UT2.4 M annual visitors

Can I fly a drone at Bryce Canyon National Park?

No. Bryce Canyon National Park is under the National Park Service drone ban.

Operating, launching, or landing a drone on or over NPS-managed land is prohibited under 36 CFR § 1.5(f). Penalties: up to 6 months imprisonment and $5,000 fine. Adjacent USFS, BLM, or state land may permit drones — see legal alternatives below.

Utah's hoodoo amphitheater — orange-red rock spires, the largest concentration of hoodoos on Earth. NPS drone ban applies throughout the park.

Why drone pilots want to shoot here

Bryce Amphitheater from Sunrise / Sunset Point. Inspiration Point. Bryce Canyon at golden hour. The Queen's Garden trail.

Where you CAN fly nearby

Adjacent USFS, BLM, and state-managed land that typically permits drone use with appropriate rules.

  • Dixie National Forest (UT)

    Adjacent USFS land. Drones allowed in non-Wilderness areas. Some ridge views similar to Bryce hoodoos from outside the park.

  • BLM Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

    South of Bryce. Drone-friendly with conservation rules.

  • Red Canyon (Dixie NF)

    Similar red-rock hoodoo formations on USFS land just outside Bryce. Drone-permitted.

FAQ — Bryce Canyon National Park

Can I fly at Sunrise or Sunset Point?

No. Both viewpoints are inside Bryce Canyon NP.

What about flying from outside the park toward the amphitheater?

Drone must remain outside park airspace. Adjacent USFS land permits operations but the typical iconic Bryce framings are from inside the park boundary.

Where else are there hoodoos?

Red Canyon in Dixie National Forest — adjacent to Bryce — has hoodoo formations and permits drones. Less dramatic than Bryce but legally accessible.

Are there state parks nearby?

Kodachrome Basin State Park is south of Bryce; Utah State Parks generally permit drones with rules and a permit.

Other national parks

Found a legal nearby spot? Check the airspace, weather, and TFRs for the exact address.

Run an airspace check

Park boundaries can be irregular. Verify the boundary of any alternative location before flying — adjacent USFS / BLM Wilderness areas have their own drone ban under different statute. Altoa is not the FAA or NPS.