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Bryce Canyon National Park Facts & Worksheets

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most popular parks in Southern Utah, USA.

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Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most popular parks in Southern Utah, USA. It is one of the country’s most admired (and photographed) parks, including hiking, tough rock climbing, and winter cross-country skiing paths.

See the fact file below for more information on Bryde Canyon National Park, or you can download our 28-page Bryde Canyon National Park worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL  AND GEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

  • Bryce Canyon’s geologic history began during the Cretaceous Period when a shallow sea covered the area. The sea, as well as subsequent lakes, streams, and deserts, deposited layers of silt, shale, and sandstone. Earthquakes, volcano eruptions, and other natural events shaped the terrain even more.
  • Early human settlement in the Bryce Canyon region is undocumented. Archaeological studies of Bryce Canyon National Park and the Paunsaugunt Plateau reveal that humans have lived in the area for at least 10,000 years.
  • Beyond the park’s limits, artifacts from the Anasazi and Fremont cultures were found. Paiutes interpreted the many colorful hoodoos, “legend people,” who have been transformed to stone by the mythical Coyote.
  • The very first European Americans explored the isolated and difficult-to-reach area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In the 1850s, Mormon scouts visited the region to assess its possibilities for agricultural development, grazing, and colonization. Small parties of Mormon settlers followed and attempted to settle along the Paria River east of Bryce Canyon.
  • Ebenezer Bryce and his wife Mary were assigned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to settle in the Paria Valley. Bryce grazed his cattle within what are now park boundaries, and he built a road to the plateau to harvest timber and firewood, as well as a canal to water and irrigate his crops
  • .Other settlers quickly named the unusual location”Bryce’s Canyon,” later shortened to Bryce Canyon.
  • Drought, overgrazing, and flooding eventually pushed the surviving Paiutes from the area, forcing the settlers to attempt to construct a water diversion canal from the Sevier River drainage. When that attempt failed, most immigrants, along with the Bryce family, left the area.
  • In magazines published by the Union Pacific and Santa Fe railroads in 1916, these scenic areas were first introduced to the public. Individuals like Forest Supervisor J. W. Humphrey promoted the scenic marvels of Bryce Canyon’s amphitheaters, and by 1918, articles widely circulated across the country also helped to increase its popularity.
  • Conservationists grew concerned about the damage overgrazing, logging, and unrestricted visitors brought to Bryce Canyon’s sensitive characteristics. Soon after, a campaign to protect the region arose and National Park Service Director Stephen Mather suggested that Bryce Canyon be designated as a state park. However, the governor of Utah and the Utah State Legislature advocated for national protection of the region. Director Mather relented and forwarded his request to President Warren G. Harding, who designated Bryce Canyon a national monument on June 8, 1923.
  • Members of the United States Congress began work in 1924 to designate Bryce Canyon from a national monument to a national park. Four years later, the last land of property inside the proposed park’s boundaries was sold to the federal government, and Bryce Canyon officially became a national park on February 25, 1928.

BIODIVERSITY

  • The park is home to around 400 natural plant species.
  • Various animal species live in Bryce Canyon’s forests and meadows, including black bears, woodpeckers, foxes, badgers, porcupines, elk, and bobcats. Mule deer are among the most common large animals in the area.
  • Three endangered species can be found in Bryce Canyon National Park: the southwestern willow flycatcher, the California condor, and the Utah prairie dog. 
  • Every year, about 170 bird species, including swifts and swallows, visit the park.
  • Eleven reptile species and four amphibian species have been discovered in the park. Reptiles include the side-blotched lizard, short-horned lizard, Great Basin rattlesnake, and striped whipsnake, while amphibians include the tiger salamander.
  • The park also has dark, lumpy, slow-growing cryptobiotic soil colonies, a combination of lichens, algae, fungus, and cyanobacteria. These organisms work together to decrease erosion, supply nitrogen to the soil, and help it retain moisture.

CLIMATE

  • The average temperatures visitors may encounter when visiting Bryce Canyon National Park might vary significantly throughout the year. Bryce Canyon is located in South Central Utah, which experiences extremely dramatic weather variations depending on the time of the year and weather patterns.
  • The summer months (June-September) can be moderately hot with little humidity; because Bryce Canyon is significantly higher in elevation and is regarded to be in the high desert mountains, the UV rays are much stronger. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Bryce was 98 ℉ in 2002. July is always the warmest month in the park, although it still cools off significantly in the nights and early mornings.
  • During the winter months (November-February), Bryce Canyon National Park is still open and attracts many tourists for winter sports. The park’s lowest temperature was -26 ℉  in 1963. The Winter months are icy, and snow is on the ground. December is the coolest month in Bryce Canyon.
  • Bryce Canyon National Park is cooler to mildly warm in the spring and fall months. In the spring, visitors may be able to see runoff and melting snow from the higher mountains surrounding the park. Because of its high elevation, snow storms are common in the early months of the year.
  • May through September are the most popular months to visit.

TOP VIEWPOINTS

  • Fairyland Point – The name of this overlook comes from the incredible distance that tourists can view from the overlook location.
  • Sunrise Point – Sunrise Point is located on the amphitheater’s northern border and offers spectacular views of the whole structure looking south. 
  • Sunset Point – It is well-known for its view of the Hoodoo structure Thor’s Hammer, as well as the trailhead for the Navajo Loop Walk. This 1.3-mile trail descends into the amphitheater and provides an up-close view of the Wall Street and Two Bridges Sections of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater.
  • Inspiration Point – This viewpoint is easily overlooked since it is sandwiched between Bryce Point and Sunset Point.
  • Paria Viewpoint – This breathtaking overlook offers a panoramic view of Bryce Canyon’s floor.
  • Swamp Canyon – It is located at 7,998 feet and provides travelers with access to four distinct backcountry camping locations.
  • Piracy and Fairview Point – These viewpoints are linked by a .2-mile dirt trek from the same parking lot.
  • Natural Bridge – Natural Bridge is a massive 85-foot bridge built by millions of years of erosion.

THINGS TO DO IN BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

  • Hiking – One of the significant activities in the park is hiking and enjoying the breathtaking scenery from designated viewpoints and scenic drives. 
  • Stargazing – Bryce Canyon National Park is an ideal location for stargazing. The park has been named an International Dark Sky Park. It’s a certification by the International Dark-Sky Association, which promotes and protects areas with exceptional nighttime conditions. On a clear night at Bryce Canyon, tourists could see through the distance to the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.2 million light-years away.
  • Horseback Riding – Since before it was assigned as a national park, horses were used to explore Bryce Canyon. The National Park Service built 4.5 miles of foot and horse routes in 1931 to facilitate this activity, which is still in use today.
  • Biking – Cycling is only permitted on paved routes within the park. Many adjacent routes, however, are popular with cyclists. Cycling opportunities include single and double-track trails, forest roads, and pioneer paths.
  • ATV Riding – One of the enjoyable ways to properly appreciate Bryce Canyon National Park is to ride an ATV. The area is filled with breathtaking paths that traverse a wide range of scenery.
  • View Wildlife – Many animals live in Bryce Canyon National Park’s canyons and plateau. Migratory hummingbirds, nesting Peregrine Falcons, Rocky Mountain Elk, and Pronghorn traverse the park’s wooded plateaus and amphitheaters on a regular basis.
  • Snowshoeing – Snowshoeing is permitted on all trails within the park. Even though snowshoes allow you to go in thick powdery snow, snowshoeing is still a physically demanding exercise.
  • Birdwatching – A vast number of flying visitors can be seen in the area, and the majority are migratory birds since the area is home to over 175 different recognized species of birds. Some come to the park for a short rest, while other species stay for the entire season.
  • Visitors Center Museum – The park museum is located within the Visitor Center and features displays on time scales such as geological, ecological, and human, as well as unique exhibitions on the night sky and the park’s air quality.
  • Rim Trail Walking – The Rim Trail section connects Sunset and Sunrise Points and is the simplest trek in the park. It is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) long and may be started from Sunrise or Sunset Point. During the winter, the trail is frequently blocked.

Bryde Canyon National Park Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Bryce Canyon National Park across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Bryde Canyon National Park, one of the most popular parks in Southern Utah, USA. It is one of the country’s most admired (and photographed) parks, including hiking, tough rock climbing, and winter cross-country skiing paths.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Bryce Canyon National Park Facts 
  2. Guess the View
  3. Search It!
  4. Tell Me More
  5. Animals Onsite
  6. Things NOT To Do
  7. Let’s Play!
  8. I Wish to Do!
  9. Park Showdown
  10. 2 Days and 1 Night
  11. See, Think, Wonder

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bryce Canyon famous for?

Bryce Canyon National Park is in the southwestern corner of Utah. It has the most hoodoos in the world. Hoodoos are rocks shaped by erosion and wind over thousands of years. The park has lots of visitors because it is so beautiful. There are horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters, majestic landscapes, and night skies perfect for stargazing.

Why is Bryce Canyon called Bryce Canyon?

Ebenezer Bryce, a skilled carpenter, and pioneer who arrived in the Paria Valley with his family in 1875 at the behest of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are honored as the namesake for Bryce Canyon National Park.

Why is Bryce Canyon so red?

The Claron Formation, which features picturesque pink cliffs and hoodoos, was created by limy sediments containing a high proportion of iron. These deposits accumulated in a series of lakes and streams over time until they solidified into vibrant red rocks.

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Link will appear as Bryce Canyon National Park Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 22, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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