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Utah
115 ft
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Why you'll love it
Mossy Cave
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<p>Mossy Cave is in the northern section of the park, located on Highway 12, approximately 4 miles east of the intersection of Highways 12 and 63. Look for a small parking area on the right-hand side immediately after crossing a little bridge. The Mossy Cave itself is at the end of a short trail. Here too you can see hoodoos and windows without having to hike a steep trail.</p> <p>At first, this canyon known as Water Canyon, might look like any ordinary Bryce Canyon kind of canyon. It's not. From 1890-1892 mormon pioneers labored with picks and shovels to carve an irrigation ditch from the East Fork of the Sevier River, through the Paunsaugunt Plateau, into this canyon.</p> <p>Every year since its completion in 1892 (except during the drought of 2002), this canal known as the Tropic Ditch has supplied the communities of Tropic and Cannonville with irrigation water.</p> <h4><strong>Geology</strong></h4> <p>By definition Bryce Canyon is misnamed, it is not a real "canyon". Canyons are carved by flowing water. Most of the "canyons" of Bryce are carved by ice forming in cracks - a process known as frost wedging. Even though the Tropic Ditch has been flowing for only a century it has changed the geology of Water Canyon. As you hike up the Mossy Cave Trail, notice how the higher elevations of this "canyon" have the lumpy, broken, and random texture typical of Bryce Canyon and its hoodoos. You will also see how the lower section is without hoodoos, and has smooth angled sides looking like a 'V' in cross-section. Because of this little water course, it is unlikely that hoodoos will form here. The existing ones will eventually crumble and Water Canyon will have completed its metamorphosis into a "real canyon."</p> <h4><strong>Nature</strong></h4> <p>The presence of water alone is what makes Water Canyon unique. Although you might not see them (animals tend to avoid busy trails - especially in daylight hours), a wide diversity of animals come here regularly to quench their thirst. The supply of water is still recent enough that nature hasn't quite caught up yet. Eventually more riparian trees like willows and cottonwoods will probably grow here. In the meantime you'll be surprised to see some plants that you might expect to find along a brook in a mountain meadow, such as Mountain Death Camas and Watson Bog Orchid.</p> <h4><strong>Trails</strong></h4> <p>Visit the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/mossy-cave-trail.htm">Mossy Cave Trail</a> page for more information.</p>
Water Canyon wayside
~0 min drive
Listen to the rushing stream. For many plants and animals it is the sound of life, yet it is also the sound of rapid change. In 1892, water for the town of Tropic was diverted into this once seasonal drainage, transforming Water Canyon into one of the fastest eroding areas of…
Tropic Ditch wayside
~0 min drive
<p>By 1874 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints had begun to settle in the Paria Valley east of Bryce Canyon. Arid conditions gave rise to a plan to divert water 10 miles (16 km) from the East Fork of the Sevier River to the cliffs of Bryce Canyon and dow…
Mossy Cave Hike the Hoodoos wayside
~0 min drive
<h2>I Hiked the Hoodoos</h2> <p>Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!<br /> <br /> <strong>1. Hike a minimum of 3 mi / 4.8 km, or find at least 3 benchmarks and complete…
Fairyland Loop Trailhead
~4 min drive
<h3>Fairyland Loop Trail</h3> <p><strong>Difficulty: Strenuous<br /> Total Distance: 8.0 miles (12.9 km)<br /> Elevation change: 1,716 feet (523 m)<br /> Average time: 4-5 hours</strong><br /> <br /> Along the the Peekaboo Loop, the Fairyland Loop provides some of the best str…
Tower Bridge Hike the Hoodoos wayside
~6 min drive
<h2>I Hiked the Hoodoos</h2> <p>Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!<br /> <br /> <strong>1. Hike a minimum of 3 mi / 4.8 km, or find at least 3 benchmarks and complete…
Tower Bridge and Fairyland Loop Trailheads
~6 min drive
<h3>Tower Bridge Trail</h3> <p><strong>Difficulty: Moderate<br /> Total Distance: 3.0 miles (4.8 km)<br /> Elevation change: 802 feet (245 m)<br /> Average time: 2-3 hours</strong><br /> Similar in difficulty to the Queen's / Navajo Combination loop, but far less travelled, th…
Tropic Trail wayside
~7 min drive
One of the few trails in the park that begins below the rim, the Tropic Trail connects to Navajo Loop, Queen’s Garden, Peekaboo Loop, and Rim trails. It follows Bryce Creek, which is dry much of the year. The incline is initially gradual and connects to other popular and more…
Queens Garden Hike the Hoodoos
~7 min drive
<h2>I Hiked the Hoodoos</h2> <p>Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!<br /> <br /> <strong>1. Hike a minimum of 3 mi / 4.8 km, or find at least 3 benchmarks and complete…
Navajo Loop Trailhead wayside
~7 min drive
This popular trail has two sides, one descending into the narrow paths of Wall Street and the other to the erosion-resistant Two Bridges and Thor's Hammer. Hikers can also connect to the Peekaboo Loop and Queen's Garden Trail to create larger loops. See the Visitor Guide for i…
Navajo Loop Hike the Hoodoos
~7 min drive
<h2>I Hiked the Hoodoos</h2> <p>Hiking is great exercise and Bryce Canyon's "I Hiked the Hoodoos!" program is not just hiking, it's also a scavenger hunt with a special reward!<br /> <br /> <strong>1. Hike a minimum of 3 mi / 4.8 km, or find at least 3 benchmarks and complete…
