Geology, Wildlife, and Other Park Specific Questions
What are hoodoos and how do they form?
A hoodoo is a pinnacle, spire, or odd-shaped rock left standing by the forces of erosion. Bryce Canyon is famous for having the largest concentration of hoodoos in the world!
The formation of Bryce Canyon and its hoodoos requires 3 steps:
1) Deposition of Rocks - Approximately 50 million years ago, the Bryce Canyon area was low lying, surrounded by areas of higher topography to the west, which encouraged streams to strip particles from these highlands and deposit them into this basin area. These tiny particles accumulated and cemented together to create Bryce Canyon’s rocks (limestones, dolostones, mudstones, siltstones and sandstones).
2) Uplift of the Land - Plate tectonic interactions uplifted Bryce’s rocks to the “goldilocks zone” - the perfect elevation for the forces of nature to create Bryce’s hoodoos. It is at this elevation in which the forces of nature can break down Bryce’s rocks to create its current landscape.
3) The Sculpting of the Hoodoos - The forces of weathering and erosion, mainly ice and rain, work in concert to sculpt Bryce Canyon’s hoodoos. Water seeps into the cracks in the rock and freezes into ice. This expansion into ice causes tremendous pressure on the surrounding rock, and thus causes it to break apart. This “ice wedging” process eventually breaks the edge of the plateau down into walls, windows, and then as individual hoodoos.
Visit the Geology of Bryce Canyon page to learn more about the hoodoos.
What is the elevation of Bryce Canyon?
With elevations averaging around 8,000 feet (2438 m) and reaching up to over 9,000 feet (2743 m) Bryce Canyon is a high altitude park.
At 8,000 feet effective oxygen levels are about 75% of what's found at sea level, and as oxygen falls the risk for altitude sickness goes up.
While altitude sickness can affect absolutely anyone, those with preexisting heart conditions, risk of stroke, COPD, asthma, and other chronic illnesses carry an elevated risk of complications.
Learn how to stay safe while hiking at high altitudes.
What's the best way to view the night sky?
Bryce Canyon's high elevation, clean air, and remote location creates some of the darkest skies in the country. During a new Moon on a clear weather night, you can see thousands of stars and the spectacular band of the Milky Way Galaxy shooting across the sky.
During certain months of the year rangers might offer to educate visitors about the science and cultural history of astronomy. These programs can be quick to reach capacity but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the night sky on your own!
Where should I go to view the night sky? Bryce Canyon is an park, which means our dark skies are protected. While certain areas are slightly darker than others, there are no bad places to view the night sky! We recommend Paria View in summer and anywhere along the rim any time of year.
Where is a good place for Astrophotography? Many photographers like to take photos along the rim trail whereas some who are looking for natural features in the foreground choose to hike the Queen's Garden or Navajo trails.
Learn more about Bryce Canyon's protected night skies or check the calendar for upcoming ranger programs.What are those stacks of wood?
Those piles of wood you might see while driving through the park are part of our fuels reduction and wildfire mitigation program.
Trees that are impacted by disease, overcrowding, or pose a hazard are selected for thinning as part of Bryce Canyon's fire management plan. This thinning is what would happen naturally if small, lower-impact fires were allowed to burn as they occurred naturally over the past century. A thinned forest is a healthy forest.
These trees are cut and stacked and during the months of January and February when snow covers the ground, sufficiently dried piles will be burned in prescribed fires.
Learn more about fire management in Bryce Canyon.
What wildlife can I see in the park?
Bryce Canyon National Park is home to many animals including 59 mammal and 11 reptile species. Park boundaries mean little to the migratory hummingbirds, nesting Peregrine Falcon, Rocky Mountain Elk, and Pronghorn which cross through the amphitheater and forested plateau.
Commonly seen mammals include: Mule Deer, Utah Prairie Dogs, Chipmunks, Golden-mantled ground squirrels, Pronghorn, and Gray fox. Elk can be seen seasonally. Badgers, American black bears, and Mountain lions are rarely seen.
Commonly seen birds include: Steller's jays, Ravens, Clark's nutcrackers, and White-breasted and Pygmy nuthatches. Peregrine falcons and Golden eagles can be seen occasionally as well as seasonal migratory birds.
Reptiles are occasionally seen so keep an eye out for Mountain Short-horned lizards and Striped Whipsnakes. The only venomous snake that can be found in Bryce Canyon is the Great Basin Rattlesnake, which is occasionally seen in the summer.
It is a violation of federal law to feed any wildlife in the park and surrounding areas. Be mindful that some of these animals may be seen on or near the roads and trails and should not be approached as they may be dangerous.
I see burn scars in the park, what happened?
The Bridge FIre (2009)
The Bridge Fire started from a lightning strike on June 14, 2009 at Bridge Hollow in Dixie National Forest land. One month later, on July 14, hot and dry conditions along with unpredictable winds from the southwest carried the fire into the park. 30 mph (48 km/hr) gusts carried sparks from the flames across the scenic drive near Whiteman Bench, allowing the fire to spread quickly.
In total, the Bridge Fire burned 3,947 acres split almost evenly between the park and Dixie National Forest land. This was the largest fire in Bryce Canyon National Park’s history. Within the park, the burned area stretches west on Whiteman Bench and below the rim between Swamp Canyon and Farview Point. Along the west side of the park road, the visible burn stretches approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) between mile markers 8 and 10.
Riggs and Lonely Fires (2018)
Both the Riggs and Lonely Fires were started by lightning strikes – the Riggs Fire on August 25, 2018, and the Lonely Fire on September 6 of the same year. Both of these fires originally started on Dixie National Forest land, and eventually merged into one large fire in mid-September. Fire managers decided to let them burn naturally to reduce the buildup of fire fuel brought on by fire suppression. However, the fire began to spread into the park which would threaten both visitors and historic buildings. As a result, fire managers decided to implement a backburn off of the Bristlecone Loop trail.
In total, the Riggs and Lonely Fires burned about 2,300 acres between the park and Dixie National Forest land. The backburned area is still obvious on the Bristlecone Loop today.
Read more about fire history.
