The Paiute Indians once inhabited this area. Full of hoodoos and old bristle-cone pines, Bryce Canyon received its American name from Mormon settlers, Ebenezer and Mary Bryce. Neighbors referred to their home as Bryce's Canyon and the name stuck.
In 1923 President Harding designated Bryce Canyon as a national monument and in 1928 Congress gave it national park status.
Today the park has around 35,000 acres and wows 1.5 million visitors a year with its majestic landscapes.