Queen’s Garden and Wall Street Loop: If You Only Do One Hike in Bryce Canyon, Make It This One

The Queen’s Garden and Wall Street Loop was the highlight of our time in Bryce Canyon National Park. If you only have time for one hike in Bryce, this would be my pick.

Some hikes are worth it because of the destination. This one is different. The entire hike is the destination.

Every twist and turn reveals something new. Every change in the light makes the rock formations look different. I think I could hike this trail a hundred times and still find something new to admire.

Our plan for the morning was simple: watch sunrise near the trailhead, eat breakfast, and start hiking immediately afterward. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made during our entire trip.

We started hiking around 7:00 a.m. and finished around 9:00 a.m. By the time we returned to the rim, temperatures were still only about 52 degrees and buses full of day visitors were beginning to arrive. The cool temperatures and light crowds made for an almost perfect hiking experience.

Why the Queen’s Garden and Wall Street Loop Works So Well

We had hiked this loop once before many years ago, but in the opposite direction, going down Wall Street and climbing back out through Queen’s Garden. That trip was in March with snow and ice covering the trail. Very slippery!

This time we followed the advice we had seen online and hiked down Queen’s Garden and up Wall Street.

Much better.

The trail begins near Sunrise Point. Here is a photo of the trail map because it is helpful for visualizing the route before you start.

Starting Down Queen’s Garden Trail

The descent down Queen’s Garden is not overly steep and feels more like a pleasant walk winding through the hoodoos than a difficult descent into a canyon.

One of the things I love most about this trail is that it is all WOW!

There is no long approach where you hike for miles waiting to reach the good part.

The good part starts immediately.

The trail winds among the rock formations as you descend into the canyon. Along the way, there are fun openings and passageways through the rock, almost like natural archways carved into the cliffs.

The hoodoos glow in the morning sun, and the colors constantly shift as the light changes. One of my favorite things about Utah is the deep blue sky against the orange rock, and this hike delivers that combination over and over again.

If I made a list of my favorite hikes anywhere, this one would be on it.

Choosing Wall Street

At the bottom of Queen’s Garden, you’ll come to a junction where you can either climb out through Wall Street or take the Two Bridges route back to the rim.

There is even a bench at the intersection that makes for a nice place to sit for a few minutes and enjoy the scenery before beginning the climb.

We chose Wall Street.

Climbing Through Wall Street

The ascent through Wall Street is exactly what the name suggests.

Tall rock walls rise on either side of the trail as you climb upward through the canyon.

Trees stretch toward the sky between the cliffs, creating one of my favorite combinations in southern Utah: green trees, orange rock, and that deep blue Utah sky overhead.

Wall Street stays shaded and cool early in the morning, which made the climb more pleasant.

There are stairs in some sections and switchbacks in others.

The final climb near the top is the steepest part of the hike, but there are plenty of places to stop, catch your breath, and enjoy the views along the way.

I would rate the hike as moderate overall, maybe moderate plus because of the climb back out, but it was very manageable if you take your time.

While this is probably not the hike for someone with significant mobility limitations, we saw hikers of all ages enjoying the trail.

The View at the Top

When you finally reach the rim, you’re rewarded with sweeping views back across the canyon, including one of Bryce Canyon’s most famous formations, Thor’s Hammer.

There is something satisfying about standing at the top and looking back out over the canyon you just spent the last two hours exploring from below.

Tips for Hiking the Queen’s Garden and Wall Street Loop

• Arrive before sunrise.
• Watch the sunrise near Sunrise Point.
• Eat breakfast before starting the hike.
• Hike down Queen’s Garden and up Wall Street.
• Bring water, even on cool mornings.
• Finish before the crowds arrive.

For us, this timing was perfect.

We had stretches of Queen’s Garden mostly to ourselves, and while there were more people on Wall Street, it still never felt crowded.

By 9:00 a.m., tour buses were arriving and the character of the park was beginning to change.

If I were planning another trip to Bryce Canyon tomorrow, I would do this exact morning all over again.

And if you only have time for one hike in Bryce Canyon, make it this one.

Check out the rest of our one-week Southern Utah itinerary.