Red Canyon is a stretch of orange Claron limestone hoodoos on Scenic Byway 12 in Dixie National Forest, about 35 miles and 50 minutes from Duck Creek Village on the way to Bryce Canyon. There is no entrance fee, the trailheads start at the visitor center lot, and the two rock tunnels sit a mile up the road.
Red Canyon, Utah: The Free Hoodoos 35 Miles From Duck Creek Village
Red Canyon is a four mile stretch of orange limestone hoodoos on Scenic Byway 12 in Dixie National Forest, about 35 miles and 50 minutes from Duck Creek Village. You pass through it on the way to Bryce Canyon, 13 miles further on. It has no entrance fee, and the trails leave from the visitor center lot. Stop for an hour on the way in, or make it the whole day if Bryce feels like too much.
| Red Canyon at a glance | |
|---|---|
| From Duck Creek Village | 35 miles, about 50 minutes |
| To Bryce Canyon | 13 miles further east on SR-12 |
| Visitor center elevation | 7,100 ft |
| Entrance fee | None |
| Managed by | Dixie National Forest |
Getting there from the village
Take Highway 14 east over the plateau to Long Valley Junction, go north on US-89 through Hatch, and turn east onto SR-12 about 7 miles south of Panguitch. The visitor center sits 3.5 miles up SR-12, and the two rock tunnels come a mile after it. The drive drops you from 8,455 feet at the inn to 6,745 feet at the US-89 junction, then climbs back into red rock and ponderosa pine.
The rock here is the same Claron limestone that makes the Bryce amphitheater. The Forest Service describes the campground setting as pink Claron formations “similar to those found in Bryce Canyon National Park.” You see the color and the shapes at road level, on trails that start beside a free parking lot.
The visitor center has flush toilets, drinking water and picnic tables. The Forest Service posted summer hours of 8:30 am to 5 pm Friday to Sunday and 10 am to 3 pm Monday to Thursday, and says hours vary through the 2026 season. Call (435) 676-2676 before you plan lunch around it this late in the year.
The short trails through the hoodoos
Red Canyon rewards a short walk more than a long one. The visitor center trailheads loop through the hoodoos and back to your car, and Garfield County’s tourism office lists them as easy to moderate.
| Red Canyon trails | |
|---|---|
| Pink Ledges | Easy, interpretive, from the visitor center |
| Birdseye | 0.8 mi, moderate |
| Tunnel Trail | 1.4 mi round trip to a canyon viewpoint |
| Arches Trail | 0.7 mi, off the Casto Canyon road |
| Buckhorn plus Golden Wall | 5 mi round trip from the campground |
| Thunder Mountain | About 8 mi, mountain bike singletrack |
Pink Ledges and Hoodoo leave from the visitor center lot and suit a first stop. Birdseye is the moderate one of the short trails, with a bit more climbing. The Tunnel Trail switchbacks above the highway arches, so you look down on the road you just drove. For a real hike, park in the campground at the Buckhorn Trailhead and add the Golden Wall Trail for about 5 miles round trip.
Thunder Mountain is the mountain bike trail of the group, about 8 miles of singletrack through the red rock. Bring a bike for that one, or skip it.
Red Canyon or Bryce on a short day
Red Canyon does not replace the view from Sunrise Point. It does solve three problems Bryce creates.
| Bryce versus Red Canyon | |
|---|---|
| Bryce private vehicle fee | $35, good for 7 days |
| Nonresident surcharge at Bryce | $100 per person, 16 and over |
| Red Canyon campground | 37 sites, first come, first served |
The first problem is money. Bryce now charges visitors who are not US residents an extra $100 per person on top of the vehicle pass, so four adults who live outside the US pay $435 to drive in. Red Canyon costs nothing to walk.
The second is time. On a short day, Red Canyon gives you orange hoodoos 50 minutes from the village and puts you back at the cabin for dinner. Our drive guide to Bryce and the Bryce Canyon guide cover the longer version.
The third is dogs. Bryce allows pets only on pavement, and the park’s own pets page sends dog owners to Red Canyon for hoodoo trails. Red Canyon’s campground takes leashed dogs too.
The paved path to Bryce
A paved, car-free path runs from Red Canyon across the plateau to Inspiration Point inside Bryce, 18 miles in all according to the National Park Service. Walkers, cyclists, leashed dogs and e-bikes under 750 watts can all use it. You can ride from the hoodoos to the Bryce rim without touching the highway, or pedal a few miles out from the visitor center and turn around.
Camping at Red Canyon and the season
Red Canyon Campground has 37 sites in the ponderosa pines, $30 a night for a single, with showers and a dump station. It takes no reservations. The Forest Service lists its season as late April to early October, so the window closes within days of this post. Our camping guide compares it with the forest sites near the village, and the Zion to Bryce route guide shows where Red Canyon falls on the longer loop.
Quick answers about Red Canyon, Utah
Does Red Canyon charge an entrance fee? No. The Forest Service charges nothing at the visitor center or on the trails. Only the campground charges a fee per night.
How far is it from Red Canyon to Bryce Canyon? The Red Canyon Visitor Center sits 13 miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park on SR-12.
How far is Duck Creek Village from Red Canyon? About 35 miles and 50 minutes, by Highway 14, US-89 and SR-12.
Can you bike from Red Canyon to Bryce? Yes. An 18 mile paved path links Red Canyon to Inspiration Point, open to bikes, e-bikes under 750 watts, walkers and leashed dogs.
Do Red Canyon and Bryce share the same rock? Yes. Both are Claron limestone, the pink and orange layer that forms the hoodoos.
Red Canyon makes an easy half day from a Duck Creek cabin, with Bryce still in reach if you want it.
