fairyland loop

This trail is well named. It hovers over the rim, dips thru forest, comes out again...so so so very beautiful. Especially in winter on x-country skiis or snowshoes!

Great and moderate trail that takes you through varying scenery. Worth seeing Tower bridge at the end of it.

Granted I only hiked for about 3 miles round trip along Fairyland and Boat Mesa. This was such a scenic trail. With no obstructions blocking, you have a perfect view in the beginning. About 10 minutes in, you'll even begin to experience a panoramic view of fairyland canyon which was absolutely breath taking. Words cannot describe how beautiful Fairyland Canyons are. As its name suggests, I could picture little fairies sleeping in the pine trees at the base of the canyons. Multi-coloured hoodoos that are varying levels gives it unparalleled dimensions. I thought this was as stunning as Bryce canyon and less photographed. Not too many people were on the hike either, it allowed a lot of peace and quiet without people getting in the way of my photographs! The trail offers the best view possible of a canyon and I'm so glad I concluded my trip with this.The hike is slightly dangerous because there are often no railings or bushes to protect you on both sides! It's also very narrow and lots of loose gravels. It was my last day and I was sick of wearing my hiking boots and didn't know what I was getting myself into by wearing flip flops! Definitely wear hiking boots for this. For the part I hiked through, there was a gradual incline, but it wasn't too bad. There's hardly any shade though.You can continue on to the tower bridge for 4 miles, end at sunrise point for 5.7 miles or finish the whole loop for 8 miles through the rim hike.I read that most of the hike has canyon views though you do go through wooded areas. the whole hike is rather strenuous, not only is it 8 miles in length, the elevation change of 1000ft***Tip: Do this! One of the best hikes in bryce canyon! And it's free too since you don't have to go inside Bryce canyon!Favourites: panoramic view of the canyons. Dramatic levels.Do not want: the loop is super long...otherwise you end up somewhere else. I found the beginning most magnificent, as I don't know how it can get any better!Last words: panoramic views!

This 5 1/2 mile loop is accessible at two points by shuttle. The farther you get from the two trailhead parking lots the fewer people you encounter. This hike is totally beautiful. Gentle climbs, periodic shade and enough beauty to feed the hungriest soul.

This is outside of the fee area of the park, but is no less amazing than the rest. The hike down is easy/moderate. It is more difficult due to the elevation (8000 feet) than the trail. The trail is not very steep as it winds down into the valley. Fewer people seem to take this hike, so you can have a lot of solitude as you take in the aptly named fairy land of hoodoos and sculptured stone.

This loop is on the Bryce map but is actually just outside the park entrance and in our excitement we found we had driven right past it! We caught it as we exited the park and we're so glad we did!

We started at Fairyland Point parking lot to break up the hike with a pit stop at the general store before hiking the rim back to the parking lot. The trail winds through the hoodoos and up and down quite a bit. It was sunny with some high clouds floating by when we hiked, this made for some very good pictures. The views are classic Bryce! There are plenty of places to cool off, rest and have a drink in the shade, but there are also longer stretches when you are in the sun. Usually sun on the hills as luck would have it. It didn’t seem as much up and down hiking as the Navajo/Peek-a-Boo trail and no switchbacks to get back to the rim (bonus). The general store pit stop adds .2 of a mile to the hike, but for us it’s not a race. Looking now at the Amphitheater map there looks to be a short cut. There is pretty much everything available at the general store, ice cream, pizza, water, soda, etc. I did find it strange that water was $1.25 and beer was $1??? After chillin’ on the porch of the general store we finished the hike back to where we left the vehicle along the Rim Trail. I’d recommend this hike to anyone that isn’t wearing sandals and has water with them (and $1 for the general store).

This says strenuous and it looks long, but this was a wonderful little hike that takes you through a completely different part of the park. The scenery is very different and you feel like you are in a different world. It's nice that there are not as many people on the trail as you see on Navajo. We really enjoyed this hike. Bring enough water and a snack/lunch. Go early cause it gets hot.

You have the opportunity to have a relatively easy walk through the hoodoos and rock formations. (The 'strenuous' part is climbing back out of the canyon but the trail is great and there are hundreds of opportunities to stop and rest and take photos.)

But worth the views. Bring plenty of water, as some in our group ran out and we all had to ration. We started at the Sunset Campground and figured we walked about 9.5 miles. Ages ranged from 11 yrs old to 65 yrs old.

We were staying in the lodge and decided to do a day hike. After talking to the visitor center guide we chose the fairyland loop over the Navajo and Peekaboo trails. It was longer and listed as strenuous, and we had our nine-year old with is, so I was a little nervous about finishing it. The guide talked is into carrying another gallon of water with us, and it was a good thing! It was really hot and dry, and there is very little shade. It took us 7 hours to hike the whole loop, including the rim trail back to the lodge. But it was worth it. The views are really great. We went counter clockwise, starting with tower bridge first for an easier descent. There was a part about half-way through where you come up over a ridge and see just fields and fields of hoodoos and another canyon in the distance and the sinking ship rock and it is breathtaking. There were hardly any other people hiking this trail, but if you are prepared and in decent shape, it is not to be missed.

Another great point to witness the sunset. There are even trails down into the canyon but only at your own risk. The mountains in the background as far as you can see are part of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

This hike is so delightful. I am not in top shape, and I considered not doing it. I am so glad I did. Originally we only planned to go to the tower bridge and then see, but once we got to the Tower Bridge, I wanted to go on. There is something magical about this place that I will never forget - if feeds the soul. If you have the time, Fairyland Loop would be a great adventure.We hiked it counter clockwise. Originally, I thought we should it clockwise, but we didn't know we would do the whole loop. The issue for us was that there is no water a Fairyland Point - so when we got out, we had about a cup of water each for the hike back to Sunrise Point - 2 1/2 miles away. Not enough! It was midday, bring sun. Had we gone the other way, we could have filled our water bottles at Sunrise Point before heading back to Fairyland Point for the car. Better yet, we could have taken a break and gone to get the car later when the sun was less intense.

We got off the shuttle at the visitor center and walked across the street into the North Campground, where you can access this trail. (The shuttle does not stop at Fairyland Point.) This strenuous 8-mile hike mostly skirts the rim of the canyon, and allows for phenomenal panoramic views in several areas. There are several uphill climbs to these viewpoints as you work your way around the rim. You can knock this hike out in 4 hours if you're in good shape, even with taking a lot of photos on the way.

There is nothing to dislike about this hike. The scenery and view are so spectacular - they look unreal.