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The Bryce Canyon Rim stands at 8000 to 9000 feet over one of the world’s unique landscapes.
There are viewpoints all along the 16 mile Rim Road from the Visitor’s Center to Rainbow Point.
The most famous of these is Inspiration Point, which overlooks Bryce Amphitheater. This page
has 50 panoramic and detail images from several viewpoints taken in summer and winter.
Click an image to open a larger version.
Use your back button to return to this page.
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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Bryce Canyon Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link to the Bryce Canyon Rim Views Gallery:
Rim Views
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Bryce Canyon Inspiration Point at Sunrise X1792
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The view north into the Bryce Amphitheater from Inspiration Point at sunrise. Between
Inspiration Point and Sunset Point is the Silent City, consisting of hundreds of rows of
hoodoos which glow in the low angle light. In the distance is Boat Mesa and Fairyland.
Hoodoos are spires formed by frost wedging and rain erosion. The main difference
between a hoodoo and other types of spires is the variable thickness of the hoodoo.
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Bryce Canyon Amphitheater Inspiration Point 0663
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A late morning view of Bryce Amphitheater from Inspiration Point, with Silent City below Sunset Point on the left side.
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Bryce Canyon Amphitheater Silent City Hoodoos 0687
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Detail of a dense cluster of Silent City hoodoos near the rim, shot from Inspiration Point as the sun was reaching its zenith.
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Bryce Canyon Inspiration Point Sunrise Winter 5485
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The Bryce Amphitheater from Inspiration Point, taken just after sunrise in Winter.
Beyond Bryce Amphitheater is Boat Mesa, Fairyland and the Sinking Ship Mesa.
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Bryce Canyon Rainbow Point View 0525
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Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point are at the South end of the Rim Road, and are near the southern edge of the Park. This view towards the north shows the Pink Cliffs.
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Bryce Canyon Rainbow Point View 0529
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A wider angle view at Rainbow Point from a spot a bit further southeast along the rim at the beginning of the Bristlecone Loop Trail. This is the highest point of the Bryce Canyon Rim.
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Bryce Canyon Yovimpa Point View 0536
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Yovimpa Point is the Southernmost overlook at Bryce Canyon, with views across the
Grand Staircase towards the Kaibab Plateau and the north rim of the Grand Canyon.
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Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point View 1803
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Early morning view from Sunrise Point towards Bryce Point. The rows of hoodoos below Bryce Point at top left are the primary features of the Silent City visible at Sunset Point.
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Bryce Canyon Sunrise Point View 6663
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The early morning view across the pink fins at Sunrise Point towards the red-orange limestone of the Pink Cliffs, below the lighter limestone of the distant Upper Member Cliffs.
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Bryce Canyon Hunter Agua Canyon 0597
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The solitary hoodoo on the left is called The Hunter. The white limestone-capped hoodoo
at the right of center is called The Rabbit. Due to continuing erosion, the hoodoos are losing
the distinctive shapes that gave them their names, and hoodoos are no longer being officially
named at Bryce Canyon, although there are still many that retain their original names and others
which are unofficially named, such as ET. The Rabbit now looks a bit like an extended Thumb.
The Hunter and The Rabbit are the most prominent features at the Agua Canyon Overlook.
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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Bryce Canyon Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link to the Rim View images:
Rim Views
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Bryce Canyon Natural Bridge in Winter 5292
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Natural Bridge is one of several natural arches at Bryce Canyon. The arch is formed
within a fin in the Claron Formation, a red-orange rock rich in iron oxides which forms
much of the area, and from which many of the Bryce Canyon hoodoos are also formed.
While it is called a bridge, geologic bridges are formed by water erosion from rivers.
The arch was formed by a combination of frost wedging and chemical weathering
from rainwater, cracking and dissolving the fin until gravity opened the window.
In early postcards from Bryce Canyon, this feature was called the Victorian Arch.
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Bryce Canyon Natural Bridge at Sunrise 0509
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These images were taken during several visits while training groups of photographers. This is an early morning shot.
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Bryce Canyon Natural Bridge X2090
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Most of the images were taken in the summer, either in June or August. This image was taken in the late afternoon.
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Bryce Canyon Natural Bridge X2092
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These late afternoon shots were taken with a polarizing filter.
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Bryce Canyon Natural Bridge X2094
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At left is 40% polarization, above is 20% polarization.
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Bryce Canyon Natural Bridge X2091 2092
(Polarization Comparison, 1505 x 1225, 723 KB)
A comparison of two polarized images: at left is minimum polarization and at right is 50%.
The polarizing filter is used to darken the sky and increase the contrast and color saturation.
Note the different levels of saturation of the red-orange rock at top right, for example.
Even minimum polarization reduces reflections and improves contrast and saturation over
unpolarized images in some lighting conditions. The unpolarized image allowed no cloud
detail to be resolved in the lowest part of the sky. Each image is available separately.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos Sunset Point X1871
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Hoodoos at Sunset taken from Sunset Point. The different color layers are caused by
different minerals deposited 50 million years ago on the floor of the ancient Lake Claron.
Orange and red-orange are differing amounts of iron oxide, white is more pure limestone.
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Bryce Canyon Sunset Point View in Winter 5303
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The view East from Sunset Point towards Fairy Castle.
The iridescent red fins contrast well with the white snow.
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Bryce Canyon Sunset Point View in Winter 5304
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The Northeast view from Sunset Point. Aquarius Plateau and Sinking Ship are at top left, Bristlecone Point is in the center.
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Bryce Canyon Sunset Point View in Winter 5301
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This East-by-Northeast view from Sunset Point looks straight down the Bryce Creek valley.
At the far left is Bristlecone Point, with the Paria River Valley and Tropic in the distance. On the
right, the solitary hoodoo in front of the fin is Thor’s Hammer, one of Bryce’s most famous hoodoos.
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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Bryce Canyon Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link to the Rim View images:
Rim Views
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Bryce Canyon Fairyland Hoodoos Sinking Ship X1899
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The view North at Sunset from Sunset Point in late June. In the center are Queen’s Castle,
Queen Victoria and the Queen’s Garden. Beyond are the Chinese Wall, Tower Bridge area
and the Fairyland Canyon hoodoos. To the East of Fairyland is the angled Sinking Ship Mesa
in the upper right, and in the distance beyond the Sinking Ship Mesa is the Aquarius Plateau.
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Bryce Canyon Fairyland Sinking Ship in Winter 5307
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A slightly wider-angle mid-afternoon view of the same scene in Winter.
Looking North from Sunset Point, on the far upper left is Sunrise Point. Below
Sunrise Point, in the center of the image is the Queen’s Garden area. Beyond
Queen’s Garden, at top center, is the Chinese Wall, Fairyland and Boat Mesa.
East of Fairyland is the Sinking Ship, and beyond that is the Aquarius Plateau.
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Bryce Canyon Dead Tree at Sunrise Point 5313
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The view from the South Rim near Sunrise Point in Winter. An ornate dead tree provides foreground interest. In the distance is Bristlecone Point at left, Bryce Creek Valley in the center, and the Paria River Valley and Tropic in the center distance.
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Bryce Canyon Dead Tree at Sunrise Point 5315
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A more Northerly view from the South Rim near Sunrise Point. The Fairyland Canyon hoodoos and Sinking Ship Mesa are in front of the Aquarius Plateau on the left, and Bristlecone Point is on the right beyond our photogenic tree skeleton.
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Bryce Canyon Rim Winter 5321
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A Northeast view from the rim to the north of Sunrise Point in Winter.
At left are the Sinking Ship Mesa and Aquarius Plateau, and at center
are the Mormon Temple hoodoo formation in front of Bristlecone Point.
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Bryce Canyon Wall Street Rim View 1800
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The view facing South down into Wall Street Canyon from the Rim Trail between Sunrise Point and Sunset Point.
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Bryce Canyon Wall Street Rim View 1801
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The view facing East down into Wall Street Canyon from the Rim Trail between Sunrise Point and Sunset Point.
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Bryce Canyon Rim View in Winter 5289
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The Northeast view from the Rim Trail near Bryce Point in Winter.
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Bryce Canyon Bristlecone Point Winter 5310
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Bristlecone Point from Sunrise Point in Winter. Shot with
60% polarization to increase contrast and color saturation.
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Bryce Canyon Bristlecone Point Winter 5311
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Bristlecone Point, Tropic Valley and the Table Cliffs Plateau from Sunrise Point in Winter, taken with minimum polarization.
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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Bryce Canyon Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link to the Rim View images:
Rim Views
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5522
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Bryce Canyon hoodoos at sunrise from Inspiration Point in Winter.
This image and the following images were not taken with polarization.
When the light is at the right angle, some of the minerals in the rock can
fluoresce... sometimes the rock can appear to be almost translucent.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5487
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The view North from Inspiration Point at sunrise in Winter. At top of the frame are the Chinese Wall and Sinking Ship Mesa, in the foreground is Bryce Amphitheater and the Silent City.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5501
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Iridescent hoodoos in the Silent City from Inspiration Point at sunrise in Winter. This is an absolutely magnificent scene which is well worth freezing your tail off to capture.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5511
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A group of iridescent hoodoos from Inspiration Point at sunrise in Winter.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5490
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This group of hoodoos at the end of Bryce Amphitheater were fluorescing madly in the low angle light of sunrise.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5515
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This image was taken 7 minutes after the previous shot. Note the color of the formations at bottom left and in the center.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5519
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The bright orange fins and hoodoos really stand out against the snow (note the snow flurries).
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5512
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Several images of a very colorful formation of hoodoos. The golden sections of rock appeared to be almost translucent.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5498
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The red-orange glow changed with the light in moments. Compare the color of rock sections in these three images.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5497
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A detail shot at a moment when the translucence of the golden rock was at its height and
the iridescence of the red-orange rock was at full saturation. This was literally breathtaking.
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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Bryce Canyon Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link to the Rim View images:
Rim Views
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5502
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Two wider views of the area shown in the detail shots above. Images 5502 and 5520 were taken 4.5 minutes apart.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5520
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I selected the region to shoot based upon the iridescence. Differences in color saturation are subtle but quite noticeable.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5517
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A detail shot of the area in the upper right of the two previous images, where the translucency effect was most pronounced.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise in Winter 5521
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The final image of this series shows the area out of picture to the right of the previous three shots (shooting through snow).
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Bryce Canyon Iridescent Fin at Sunrise 0474
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These are two images of an iridescent fin in the Queen’s Garden area taken at sunrise from Sunrise Point. This image was taken in late September at the end of the sunrise.
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Bryce Canyon Iridescent Fin at Sunrise X1926
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This image was taken in late June at the beginning of sunrise. The purplish-pink fin has erosion windows which will eventually become hoodoos. Manganese oxide causes this color.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise X1795
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More glowing hoodoos at sunrise from Inspiration Point. This group of four images
were taken in late June. The light is different, but the effect is still quite spectacular.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise X1793
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The most prominently glowing part of the Amphitheater, which happens to be nearly the same area as in the Winter images.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise X1797
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Detail of the area on the right side of the previous image. This is 40% of the left side region shown in image 5502 above.
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Bryce Canyon Hoodoos at Sunrise X1798
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A wider view of the region to the left of the area shown in image X1795 above.
Again, some of the lighter areas of limestone appeared to be almost translucent.
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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Bryce Canyon Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link to the Rim View images:
Rim Views
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Click the display composite above to visit the Queen’s Garden Trail page
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Click the display composite above to visit the Navajo Trail page
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Click the display composite above to visit the Fairyland Canyon page
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Click the display composite above to visit the Bryce Canyon Landscapes page
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Click the display composite above to visit the Sunrise Point and Sunset Point page
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Click the display composite above to visit the Bryce Canyon Flora and Fauna page
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