September, 2016
We chose to stay in a very small town (530 people) of Tropic, Utah due to the proximity to Bryce Canyon (13 minutes). Tropic, Utah is known as the base of Bryce Canyon National Park. This little ranching community is nestled in some of the most scenic southern landscape of the Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest, Grand Staircase of Escalante National Monument and of course Bryce. It makes it the perfect location to explore these areas.
We settled into our motel, The Red Ledges Inn. An affordable and clean motel style inn. Breakfast was minimal, but offered some selection to start the day. This was the ideal location due to the proximity for the park and was perfect again just for sleeping and showering. This type of motel reminded me of traveling with my parents across the states where we would always stay at these little motels rather than fancy chain hotels. It was like being pulled back in time to splendid childhood memories.
Why Bryce Canyon – hoodoos that is why! It has the largest collection of hoodoos in the world and they seem to dance majestically against the red rocks. This amphitheater of hoodoos is truly regal and I had been wanting to hike amongst them to fully experience their grandeur.
Best Hikes – Here are some of our favourite hikes from this trip!
Day 1 – Fairyland Loop Trial; Distance: 12.9km and Elevation Gain: 2300 feet
This is one of the longest hikes and it starts and ends at the northern part of Bryce. If crowds aren’t your thing – this is the perfect hike for you! I think we may have encountered four other people on this entire hike. Although the hike is not technical, the length and elevation change make it more challenging. There is a reason this trail is called Fairyland as the pillar-like rock formations are something pulled right out of a fairy tale. Walking this trail, you will see a unique landscape of hoodoos, bizarre rock formations and sandstone pillars which really sets this apart from the other national parks.
Day 2 – Peek-a-Boo Loop Hike; Distance: 8.2km and Elevation Gain: 1300 feet
You can complete this hike in either direction and it begins at Bryce Point, which is a view point for either sunrise or sunset. Bryce Point offers the best view of the amphitheater of hoodoos. As this trail is more strenuous than the other nearby trails, you will have less people on this trail. You will weave your way through intricately sculpted hoodoos and various rock formations eventually making your way to the “Wall of Windows”. This memorable landmark stretches for hundreds of yards on this hike making some of the steeper parts of this trail worth it.
Since that felt like a warm up we decided to add the Queens Garden and the Navajo Loop combination later that day.
Queens Garden Hike; Distance: 4.7km and Elevation Gain: 600 feet
This hike gets the name the Queens Garden as it is said that one of the rock pillars at the viewpoint looks like Queen Victoria. I didn’t really see a resemblance. You can start this hike at either sunrise point or sunset point and will descend by switchbacks than climb your way back up amongst the hoodoos.
Navajo Loop Hike: Distance: 2km and Elevation Gain: 550 feet
Not a long hike, but you will feel the elevation gain over this short distance. This trail is known for some of the park’s most iconic switchbacks. On this this hike, you will find two of the more famous formations including Thor’s Hammer and the Natural Bridge. This bridge, quiet fragile looking, offers a beautiful window to view the canyon through. The Queens Garden and Navajo loop are popular hikes as they allow people an opportunity to view the hoodoos without having to hike a great distance – hence the reason why the Fairyland and Peek-a-Boo loop aren’t as admired – they are too much work.
Day 3 – Sunset and Sunrise Points; Distance: <1km and Elevation Gain: 0 feet
Unfortunately, this was our final day and we had approximately a 4 hour drive back to Las Vegas. We opted for the quick and easy hike between sunset and sunrise points. You would ideally want to hike these at either the sunrise or sunset at the respective points, hence the names. Below you on the trails will be the pinnacles of rock forming a maze of bright terracotta roofs.
Noteworthy Eateries: A couple of our favourite spots from our stay in Tropic, Utah.
Stone Hearth Grille – D and I knew this trip wasn’t going to be fine dining, but I stumbled across this place and decided to book us all a reservation. My treat for the four of us, on our last night. It offers mountainside dining on an outdoor patio – the food, the views and the company – amazing! The perfect way to end this trip! Reservations recommended. D and I shared a nice bottle of wine pairing it with our local grass-fed steaks! There was even a cauliflower steak for Amy! We sat outdoors on the patio, listening to the sounds from the waterfall while watching the sun set against the mountains turning them from shades of pink to red as dusk fell around us.
Cowboy Ranch House at Bryce Canyon Resort – During a walk-through town (remember it’s not that big of place), we stumbled across this gem. A western-themed restaurant serving steaks, Mexican and craft beer! Perfect way to re-fuel after a day of hiking. The best part was there was a live band, yes country music, while we dined!