The red rock Panguitch
Little Bryce, and a highway cut through the rock
Red Canyon, eleven miles out on Scenic Byway 12.
The first red rock most visitors see on the way to Bryce, and it deserves more than a glance through the windshield. Two rock tunnels bored through the sandstone in 1925 carry the highway itself, a short trail climbs above them, and an 8.6 mile paved path lets you see the whole canyon on foot or by bike.
Start here
The highway goes through the rock.
Red Canyon sits about 11 miles east of Panguitch on Scenic Byway 12, and it is the first real red rock most visitors see on the way to Bryce, close enough to the deeper hoodoo country that locals have long called it Little Bryce. What makes it different from simply pretty scenery along the road is that the road itself is part of the attraction: Scenic Byway 12 passes through two hand bored rock tunnels, cut through red sandstone formations rather than around them, dating to 1925 when the route first opened with a banner reading Welcome to Utah's Fairyland.
Beyond the tunnels, an 8.6 mile paved multi use path runs alongside the highway from near Panguitch's side of the canyon most of the way to Bryce Canyon City, built in two phases by the Forest Service, 5.5 miles in 2000 and another 3.1 miles added in 2009. It is flat, smooth and open to cyclists and walkers of every fitness level, and in winter it doubles as a groomed cross country ski and snowshoe route.
For anyone who wants to get above the highway rather than just drive through it, the short Arches Trail climbs to a viewpoint looking down on both tunnels and the highway threading between the formations, with red rock walls close on either side and the pines of the Dixie National Forest filling in the gaps.
Red Canyon at a glance
1925
the tunnels opened with the original highway
8.6 mi
of paved multi use path
0.7 mi
round trip on the short Arches Trail
11 mi
east of Panguitch on SR-12
Two ways to see it
A short climb, or a long roll.
| The Arches Trail | The paved path | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 0.7 miles round trip | 8.6 miles one way |
| Surface | Dirt, some climbing | Paved, flat to gently rolling |
| Best for | A quick look from above | Biking, walking, a real outing |
| Access | Thunder Mountain trailhead | Multiple access points along SR-12 |
| Winter | Can be icy on the climb | Groomed for skiing and snowshoeing |
Both start from roughly the same stretch of highway and can be combined into a single stop without much extra driving.
The Arches Trail is the quick option: about 0.7 miles round trip from the Thunder Mountain trailhead, climbing enough to put you above both tunnels with a clear view down onto the highway threading through the rock. It is the single most photographed short walk in the canyon, and it earns that reputation in under an hour.
The paved path is the longer commitment and the better one if you have a bike, a stroller or simply more time. Running 8.6 miles from the Panguitch side of the canyon most of the way to Bryce Canyon City, it stays close enough to the highway to feel connected to it without ever putting you on the road itself, and it passes directly beneath the two arches that give the tunnels their nickname.
The road out
Eleven miles, then the rock starts.
From downtown Panguitch, take US-89 south to its junction with Scenic Byway 12, then turn east. The visitor center and the main trailheads appear within a few minutes after that turn, well before the canyon narrows into the section with the tunnels. The whole drive is paved and typically about 15 minutes.
This is also the route to Bryce Canyon itself, so Red Canyon works cleanly as a stop on the way rather than a separate trip, adding perhaps 20 to 30 minutes if you walk the short trail or a portion of the paved path. Coming back from Bryce in the late afternoon, with the sun lower and the light warmer on the red rock, is arguably the better time to stop.
The visitor center keeps a shorter season than the road. Red Canyon itself is open and driveable year round, but the visitor center's staffed hours run a shorter season, generally spring through fall, and can close earlier in the day than a visitor expects. Do not count on restrooms, water or staff being available outside that window, and check current hours before planning a stop around them.
Keep reading
More of Panguitch on The Local.
Things to do
The top 8, ranked
Eight picks, ranked, from trophy trout to two rock tunnels on the highway.
Read the guideThe gateway
Driving to Bryce
Twenty four miles to the rim, and basing here instead of the park gate.
Read the guideThe lake
Panguitch Lake
Trophy trout, ice fishing once it locks up, and a dam story since 2024.
Read the guideThe old town
The Brick District
Paid for in brick, and most of it is still somebody's home.
Read the guideMoving here
The County Seat in Winter
A real winter, a two season economy, a century old housing stock.
Read the guideThe companion
Panguitch, from a local
A brick county seat 24 miles from Bryce Canyon, lake included.
Read the pageQuick answers
Red Canyon, answered.
About 11 miles east on US-89 and then Scenic Byway 12, roughly a 15 minute drive. It sits on the direct route to Bryce Canyon National Park, so it works well as a stop on the way rather than a separate trip.
Two rock formations that the original highway builders bored straight through in 1925 rather than routing around, carrying two way traffic on Scenic Byway 12 to this day. When the road opened, a banner at the site read Welcome to Utah's Fairyland. They are commonly called the Red Canyon tunnels or the twin tunnels, and a short trail nearby climbs to a viewpoint looking down on both of them.
Yes, the Arches Trail, about 0.7 miles round trip from the Thunder Mountain trailhead, climbing to a viewpoint above the two highway tunnels with red rock walls close on either side. It is short enough to do in under an hour and it is the most photographed short walk in the canyon.
Yes, on an 8.6 mile paved multi use path that runs alongside Scenic Byway 12 from near the Panguitch side of the canyon most of the way to Bryce Canyon City, built by the Forest Service in two phases, 2000 and 2009. It is smooth and mostly flat, suited to riders and walkers of most fitness levels, and it stays close to the highway without putting you on it.
No. It sits on Dixie National Forest land and there is no entrance fee or gate, unlike Bryce Canyon National Park a short distance further east. Parking is available at the Red Canyon Visitor Center and the Thunder Mountain trailhead, both on the north side of Scenic Byway 12.
Because the red and orange hoodoo like rock formations resemble a smaller scale version of the famous amphitheater at Bryce Canyon National Park, about 13 miles further east. It gives visitors a genuine preview of the color and shape of the deeper park country without a park entrance fee.
Yes. The paved multi use path that runs through the canyon doubles as a groomed cross country ski and snowshoe route once there is enough snow, a genuine winter option close to Panguitch that does not require a trip up to Brian Head or Cedar Breaks.
The canyon itself, the road and the trails are accessible year round, but the visitor center's staffed hours run a shorter season, generally spring through fall, and it can close for the day earlier than a late afternoon visitor expects. Confirm current hours before planning a stop specifically for the visitor center.
Thirty minutes covers a quick look and a walk to the tunnels. An hour to ninety minutes is a comfortable amount of time to walk the Arches Trail and a stretch of the paved path. Cyclists riding a meaningful portion of the full 8.6 mile path should plan on two to three hours round trip.
The rock that tells you what the rest of the drive holds.
Red Canyon is a fair preview of why people move to this corner of Garfield County: real scenery a short drive from a real town, with none of it gated or ticketed. If that combination is what you are chasing, let's talk about what living inside it actually looks like.