Trekking Through Wall Street in Bryce Canyon

Insider Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Hike to the Original Wall Street

Wall Street is not just a financial hub – it’s also an incredible geological formation in Bryce Canyon National Park. Visiting this area of Utah is often described as transporting to another world, full of hoodoos, slot canyons, and towering cliffs. In this article, we’ll dive into the history of Wall Street, with tips for seasoned and novice hikers looking to get the most out of this iconic trek.

• Distance: 0.7 miles from Navajo Loop Trailhead, through Wall Street, to the Navajo Loop Benchmark. There are two ways to hike Wall Street, explained in the hiking section below.  
• Elevation at Trailhead: 8,000 ft
• Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Cost: National Park Fees
• Difficulty: Depends on the direction you choose to hike Wall Street. Descending makes the full trail only moderate, but ascending Wall Street is steep and challenging with many switchbacks. 

History of Bryce Canyon’s Wall Street

Named after the famous Wall Street in New York City, Wall Street in Bryce Canyon National Park boasts its own natural skyscrapers that surround you while on the trail. Carved by millions of years of erosion, the trail winds through a labyrinth of towering hoodoos and intricate rock spires that define Bryce Canyon.

The rise of the Colorado Plateau from 20 to 15 million years ago significantly impacted the area, lifting it nearly two miles above sea level and laying the foundation for the Grand Staircase.

The Grand Staircase, spanning from the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon, offers an unparalleled glimpse into Earth’s geological history, spanning an astonishing 525 million years. Unlike other geological sequences disrupted by mountain uplifts or glacial action, the Grand Staircase presents an almost uninterrupted record. Each layer of rock represents a chapter in Earth’s story, with Bryce Canyon’s pink cliffs serving as the top of this monumental staircase.

The particular rocks that form Wall Street, a narrow slot canyon within Bryce Canyon, are predominantly composed of sedimentary rock layers, including limestone, siltstone, and mudstone. These rocks, originally deposited in horizontal layers, create the dramatic vertical walls and narrow passages of Wall Street. 

Getting to Wall Street

Once entering Bryce Canyon National Park, head to Sunset Point (or whichever starting point you’ve decided on for the trek). There is a lot of parking space and bathrooms at Sunset Point. Despite its name, this is also a great place to catch the early morning sunrise! 

Hiking Wall Street

There are two main ways you can hike Wall Street:

1. Via Navajo Loop Trail: A 1.5 mile loop that takes you past Two Bridges and Thor’s Hammer and ends at Sunset Point. 
2. Via Queens Garden Trail: A 3.2 mile loop that explores more of the amphitheater with notable views like Queen Victoria and ET Hoodoo, and ends at Sunrise Point.

You can extend either of these trails in multiple ways, one of the most popular being to take the Tropic Trail connector to Peekaboo Loop Trail. The Rim Trail offers a connection from Sunset to Sunrise Points, so you can fully complete the loop. 

If you’re not keen on hiking into Wall Street, you can also get great views of it right from Sunset Point! 

Clockwise or Counterclockwise?

No matter which trail you’re planning on doing, it’s important to consider which way you’d like to start so that you’re either climbing up or descending the switchbacks of Wall Street. 

As many others recommend, going down Wall Street (counterclockwise approach) is easier on your legs, although it can be straining for your knees. Descending gives you incredible views of the cliffs and a truly immersive experience right from the start. You can always stop and take a look back up along your way. 

If you want to challenge yourself, go for the uphill approach (clockwise). Keep in mind, give those ascending the right of way because they are having far more of a struggle! 

The Wall Street Section of the Trail 

Beginning at the Navajo Loop Trailhead at Sunset Point, you can choose to follow the trail towards the left, for the Two Bridges Trail, or to the right, for Wall Street. 

The trail descends steeply into the canyon, leading you through towering hoodoos and narrow slot canyons. Along the way, you’ll be treated to panoramic views of Bryce Amphitheater and its interesting rock formations. 

Wall Street is heavily trafficked because it is one of the most popular sections of the park, and rightfully famous on social media. The path is fairly even and smooth, made of packed dirt. 

Closures

Wall Street has been closed multiple times due to necessary repairs from intense weather. Here’s a video update from the NPS on November 8, 2023: 

When planning your travels, pay close attention to the Current Conditions page on the NPS site to check alerts of road and trail closures in the park. 

My Experience Hiking the Original Wall Street 

As always, we tried to start this hike bright and early for sunrise over the hoodoos. We arrived at Sunset point around 6:30 am in mid August. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a cloudy morning (and we had cloud cover most of the day, too), so there wasn’t that awe-inspiring sunrise moment I was hoping for. However, this trail still more than delivered on my expectations.

We hiked down into Wall Street from the Navajo Loop Trailhead. Our hiking plan involved connecting to Peekaboo Trail, doing that loop, and then connecting onto Queens Garden Trail, back up to Sunrise Point and walking along the rim back to the parking lot at Sunset Point. This was about 7-8 miles in eternity, so a good day-hike and it kept us interested the whole time. 

I stopped so many times along the Wall Street section to get pictures, looking forward, back, up and all around because each view is unique. It hits home that these hoodoos are continually eroding, and will continue to crumble and fall in my lifetime. So, the views we had that day may never truly be the same. Each visit to Bryce is unique in this way. 

More Advice on Hiking in Bryce Canyon

• Stay on designated trails to prevent erosion and damage to fragile vegetation, and be mindful of your surroundings at all times. The hoodoos are continually eroding and while this is inevitable, you can help preserve them by staying on the path. 
• Dispose of waste properly and pack out all trash to help preserve the area.
• Respect other hikers and wildlife by yielding to oncoming traffic and refraining from loud noises or disruptive behavior. 
• Keep your distance from wildlife and refrain from feeding or approaching animals.
• Since the trail is well maintained and highly trafficked, you don’t necessarily need hiking boots and can easily get by with your comfiest workout sneakers. I’d recommend closed toe shoes though (no hiking sandals) because of the loose sand. 
• Bring sunscreen, water, and wear layered clothing. It tends to be cooler at Bryce than in other parts of Utah because of the high elevation, but the sun is still strong and it can get hot here. 

Considerations on Times to Hike 

• Spring & Fall: Temperatures are mild, and crowds are fewer. Spring offers vibrant wildflowers while fall boasts stunning foliage as the canyon transforms into a palette of reds, oranges, and golds. 
• Summer: Avoid hiking during the peak summer months when temperatures can soar, and the trails are crowded with visitors. Additionally, check the weather forecast before your hike and be prepared for sudden changes in weather, especially during monsoon season in late summer.
• Winter: NPS closes the Wall Street section of Navajo Loop every winter due to freezing overnight temperatures and snowfall. However, if you catch this trail during the beginning of winter or the first snowfall, it can feel even more enchanting. 
• Midday for Photographers: Light will extend deep into the amphitheater, reaching the floor of the canyon inside Wall Street during midday. This lighting is perfect for photography. 

Wildlife at Bryce Canyon

While it’s rare to see wildlife on Wall Street, these are some of the animals are known to inhabit the greater park:

• Mountain lions
• Great Basin rattlesnakes
• White-throated swifts
• Violet-green swallows
• Prairie dogs 

Hiking Wall Street in Bryce Canyon National Park offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring beauty of one of America’s most iconic landscapes.