If you’ve ever dreamed of flying, you can make those dreams come true in Bryce Canyon Country. Hot air balloon rides, adventurous helicopter flights, and scenic airplane rides offer a breathtaking bird’s eye view of scenic southern Utah.
Hot Air Balloon Rides
Float above the canyons with a sunrise hot air balloon adventure over Bryce Canyon National Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park, and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. With only the hiss of the balloon, you’ll enjoy absolute solitude floating 6,000 feet above rugged canyons and red rock landscape. With some of the clearest air in the country around Bryce Canyon, visibility can reach ten miles. Flights are typically one hour long and depart shortly after sunrise when winds are most cooperative. Gondolas can hold from two to six passengers. Not sure you’re ready to float in the clouds? Try a tethered hot air balloon ride instead. Either way, the memory will last a lifetime. Dress comfortably, bring a jacket, and wear closed-toe shoes for this leisurely adventure.
Aerial Tours
Since 1977, Bryce Canyon Airlines has been offering narrated scenic flights over Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and other dramatic scenic jewels that can only be viewed from above. Soar over Bryce Canyon Country’s majestic hoodoos, deep gorges, dramatic cliffs, and remote canyons in a small chartered plane, a helicopter—or, for the truly adventurous—an open cockpit biplane.
Scenic airplane tours cover the most distance and last from 30 minutes to four hours depending on your itinerary. A short half-hour flight over Bryce Canyon will showcase the enigmatic red rock formations and scenic highlights such as Natural Bridge, Fairyland Loop, and Rainbow Point. Longer flights can include the eroded cliffs of Zion National Park, the deeply carved Grand Canyon, and the rugged backcountry of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
Helicopter flights fly low and slow, offering the perfect opportunity to see Bryce Canyon up close. One of the most spectacular helicopter flights departing from Ruby’s Inn flies over Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Bull Valley Gorge, Paria Ghost Town, Native American ruins, an extinct geyser field, seasonal waterfalls, and more.
