Bryce Canyon, Utah

[azr]

The co-pilot and I are planning on visiting Bryce Canyon in Utah in late June, very exciting stuff. We've got 12 days set aside to get there and back. Planning for 3 days around the park. Neither of us have ever been there before, or Utah for that matter. We'll be bringing the tent and gear. We're expecting to tent on the way there and back but looking to motel it while we're in the park. I'm hoping some people can chime in on places to stay and routes or sites not to miss while we're there or on the way there and back.

[tkent02]

I think there's one hotel just outside the park. Nothing else nearby. No cities around. Panguitch has hotels, 25 miles away.

It's not a big park, but it's a nice one.

Go hiking down amongst the hoodoos, it's great. Trails of different lengths and difficulties. From the road, it's pretty to look at, but you can see it all in a few hours.

You have to see it on a clear day at the crack of dawn, beautiful.

Take time to see Kodachrome Basin, it's cool too.

[eddie21]

Rosemary and I have been to Bryce Canyon several times. We liked to stay in a little town called Tropic, it's only a few miles away from the Canyon.

There is accommodation there, our favourite place was the Bullberry Inn B&B. http://bullberryinn.com/

Tripadvisor has some more places to stay there as well. http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotels-g57...ah-Hotels.html

Pretty sure there is a hotel/motel in town too.

Oh, and by the way... Bryce Canyon is amazing! We'll need to talk about your trip over a nice cold growler.

[azr]

Great info so far guys. I've been looking at that exact town as well Glenn. Now for roads in Utah so far I've seen Hwy #72 that comes down to Hwy #12 both look amazing but that only covers the last afternoon. I see there's the "Extraterrestrail Hwy" in Nevada, sounds interesting.

[eddie21]

Great info so far guys. I've been looking at that exact town as well Glenn. Now for roads in Utah so far I've seen Hwy #72 that comes down to Hwy #12 both look amazing but that only covers the last afternoon. I see there's the "Extraterrestrail Hwy" in Nevada, sounds interesting.

Ha ha! Back in my 'pirate' days we rode that ET highway in Nevada. If you do it, make sure you have lots of gas as it is a looong way between fill ups!


Halfway along the highway is where Area 51 is located. There is a tiny settlement called Rachel that is near the entrance location to Area 51. There is a seriously gungy tavern/convenience store/tourist trap there. According to my wife the washroom there could only be described as 'incredibly scary'!


Not much scenery at all on the highway either, its the type of road you ride just to say you've done it.

[Wallowgreen]

Open invitation to stay here on the way there and back Rob if you come down through this area...

Hwy 95 South from Coeur d'Alene is an open road and an ok ride. Hwy 55 is a great ride down through the canyon from McCall.

[azr]

Those are fantastic photo's Glenn! you even look a little 'Gazooish' in the one pic. I hear what you're saying about putting that highway down as a notch in your belt. I'm thinking there's no real way 'scenic' way to get across Nevada. Hwy #50 is probably about the same 'belt notch' as #375 I'm guessing. I figure we'll do a loop for the whole trip, down WA, OR, CA then up UT, WY, MT or something like that??

[azr]

Open invitation to stay here on the way there and back Rob if you come down through this area...

Hwy 95 South from Coeur d'Alene is an open road and an ok ride. Hwy 55 is a great ride down through the canyon from McCall.

Sure appreciate the offer again. And you bet if we wind up coming your way up or down we'll take you up on it. Nothing like a cheap shower!

[Wallowgreen]

Might even find a couple of cold ones...

[azr]

Well the more I research this trip the more I start to thing "holy cow that's a LONG way". I'm pretty sure it will take too long to get there and back to enjoy any amount of time in the park itself. We've only got 12 days maximum for this trip. Think we're going to have to organize something closer in the Northwest. If I was riding single, no problem, but double up with the co-pilot can't exactly do long days, at least not 3 in a row. How long did it take you to get down there double up Glenn?

[eddie21]

How long did it take you to get down there double up Glenn?

We didn't double from Victoria, I rode to Las Vegas and Rosemary flew there. From Vegas we went to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Arches NP, then on to Bryce Canyon. Hmm, maybe that could be an option for you as well. Otherwise, I think you could expect it to take 4 days to Bryce Canyon, without any side trips.

[BigD_83]

I could do Vancouver to Zion in two days, but it is no fun! I agree with Glenn. Budget four days each way two-up.

You can still see much of Bryce in four days.

[azr]

4 days in Bryce will most defiantly be enough, I'm just worried that 4 days each way won't actually be enough. I'll start mapping things out more precisely and see where it gets us.

[azr]

I could do Vancouver to Zion in two days, but it is no fun! I agree with Glenn. Budget four days each way two-up.

You can still see much of Bryce in four days.

You've actually done that trip? I know google map shows 19 hrs approx.

[tkent02]

There are a lot of great places to ride around there. A little further East, Escalante and Grand Staircase has some phenominal riding.