Destination Bryce Canyon Area

Bryce Canyon is filled with incredible red rock formations. From brilliant red sandstone hoodoos and mazes to open amphitheaters and lush green forests, Bryce Canyon National Park inspires awe and appreciation for one of Mother Nature's greatest miracles. The wonder of Bryce can be experienced by horseback ride, guided tour or a solitary hike.

Red Canyon, located along Highway 12 just west of the park, also offers Bryce-like red-rock scenery. Highway 12 ranks as one of the most scenic byways in America and offers incredible vistas along its entire length.

Bryce Canyon
View thousands of delicate spires pinnacles, and mazes carved out of pink cliffs by geologic movement and millions of years of wind and water erosion. 435-834-5322, 435-834-4102

Scenic Byway 12
Car & Driver Magazine has called Utah's Highway 12 from Bryce Canyon National Park to Capitol Reef National Park "the most scenic drive in America". Experience the "Hogs Back," where panoramas of vast slickrock, and scenic canyons cut by the Escalante River, wind through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. 435-676-1160

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
This geologic wonder consists of three major sections; Escalante Canyons, Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Grand Staircase, a huge area of pink, gray, white and vermilion cliffs beginning at the Grand Canyon and ending at this national monument. 435-826-5499

Anasazi State Park Museum
Home to one of the largest Ancestral Puebloan communities west of the Colorado River. 435-335-7308

Historic Panguitch City
Located in the heart of Utah's national park country, this community boasts a fascinating pioneer heritage and many historic buildings. Panguitch is the gateway to Panguitch Lake, Briah Head, Cedar Breaks and other scenic areas.

Kodachrome Basin State Park
A great place to camp and enjoy massive sandstone chimneys or 'sand pipes' which are very unique. 435-679-8562

Panguitch Lake-Scenic Byway 143
A mountain playground with cool temperatures and great fishing on Panguitch Lake. 435-676-8826

Paunsagaunt Wildlife Museum
One of the finest wildlife museums in the Western United States featuring animals from around the world, Indian artifacts, birds of prey, one of the finest butterfly collection in North America with over 1,400 butterflies, bugs, ocean fish, western antiques and live fallow deer. 435-834-5555.

Ruby's Inn Family Resort
Ruby's Inn is the closest lodging property to Bryce Canyon National Park; it offers year round activities for the entire family. In the summer experience the Old West with horseback riding, nightly rodeos, Western shopping and more. In the winter enjoy the beauty of the park's cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and other activities. Click the link above for more information. (435) 834-5341

Pinewoods Resort
Though this multi-activity resort is a destination unto itself, its prime location also allows visitors to easily venture into nearby Zion or Bryce national parks, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Brian Head, or even catch a show at Cedar City's Shakespearean Festival.

Brian Head - Ski, Board, Bike
Located 70 miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park via all-weather state highways 12, 89, and 143, this area gets over 400 inches of snowfall annually. Brian Head Resort has 500 skiable acres, 53 runs, a 1,707 ft. vertical drop, plenty of backcountry and a lift-assisted tubing park. Brian Head has also become a renowned destination for mountain biking, offering great trails through mountain forests. You'll also find great snowmobiling terrain nearby, along with excellent hiking trails, campgrounds and fishing waters. Skiing usually runs from late November - mid-April. Biking trails can be ridden from late June or early July through October. Resort info: 435-677-2035; Lodging information: 435-677-2810.

Hiking
The fanciful hoodoos and premiere panoramas can be experienced along one of the many well-developed intertwining hiking trails in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Mountain Biking
Mountain biking is popular in and out of Bryce Canyon. Unique trails include paved roads, old pioneer trails, and single or double track trails on forest roads. Many options are available for all ability levels.

Horseback Riding
Trail riders in this area can penetrate into the heart of the Bryce Canyon amphitheater, follow the tracks of Butch Cassidy and other outlaw through scenic Red Canyon, or explore miles of remote country on top the Paunsaguant Plateau. This video clip shows some of the excitement of a ride in this area.

Bryce Area Off-Road Trails
Imagine riding an ATV through Bryce Canyon National Park! Spectacular scenery, challenging terrain, and new trails abound in the nearby national forest. The Bryce region is rapidly becoming one of the nation's most popular ATV destinations.

The Sundown Ranch Chuckwagon Dinner and Wild West Show
The fun starts when you arrive at 5:30 pm to check in and browse through the gift shop and ghost town. After an introduction, you will be escorted by the town sheriff (in case you encounter wild indians along the trail). Once at camp, a dutch-oven dinner is served which includes bbq chicken, roast beef, corn on the cob, salad, rolls and Brad's famous baked beans. For dessert they serve up peach cobbler. Once dinner is finished, the Spirit of the West Band will entertain you with favorite old-time and original cowboy songs and poems.

Bryce Canyon Winter Festival
(February, Presidents' Day Weekend)
Ski races, ski archery, free snowshoe tours and races, free clinics in photography, cross country skiing & archery, snow sculpture, kids' events, entertainment and more. 435-834-5341

Quilt Walk Festival (June)
A unique quilt festival

Panguitch Valley Balloon Rally (late June)
Balloons fly in and around the community of Panguitch. Other balloon events are also held in this area.

High School Invitational Rodeo (July)
Contestants from 40 states and Canada compete in this rodeo. Each night there is a dance following the rodeo.

Bryce Canyon Rim Run (August)
One of Utah's most scenic races. Five-mile trail run/walk overlooks Bryce Canyon and winds through forests of ponderosa pine. 800-468-8660

Potato Festival/Harvest Days/Art-in-the-Park (October)
Sponsored by the Escalante/Boulder Chamber of Commerce and the Escalante Canyons Group for Arts & Humanities.

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