The Peekaboo Loop is arguably the most dramatic hike in Bryce Canyon—and one of the most dramatic trails anywhere. It takes you straight into the heart of the hoodoos, weaving through towering formations and constantly shifting perspectives that feel almost unreal.

This is a more challenging hike, with steady ups and downs throughout, but every bit of effort is rewarded. You are up close to the rock formations, among them, not looking at them. It’s one of those trails where you find yourself stopping constantly, just to take it all in.

There are several ways to approach Peekaboo. The most common is to start from the Navajo Loop/Queen’s Garden trailhead at Sunset Point, dropping into the canyon and connecting to Peekaboo from there—often as an out-and-back or as part of a larger loop. It’s also well worth combining with Queen’s Garden, which offers one of the most iconic and visually striking sections of the park.

For a one way hike, you can use the park shuttle to start from Bryce Point and descend via the Peekaboo Loop from above, then return via Navajo or Queen’s Garden. For a longer day, you can incorporate sections of the Rim Trail to create a more expansive loop.

I’m partial to descending from Bryce Point—it’s a particularly stunning way to begin or end the hike, with sweeping views that set the tone for everything that follows.

This trail won’t offer the solitude of Fairyland Loop, but what you lose in quiet, you more than gain in sheer visual impact. If you only have a couple of days in Bryce, Peekaboo and Fairyland are, hands down, the hikes not to miss.

There’s an otherworldly quality to this trail—at times it feels like you’ve stepped into a different landscape entirely. It’s also one of the best places in the park for photography. I’ve taken hundreds of photos here over the years, and somehow they all feel worth keeping.