelling in a bushy arrangement up the branch.…

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Bristlecone Loop wayside (109)

Next door

This trail takes you through a forest of white fir, Douglas-fir, limber pine, and ponderosa pine. Bristlecone pines—some over 1,000 years old—grow at the trail's southern end where hikers enjoy grand views to the south. Small mammals and a variety of birds, including woodpecke…

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~14 min drive

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Under-The-Rim Trail

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Podunk East Road

~7 min drive

6.07-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 1,202 ft elevation gain.