We arrived in Bryce Canyon on the coldest day of the year. Windchill and gusts from the North made it feel like -6 degrees outside. I’m usually one to live under the motto of “there is no bad weather, just bad clothes,” but this was the type of cold that seeped into your skeleton.
It was a Monday, inauguration day, and there was nothing I wanted more than to hike deep into the Bryce Amphitheater and forget that today was happening. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and after a melancholy drive of feeling trapped in the news cycle we went back to our hotel in the early afternoon and watched movies running on cable TV.
Bryce Canyon is stunning, there’s no denying it. However, we learned very fast that it is a small park. You can drive from one end to the other in under 30 minutes and unless you like a canyon hike (eg, all of the hard work at the very end) there isn’t much to do but gawk at its hoodoos and colorful rock formations.
The elevation here is also killer, it falls at nearly the same height above sea level as Denver at 8,000-9,000 feet. While I had no trouble taking in enough oxygen on hikes at neighboring Zion 2 hours away I was struggling for breath here even on flat rim hikes. The thin, cold air didn’t help much.
We had hope for activities in Bryce Canyon City, but after a short drive around the “city” we learned it was no more than a square mile large, where 98% of the “shops” and “restaurants” were owned by the Best Western we were staying in.
Maybe we didn’t need a week in Bryce Canyon in January. But we were here, and it was stunning, and we were going to make the most of the beautiful little place we found ourselves in.
Where We Stayed
There are 3 accommodations in Bryce Canyon City: a camp/RV site and 2 Best Westerns. Aside from that, there is a small park lodge and a few camping options inside Bryce Canyon. Joe and I opted to stay at the Ruby’s Inn Best Western because it was the most affordable and closest to the park (beat the Best Western Plus by one minute!).
Ruby’s Inn, before being completely bought by a hotel conglomerate, has cool history attached to it. Mr. Ruby came to Utah, saw the beauty of Bryce Canyon, and built an inn to attract tourists. With a little help from other colonizers he succeeded, but do you think he knew he’d get bought out by the Best Western 200 years later? Maybe not, but here we were, fulfilling Mr. Ruby’s dream and checking out the park.
The Ruby’s Inn Best Western is huge. It has 4 buildings, a large pool, restaurant, general store, post office, conference space, and a laundromat. We especially liked the lobby, which had comfy oversized couches and a giant wood burning fireplace. They still had Christmas decorations placed above the hearth as of late January, giving it a very cozy atmosphere.
Although Bryce Canyon City isn’t much to write home about it is undeniably the best place to stay to reach Bryce Canyon. It is 2 minutes from the park entrance, 5-10 minutes from most trails, and about an hour from the nearest signs of civilization. It’s remote and doesn’t offer much to do, but you’re in a national park, go hiking.
What We Ate
I have a confession: although we stayed here for an entire week we didn’t have one meal out. I’m going to sound negative here, but we poked our head into the two open restaurants and decided the Lean Cuisines we had back in the room were the better choice. I’m sorry, ok?
There are 3 restaurants in town. The Ruby’s Inn Cowboy Buffet & Steak a Room (aka our hotel’s restaurant), The Canyon Diner (also owned by the Best Western), and Ebenezer’s Bar and Grill (closed for the season, but owned by the Best Western). Maybe they would have been good, they didn’t look bad. Eating out is just expensive and we didn’t want to give more money to the Best Western.
Day Trip: Capitol Reef National Park
My fiancé and I aren’t used to short drives, so on our travel day between Zion and Bryce Canyon we decided to tack on an extra 4 hours of driving to see Capitol Reef.
Capitol Reef National Park was the last of Utah’s “big 5” national parks that we needed to see, and being only 2 hours from Bryce Canyon we made the drive north. Capitol Reef is undeniably stunning. Its remote location makes it the least visited of the Utah 5 which means when we visited on Sunday of a holiday weekend we were just about the only ones there.
We were both still recovering from a difficult hike in Zion National Park the day before and opted for the park’s scenic drive. The trail passes otherworldly rock formations, petroglyphs, and even a slot canyon that you can drive through. We wish we had time to hike, but don’t regret making the drive for even more driving.
The drive between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon is equally beautiful. Take the route 12 scenic byway to go over a high mountain pass, Escalante state park, and the Dixie State Forest. Well, maybe don’t do this in the winter like we did, watch for snow and opt for the less scenic route 24 if it’s projected to storm.
Our Hikes in Bryce Canyon
Sunset Point to Sunrise Point
Length: 1.2 miles
Elevation gain: 82 ft
Rating: 9/10
This was a perfect easy hike. I did this when I wanted a break from the canyon hikes and needed a beautiful, leisurely stroll around the rim. IMO: the best views of the hoodoos are in this short out and back trail.
Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trail
Length: 3.5 miles
Elevation gain: 750 ft
Rating: 9/10
This is the most popular trail in the park. Don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful. Something about me is that I just hate canyon hikes. I hate saving the hardest part for last. My fiancé loved it though and for him, I give it a 9/10.
Rim Trail: Bryce Point to Lower Inspiration Point
Length: 4 miles
Elevation gain: 600 ft
Rating: 10/10
If you’ve gotten this far you know that I’m not big on canyon hikes. This rim trail has moderate difficulty and stunning views of the amphitheater below. As one all trail’s reviewers said, “this hike was like walking through a postcard.”
Mossy Cave Turret Arch and Little Windows Trail
Length: 1 mile
Elevation gain: 120 ft
Rating: 7.5/10
This trail was short, easy, and very cute. It was meant for kids, but as a 26 year old child myself I really enjoyed the easy walk, icy creek, and educational signage.
Navajo Loop Trail to Peekaboo Loop
Length: 5 miles
Elevation gain: 1,500 ft
Rating: 10/10
I didn’t do this one, but my fiancé did! He reported back that it was “hard as fuck but so incredibly awesome around every corner.” Take that as you will, at this point in the week I was over canyon hikes and sent him off while I read by the fireplace in the hotel. We both had a fine afternoon.
Half the Park is After Dark
On our second to last evening in the park, my fiancé and I bundled up and headed out for some winter stargazing. As they say, “half the park is after dark.” Don’t miss the night sky while here.