Is there any particular cabin # that is best. Actually, we will need two of them. I think most of them are a duplex anyway. I would probably want to avoid the ones that have 4 together. I guess just as close to the rim as possible? This isn't a big deal, but they are supposed to start taking reservations for 2011 next week, and a good location would be nice.

Can anyone comment on the mule/horse trips. All day or half day. Not for sure we will do this. We will hike the Navajo/Queens Garden. We plan on being at Bryce for really just one day. Also plan to do the Night Sky event that is held each evening.

Topping. I was suspend from Fodors last night, and not sure if or when this was even posted. The explanation on the email they sent me said I posted it Three times. I dunno.

Half day on the mules is sufficient. You ride on a trail at the bottom of the canyon that some people are not able to do on foot due to its length. We hiked Navajo/Queens Garden first thing that morning, had lunch, & then went on the mule ride. I think it was just about 3 hours on the mules.

BTW, I think you go in at Navajo & come out at Queens Garden for an easier & shorter climb out.

Half day on the mules was plenty for me. My hips were killing me!! Plus I had a little altitude sickness, so that didn't help either. DD and our exchange student daughter loved it!! It was a great way to sit back and enjoy the view.

Has your daughter had her spine surgery? How is she doing?

You always take such interesting trips. I don't want to hijack your thread, but I saw a post from you last year asking about tidepooling in Cannon Beach, OR. Did you do it and was there much to see?
I'm just north of I-40 from you.

We stayed in the deluxe cabins at Bryce and loved it. There was a cluster of either two or four together (I forget which it was). We didn't hear anything from the other cabins.
We didn't do any special night sky event, but we did go out in our pajamas and were amazed by the beauty of the night sky. SOOOO many stars!
WE also got up early to watch the sun rise over the canyon. Amazing colors...

I'd only do half-day. You can hike the same trails they take the horses, but it is a great trail, and if you want to spend the rest of your time hiking, the horse ride gets you to more scenery in a shorter period of time.

We really really like Fairyland Trail as well, so if you want a hike of several hours, it is a good one to chose.

We've been in a cabin close to the rim and liked it for its proximity, but the cabin location is really a non-issue. There's no view from the cabins, so we found it mattered very little to us.

spiro,

Knowing how much you hike, I honestly don't think you will really enjoy the mule ride. You don't see anything different.

I would recommend looking into Ruby's wranglers ride in Red Rock Canyon! Not too long, smaller group, horses. Just tell them your level of experience. Very beautiful and different from what you've already seen by hiking among the hoodoos.

They also do an all day ride, but this is for experienced riders. It goes to high elevation on one of the local peaks, includes a lunch stop and incredible scenery.

Half day mule ride does the Queen's Garden, so as Dayle says, you'd be back tracking.

Cabins & motel type rooms all very,very near each other. We needed 2 rooms and got a connector in the motel building, which worked out well for us.

Night sky will be amazing!!

MichelleY- My daughter will have surgery June 4. Thanks for remembering her. We are going to Yosemite in a couple of weeks, before her surgery, for a short trip. This trip we are contemplating is for 2011, so hopefully she will be fine by then. Not sure what to expect from her, so this is a trip we can adjust if she isn't up to much hiking. I really would prefer a cabin(I think).

Michelle and Dayle- This trip will include my parents. I don't think my wife or daughter would want to ride the mules. My daughter has been on many trips with my parents, but this will be my first in several years. They live only 2 minutes from us, but we just haven't taken any trips together in 10 years or so. My parents like the idea of the mules and so do I. I thought that the mules did peek-a-boo trail?

Mapngo- We spent two days on the Oregon coast, but did not go tidepooling and didn't even make it to Cannon . We had experienced tidepooling in Pt. Reyes last spring and really enjoyed it and saw a lot. I think timing it with the low tide is critical. We saw a ton of things, but not sure what exactly what everything was. We hope to go to Olympic in a year or two and spend a few hours tidepooling there. Are you going to Oregon? Gonna be in Tahlequah running track over the weekend. You going to be there by chance?

Enlap an laurie- thanks for the info on the trails

schmerl- I have seen a lot of the Utah/Arizona skys at night and it is great. I think the ranger-led full moon walks and the Night Sky program looks interesting.

Yes, the 1/2 day mule ride is the Peek-a-Boo loop NOT the Navajo/Queen's Garden.

The half day was plenty and our group of high school kids enjoyed it. You'll get much further into the park than you could on foot, especially with only one day. It is a little scary. The mules like to walk right on the edge and you are NOT always on the bottom of the canyon as someone above stated.

Be sure to hear the ranger talk on light pollution/star gazing. It's by far the best ranger talk we've ever heard.

Cabin location is a non issue. They are all in the same area--none have views of the canyon.