Unearth adventure at Bryce Canyon’s annual Geology Festival

Anqi Lu Photo: Bryce Canyon National Park.

BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Utah — Rock hounds, fossil fans, and curious kids are invited to dig deep into Earth’s history at the 2025 Bryce Canyon Geology Festival, taking place Friday and Saturday, July 18–19. Hosted at the park’s Visitor Center, this annual “Geo Fest” celebrates the stunning geological forces that shaped one of Utah’s most iconic landscapes.

This year’s festival offers two full days of family-friendly fun with geology front and center. From fossil digs to scavenger hunts, interactive booths, and evening keynote speakers, there’s something for every age and interest.

Hands-on activities for all ages

The Visitor Center Plaza will be the festival’s hub, featuring geology booths from nearby parks and public lands, including Zion National Park, Glen Canyon NRA, Snow Canyon, Kodachrome Basin, the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site, and more.

For kids (and the young at heart), a fossil dig site will be set up near the park sign, while a park-wide scavenger hunt invites participants to follow clues and explore the unique geologic formations throughout Bryce. Both activities offer the chance to win special prizes.

Festival goers can also swing by the Junior Ranger booth and attend “Ask a Geologist” sessions from 8 to 9 a.m. each morning for one-on-one Q&A time with experts.

Afternoon Geology Talks

Each day from 2 to 5 p.m., the Visitor Center Theater will host a lineup of geology-themed presentations:

Friday Talks:

• 2 p.m. – Flash Floods in the National Parks and Monuments of Southwestern Utah

• 3 p.m. – Geology Investigations

• 4 p.m. – BLM Minerals & Fossils: How You Can Utilize Them!

• 5 p.m. – Who’s That Dinosaur?

Saturday Talks:

• 2 p.m. – Forged by Force: The Story of Jurassic Sand Eruptions in Kodachrome Basin

• 3 p.m. – Time Travel Through the Grand Staircase

• 4 p.m. – Geology of the Henry Mountains

Keynote Speakers Under the Stars

Each evening at 8 p.m., visitors are invited to the North Campground Outdoor Theater for a keynote presentation (or the Bryce Canyon Lodge in case of bad weather):

• Friday: Bones, Stones, and Unknowns: A Deep Time Voyage to Explore Strange, Old Worlds with Mattison Shreero

• Saturday: The Mosasaur Hunter: A Quest to Understand the Behavior of an Animal That Can’t Be Observed with Maximilian Scott

Whether you’re a seasoned geologist or just learning what makes a hoodoo a hoodoo, Bryce Canyon’s Geo Fest is the perfect opportunity to learn more about the ancient forces still shaping the landscapes of the American Southwest.

For the full schedule and updates, visit Bryce Canyon National Park’s festival website.