The US Forest Service has called it the most photographed place in Utah, and the brilliant scarlet soil contrasted against deep green ponderosa pines makes that easy to believe. The formations line Scenic Byway 12 for about four miles. If you are driving toward Bryce Canyon from the west, you pass right through it. Slow down and enjoy the view.

Red Canyon has trails for every ability level. Popular routes include Pink Ledges, Hoodoo, Birdseye, and Golden Wall, all well-signed and accessible from pullouts along the highway. The 0.7-mile Arches foot trail is a favorite for first-time visitors and one of the quickest ways to get among the formations.

For a longer adventure, the Casto Canyon Trail covers 5.5 miles through one of the most spectacular and peaceful valleys in the region, passing through an ever-changing variety of pink, red, and orange rock formations and stands of ponderosa and bristlecone pine.

Losee Canyon is another little-known gem accessible from the same area, offering beautiful hiking and mountain biking with almost no other visitors. Both are part of the Dixie National Forest and free to access. Pick up a free trail map at the visitor center before heading out.

Unlike Bryce Canyon National Park, Red Canyon welcomes mountain bikes on many of its trails. Thunder Mountain Trail is the standout, an 8-mile singletrack route that follows a steep ridge overlooking the canyon and snakes through red-rock hoodoos.

The paved Red Canyon Bicycle Trail offers a different experience, running nearly 13 miles from the Thunder Mountain Trailhead all the way to Bryce Canyon City and passing right by Ruby's Inn. It is suitable for cyclists and walkers of all fitness levels and in winter doubles as a popular cross-country skiing and snowshoeing route. Ruby's Inn offers mountain bike rentals for guests who want to explore without bringing their own.

Rent a mountain bike at Ruby's Inn

ATVs are not permitted inside Bryce Canyon National Park, making Red Canyon the premier ATV destination in the area. Miles of ATV trails wind through the canyon and surrounding Dixie National Forest, including the Casto Canyon ATV Trail. Ruby's Inn offers guided ATV tours that take you into the backcountry with an experienced local guide, giving you access to terrain that is hard to find on your own.

Book a guided ATV tour

Red Canyon's trails are open to horses, making it one of the most scenic horseback riding destinations in the Bryce Canyon area. Canyon Trail Rides offers guided trips through the canyon country, including routes that retrace trails once ridden by the outlaw Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch, who moved through this region regularly in the late 1800s.

Book a horseback ride

Horseback Riding/Lodging Packages

Your first stop in Red Canyon should be the visitor center, operated by the US Forest Service on the north side of Scenic Byway 12 about four miles from the Highway 89 junction. It is free to visit and open from mid-spring through late fall.

Inside you will find free trail maps, camping information, and staff who can help you plan your time in the canyon. The Red Canyon Campground is located directly across the byway for visitors who want to spend more than a day exploring the area.

Red Canyon is about 8 miles west of Ruby's Inn, roughly a 10-minute drive along Scenic Byway 12. There is no entrance fee since the canyon is part of the Dixie National Forest and is free to access year-round with no pass or permit required for day use.

Spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures for trail activities, though the canyon rewards visitors in every season. In winter the hoodoos dusted in snow are genuinely spectacular and the trails are far less crowded than Bryce Canyon. Bring water, sunscreen, and layers regardless of when you visit.