Bryce Canyon Shuttle Bus Guide: Free, Fast, and Fun
When visiting Bryce Canyon National Park, the shuttle bus system is a great way to get around core areas to see viewpoints, the visitors center, and hiking trails.
Running from Bryce Canyon City outside the park through Bryce Amphitheatre inside the park, this free shuttle system makes exploring the national park easy and convenient.
In the guide below, you’ll learn everything you need to know to use this system confidently during your visit from shuttle schedules to what to expect at each stop.
One of the shuttle buses leaves the Inspiration Point drop off site.
This post contains affiliates. If you purchase through one of the links below, I will receive a commission at no charge to you.
Bryce Canyon National Park Shuttles: An Overview
Bryce Canyon National Park is one of Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks, which are some of the most beloved and most visited parks in the entire NPS system.
While Bryce Canyon is the smallest of these parks, it’s also the second busiest in Utah, so the park focuses considerable energy on dispersing those crowds at peak times.
Both Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon have implemented shuttle systems for this reason, but we found that the buses at Bryce Canyon were more frequent, newer, and generally easy to deal with than those at Zion. (That’s why we encourage others to bike through Zion National Park instead of dealing with the shuttles!)
The shuttles at Bryce Canyon, though, are reliable, clean, and free, making them an easy addition to any visit to this national park.
How much do the shuttles cost?
The shuttles themselves are free, but you will need to purchase park admission or have a valid NPS pass to board the bus at any of the stops outside of the park.
If you have an active interagency pass, you can show that to the driver as you board the bus. Otherwise, you can purchase a digital pass here and show your receipt to the driver.
Do I need reservations for the shuttle buses?
No, you don’t need any reservations for the Bryce Canyon shuttles! The buses come frequently, so you should be able to hop onto one quickly with little wait and no need for reserving a seat.
When compared the shuttle buses at Zion National Park, the ones at Bryce Canyon are a dream. The shuttles at Bryce are much nicer on average as a fleet, the buses are far less crowded, and there are very few times you’d need to wait for more than one bus to board.
When do the Bryce Canyon shuttles run?
The shuttles run from April to October usually from 8 AM to 6 PM, though service extends from 8 AM to 6 PM at peak times mid-summer. When they switch this over is usually in mid-June, but park management may push this date up or back depending on crowd levels.
If you really need to know when the shuttles have extended hours, reach out to the information desk at (435) 834-5322.
The shuttles will also run at other peak times during the year such as around the holidays.
If you happen to misjudge the time and miss the last shuttle, you’re going to be at most 6 miles from the main shuttle station. Bryce Point is the furthest stop from the main shuttle station, and that’s 6.2 miles. I know that’s reasonable for some people and not possible for other travelers, so use that to judge how strictly you should be watching your time.
There is a paved multi-use path that runs parallel to the bus route if you decide to take the shuttle to one of the stops and then walk back. This multi-use path begins at Bryce Point, the last stop on the shuttle route, and continues for 11 miles, going beyond the main shuttle station and towards Panguitch, Utah, for about 5 more miles.
How often do the buses make their route?
During the shuttle’s active hours, there are buses running through Bryce Canyon City and Bryce Amphitheatre constantly.
Officially, the bus schedule says they will come by any particular bus stop every 15-20 minutes, but I found that they generally ran ahead of this schedule and came more frequently, usually in the 10-15 minute range. That, of course, will range depending on crowds, but know that the buses are very prompt.
You can keep up with the shuttle schedule during their active times at BryceCanyonShuttle.com. This interactive map shows you when the next 3 buses are due at your selected stop to help you plan your time outlay at a section of the park.
Can I take a bike onto the shuttle?
Yes! The Bryce Canyon shuttle buses can carry up to 2 bikes at any given time on the front bike carrier.
Just let the driver know that you have a bike at the door, and he or she will assist you in securing your bike on the carrier.
There’s no additional cost for bikes. This is a great option if you’d like to bike in Bryce Canyon, one of our favorite ways to see the park.
Bryce Canyon Shuttle Stops
The start/end of the route is across the street from Ruby’s, the massive hotel and shopping complex just outside of the entrance to the park. There’s a large free parking area here if you’re planning to make use of the shuttles during your visit.
Keep in mind that the shuttle runs from the Ruby’s Inn area to the visitors center, out to Bryce Point and then back to the main shuttle station. There are 15 stops in total to complete a large loop.
A shuttle turns onto the Southern Scenic Drive between stops 9 and 10.
Stop 1: Main Shuttle Station
This stop is where you’ll find the main shuttle station. It is located just outside of the park on the eastern side of the loop.
There is a well marked bus shelter at this location, which is adjacent to a large, free car parking area. The parking area is paved, and there’s plenty of room for both cars and oversized vehicles.
You will need to go into the bus shelter to pay for your admission to the park, as the buses bypass the usual ranger-staffed entrance stations. You must show your admissions receipt to get onto the buses.
The shuttle station is across the street from the main shopping and dining at the Ruby’s complex in Bryce Canyon City.
NOTE: If you’re traveling in a Class A or C RV, or are carrying a travel trailer, you must use the shuttle as oversized vehicles are not allowed in the Bryce Amphitheatre if the shuttles are running.
You can skip this part of the park entirely and drive the Southern Scenic Drive if you want, but know that there are limited parking areas for vehicles of this size if you want to stop at one of the overlooks.
Stop 2: Old Bryce Town
The stores at Old Bryce Town with the covered bus shelter to the far right.
From here, the shuttle continues northeast on Main Street to Old Bryce Town. Old Bryce Town is part of the massive Ruby’s complex that forms the basis of Bryce Canyon City.
The Old Bryce Town section is across the street from the main Ruby’s area and about 0.3 miles northeast of the main shuttle station.
Here, you can find a series of souvenir shops in interlinked buildings designed to look like rustic Wild West buildings. Inside are an ice cream shop and candy store on the north end and a rock shop on the southern end. You’ll also find outside seating if you’d like to enjoy your ice cream onsite.
The bus stop for this area is an covered bench area in front of the ice cream shop and horse rides building.
Stop 3: Best Western Grand
The shuttle then turns onto East Center Street and then onto North 100 East, which is directly in front of the Best Western Grand hotel. This hotel is one of the newest in Bryce Canyon City with 164 guest rooms.
The stop for the hotel is past the parking lot directly across from the front door. It is just a simple bench with no covering. It has a small metal sign indicating that it is the bus stop.
This is the last stop with the shuttle heading north; from here, it will turn and run roughly southwest until it turns north again at stop 9.
Stop 4: Best Western Ruby’s Inn
The General Store is just one part of the massive Ruby’s complex in Bryce Canyon City.
It might seem overkill that the tiny Bryce Canyon City has 2 Best Westerns across the street from one another, but the visitor numbers for the park seem to support both.
From the Best Western Grand, the shuttle will travel on North 100 East until it intersects with East 100 N Road. At this intersection, the shuttle turns left and will make an another immediate left onto North Main Street to get to Best Western+ Ruby’s Inn.
This Best Western is part of the main Ruby’s complex and is directly attached to the market and bookstore.
The shuttle stop here is directly in front of the large portico and front entrance to the hotel. It is open air but covered.
Stop 5: Ruby’s RV Campground
Ruby’s Inn and Campground is the OG of accomodations in Bryce Canyon City, predating the incorporation of Bryce Canyon City by nearly 100 years! (Bryce Canyon City was officially incorporated in 2007 while Ruby’s has been in business here since 1917.)
In fact, this hotel and campground was here before Bryce Canyon became a national monument in 1923 and then a national park in 1928.
While the hotel now sprawls across multiple buildings closer to the Best Western Ruby’s Inn, Stop #5 services the campground area primarily.
The stop outside of Ruby’s Campground is the next destination for the shuttle, which is just over a half-mile from Best Western Ruby’s Inn. There is a covered shelter here with open sides for you to wait for the bus.
You can find the shelter next to Main Street in front of and to the left of the campground office and check-in area.
This is the last pick-up stop in Bryce Canyon City before the shuttle enters the park.
Stop 6: Bryce Canyon National Park Visitors Center
My son pretends to be a prairie dog in the interactive display at the visitors center!
If this is your first time at Bryce Canyon, you will want to be sure to stop here!
Not only are there clean restrooms available and rangers on duty for hiking and sightseeing consultation, but you’ll find the best selection of souvenirs in the bookstore here.
If you’re visiting Bryce Canyon with kids, the interactive exhibits in the museum are well worth 30-60 minutes of your time before heading into the park.
Don’t forget to watch the park’s video and check to see when and where the free ranger programs are taking place during your visit.
The parking here can be rough mid-summer after 10 AM, which is a perfect reason to take the shuttle instead of your own vehicle into the park.
To access the bus stop at the visitors center, head to the back of the visitors center parking lot to the left of the large solar panels. There is a large covered bus shelter here.
If you’re boarding here, you can’t park in the parking lot closest to the visitors center as there is a time limit of 1 hour. Instead, you’ll need to cross Bryce Canyon Road/Main Street to the overflow parking, which doesn’t have that same time limit.
From Ruby’s Campground at Stop #5, the visitors center is 3.3 miles.
Stop 7: Sunset Campground
The next stop serves visitors staying at the Sunset Campground and those interested in seeing Sunset Point overlook.
At stop 7, the bus is heading further into the park, so you will disembark on the side of Bryce Canyon Road closest to the campground and away from the overlooks in the amphitheatre.
There is a pedestrian crosswalk here to help you get to the other side of the street if you’re heading to the overlook and the Rim Trail. (NOTE: If you want to get dropped off directly at the Sunset Point overlook, you’ll need to ride to Stop #11. Otherwise, you’ll need to hike about 0.5 miles on the multi-use path to access the overlook.)
This bus stop is 6.5 miles from the visitors center.
You can access the Sunset Campground bus stop to left of the intersection of Bryce Canyon Road and Sunset Campground.
There is a dedicated bus lane for this larger covered shelter.
Stop 8: Bryce Point Overlook
You’re deep into the Bryce Amphitheater section of the park, now as your shuttle leaves from the Sunset Campground and travels the 10 miles to Bryce Point.
Bryce Point is a gorgeous overlook on the Rim Trail to see the park’s famed hoodoos. Since it is further away from Bryce Amphitheatre than the other overlooks, it tends to be less crowded than the similar views at Inspiration Point (Stop #9).
The bus shelter is across the Rim Trail from the overlook at the end of the parking lot closest to the trailhead for the Rim Trail.
At this stop, the shuttle turns back north to retrace its path back towards the park entrance and Bryce Canyon City.
Stop 9: Inspiration Point Overlook
You can’t take enough photos of these hoodoos!
Home to the Inspiration Point overlook, this stop offers up additional views of the red and orange hoodoos that the park is known for.
Take the easier route at the Lower Inspiration Point, which is on even ground without any elevation gain.
Or, you can get even better views from the Upper Inspiration Point overlook, which requires a short but steep hike.
The bus stop here is located just steps from the Rim Trail with a large covered shelter near the small parking lot.
NOTE: If you’ve also been to Grand Teton National Park, it’s fun to compare this Inspiration Point with the Inspiration Point there!
Stop 10: Sunset Campground (return)
After leaving Inspiration point, the shuttle returns to the Sunset campground, but drops passengers off on the opposite side of the road.
This shuttle stop is on the side of Bryce Canyon Road closer to the overlook and Rim Trail. If you go one more stop, you can get dropped off directly at the overlook.
The shelter here is covered and nearly across the road from the other Sunset Campground shelter.
Stop 11: Sunset Point Overlook
The closest stop to Sunset Point is this one, which drops you off just a couple hundred feet from the overlook.
From the covered bus shelter on the rim-side of the parking lot, you’ll have to walk a short, flat trail to the overlook.
The overlook juts out into the amphitheatre providing 270 degree views. This area is also where you’d pick up the Navajo Loop trail.
Stop 12: Bryce Lodge
The cabins at Bryce Lodge near stop #12
The next stop is at Bryce Lodge, less than a mile up the road from Sunset Point. The lodge is open seasonally, and has cabins and hotel rooms available.
This is a great place to grab lunch in the park, as it has a full service dining room, a pizzeria, and a general store.
The buses pick up visitors at the small loop to the right of the lodge on the opposite side of the lodge from the cabins. Look for the red restricted area off of the parking lot.
Stop 13: Sunrise Point Overlook
From the Lodge, the shuttle will turn onto Sunrise Point Road to take visitors to the final overlook stop on the route.
Sunrise Point is beautiful with both hoodoos and access to the popular Queen’s Garden trail.
This is also the stop you’ll want to disembark on if you’d like to rent a bike at the Historic Service Station.
The covered shelter here is halfway between the intersection of Lodge Loop Road and Sunrise Point Point, and the North Campground General Store.
Stop 14: Visitors Center (return)
If you need to return your Junior Ranger booklet or get a final souvenir before leaving the park for the day, you’ll want to hop off at the second Visitors Center stop, which is on the other side of the road from Stop #6.
There is a large covered shelter with dedicated bus lane off of the north bound lane. There is also a dedicated pedestrian crossing from the shelter to the visitors center (but always look both ways and use caution when crossing!).
Stop 15: Ruby’s Campground (return)
The final stop before you return to the main shuttle station returns to Ruby’s Campground on the northbound lane.
This shelter is right across the street from the one at #5 and it has both a dedicated bus lane and a pedestrian crosswalk to help you get across Main Street safely.
