Pink CliffsPink Cliffs at a Glance
About Pink Cliffs
The Pink Cliffs are a band of pink- and red-colored cliffs in southwestern Utah that form the uppermost bench of the Grand Staircase; they include the cliffs and hoodoo-lined rims around Bryce Canyon National Park. They are a prominent regional geological feature noted for their layered sedimentary rock and erosional landforms.
The area contains extensive hoodoos, natural amphitheaters, and cliff faces sculpted by frost and water that produce vertical fins and spires visible from multiple overlooks. Popular viewing areas include rim viewpoints at Bryce Canyon and trails that descend into the amphitheaters for closer views of hoodoos and fins. Hiking, photography, and scenic drives are the primary activities; trails range from short rim walks to multi-mile descents and loop hikes within the cliffs.
The cliffs are composed mainly of sedimentary rock of the Claron Formation and other Paleogene deposits that were laid down as lake and floodplain sediments and later uplifted and dissected by erosion. Geologists treat the Pink Cliffs as the uppermost step in the layered Grand Staircase sequence; over millions of years the same uplift and erosion that exposed the cliffs created the hoodoos and amphitheaters seen today.
The Pink Cliffs lie in Garfield and Wayne counties in southwestern Utah, primarily around Bryce Canyon and extending into adjacent public lands and national monuments. The cliffs sit on high plateaus roughly 260-300 miles (420-480 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City, with the nearest gateway services at Bryce Canyon City and Panguitch.
- Viewing tips: Best light is at sunrise and sunset, when the pink and orange sediments show strongest contrast; popular viewpoints include Sunrise Point and Sunset Point.
- Elevation note: Rim elevations are generally high, with many viewpoints around 8,000-9,000 feet (about 2,400-2,700 meters), so be prepared for thinner air and cooler temperatures than lower-elevation Utah deserts.
What to See#
- Bryce Canyon Amphitheater: A broad band of cliffs and hoodoo-bearing benches that form the uppermost visible step of the Grand Staircase and include the rimlands around **Bryce Canyon National Park** and adjacent high plateaus.
- Cedar Breaks area: A high-elevation, heavily eroded calcareous plateau and amphitheaters at the western edge of the Pink Cliffs, protected in part by Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Best Time to Visit Pink Cliffs
Best visited in late spring or fall for moderate temperatures and good hiking conditions; summers are hot and winters can be snowy.
Weather & Climate near Pink Cliffs
Pink Cliffs's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -11°C to 24°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | -11° - 1° | -11° | 33 mm | - | - | 3.9 m/s | - | - |
| February | - | -10° - 3° | -9° | 37 mm | - | - | 4.0 m/s | - | - |
| March | - | -8° - 5° | -6° | 46 mm | - | - | 4.5 m/s | - | - |
| April | - | -5° - 9° | -2° | 26 mm | - | - | 4.7 m/s | - | - |
| May | - | -1° - 14° | 4° | 25 mm | - | - | 4.6 m/s | - | - |
| June | - | 4° - 20° | 12° | 20 mm | - | - | 4.4 m/s | - | - |
| July | - | 8° - 24° | 16° | 44 mm | - | - | 3.7 m/s | - | - |
| August | - | 7° - 23° | 15° | 59 mm | - | - | 3.6 m/s | - | - |
| September | - | 4° - 18° | 11° | 42 mm | - | - | 3.8 m/s | - | - |
| October | - | -2° - 13° | 3° | 32 mm | - | - | 3.9 m/s | - | - |
| November | - | -7° - 6° | -5° | 37 mm | - | - | 4.1 m/s | - | - |
| December | - | -11° - 2° | -10° | 37 mm | - | - | 4.0 m/s | - | - |
How to Get to Pink Cliffs
The Pink Cliffs are a geologic bench of the Grand Staircase, prominently visible from the Bryce Canyon area in southern Utah. To reach viewpoints and trailheads that access the Pink Cliffs, drive on U.S.‑89 and then Utah State Route 12 toward Bryce Canyon National Park (follow park signage to Bryce Canyon City and the national-park road); the park’s rim viewpoints and trails provide direct pedestrian access to the cliffs.
Tips for Visiting Pink Cliffs
- See the Pink Cliffs at sunrise or sunset-Bryce Amphitheater's Sunrise and Sunset Points deliver the most vivid colors as the low light accentuates the pink/red banding.
- Avoid the busiest overlooks by driving sections of Scenic Byway 12 and stopping at lesser-known pullouts outside the national park for quieter panoramas of the cliffs.
- During high season, park at the Bryce Canyon entrance and use the park shuttle to reach main viewpoints-this avoids the worst parking congestion at the popular overlooks.