Bryce Canyon with Kids
Oct 25th, 2013 | 09:01 AM
#1
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,598
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Bryce Canyon with Kids
Took the kids (ages 11 and 8) down to Bryce Canyon for Fall Break. It’s a quick, easy drive from Salt Lake to Bryce (took us around 4 hours including stops).
Lodging
We stayed at Ruby’s Inn—my favorite. The place has EVERYTHING you need. The gift shop even had goggles for the kids! (I forgot to pack them) We had a nice, large room in the Deer Lodge—2 large beds, fridge, microwave, table, desk. It was great. We stayed for 2 nights. The pool is great—very big. BUT there is only a one stall bathroom/shower at the pool to change. (one for men, one for women) Not a problem in the summer. But it was chilly, so I dried the kids off the best I could and put their clothes back on them and then we ran back to the room. Ruby’s even has a liquor store so I was able to get a bottle of wine and have a glass (in a plastic cup!) while the kids swam.
Food
Options are limited. The first night we got a pizza from the Diner that is on site. It was fine. The next night we at the at Ruby’s Restaurant. They had great kids meals and I had the trout which was good. The kids loved the sundae bar! For breakfast, we hit the grocery store at Ruby’s—not the best baked goods but serviceable. We brought a cooler and packed lunches/snacks for during the day.
Activities:
Day 1: Hit the visitor center first. The kids liked the “museum” and the gift shop and the movie. Then we drove out to Rainbow Point to hike the Bristlecone Trail. I like this trail because it is easy but it mixes forest with views. There were patches of snow so we had fun identifying the animal tracks (deer, bunny, squirrel). We stopped at some view points on our way back to Sunset Point. Sunset Point was beautiful. I wanted to take the kids on the Queens Garden Loop but they weren’t too keen on that idea so I opted to head over to the Mossy Cave Trail. That was AWESOME. In the fall, the stream is just a trickle and the kids played in it for a long time. I just sat back on a rock and soaked up the sunshine, blue sky, and red rocks. Then it was back to the hotel and the pool
Day 2: I booked a horse trail ride in Red Canyon because I wanted to get a chance to finally see it. I did the ride through Ruby’s Inn—met at the front desk and we left from there. It was just the 3 of us and the guide. (The guide told me that in the summer they have trail rides with THIRTY people. Holy cow, that is a LOT) It was really cold in the morning. Like we really should have had gloves and hats. So if you go in the fall or cooler weather, I would recommend the afternoon ride if possible. The van ride took less than 30 minutes. The trail ride was beyond gorgeous!! Lossee (sp?) Canyon was just amazing. And we saw one other group of riders and one hiker. There was nobody there. I would recommend this trail as a hike—it is just so beautiful. We had booked the 3 hour ride but it didn’t take 3 hours because it was just the 3 of us—easier to get everybody saddled up etc. And I was fine with that because it was so cold. It only took us about 2 hours or so to ride the 6 miles. When we got back to Ruby’s we did the Old West Photos. I have never done these before but the kids had begged and I thought, what the heck? It was fun and the kids loved doing it! And then we drove back home. They actually wanted to stay longer-maybe next year.
So it was a great quick trip and the weather was just fantastic!
Lodging
We stayed at Ruby’s Inn—my favorite. The place has EVERYTHING you need. The gift shop even had goggles for the kids! (I forgot to pack them) We had a nice, large room in the Deer Lodge—2 large beds, fridge, microwave, table, desk. It was great. We stayed for 2 nights. The pool is great—very big. BUT there is only a one stall bathroom/shower at the pool to change. (one for men, one for women) Not a problem in the summer. But it was chilly, so I dried the kids off the best I could and put their clothes back on them and then we ran back to the room. Ruby’s even has a liquor store so I was able to get a bottle of wine and have a glass (in a plastic cup!) while the kids swam.
Food
Options are limited. The first night we got a pizza from the Diner that is on site. It was fine. The next night we at the at Ruby’s Restaurant. They had great kids meals and I had the trout which was good. The kids loved the sundae bar! For breakfast, we hit the grocery store at Ruby’s—not the best baked goods but serviceable. We brought a cooler and packed lunches/snacks for during the day.
Activities:
Day 1: Hit the visitor center first. The kids liked the “museum” and the gift shop and the movie. Then we drove out to Rainbow Point to hike the Bristlecone Trail. I like this trail because it is easy but it mixes forest with views. There were patches of snow so we had fun identifying the animal tracks (deer, bunny, squirrel). We stopped at some view points on our way back to Sunset Point. Sunset Point was beautiful. I wanted to take the kids on the Queens Garden Loop but they weren’t too keen on that idea so I opted to head over to the Mossy Cave Trail. That was AWESOME. In the fall, the stream is just a trickle and the kids played in it for a long time. I just sat back on a rock and soaked up the sunshine, blue sky, and red rocks. Then it was back to the hotel and the pool
Day 2: I booked a horse trail ride in Red Canyon because I wanted to get a chance to finally see it. I did the ride through Ruby’s Inn—met at the front desk and we left from there. It was just the 3 of us and the guide. (The guide told me that in the summer they have trail rides with THIRTY people. Holy cow, that is a LOT) It was really cold in the morning. Like we really should have had gloves and hats. So if you go in the fall or cooler weather, I would recommend the afternoon ride if possible. The van ride took less than 30 minutes. The trail ride was beyond gorgeous!! Lossee (sp?) Canyon was just amazing. And we saw one other group of riders and one hiker. There was nobody there. I would recommend this trail as a hike—it is just so beautiful. We had booked the 3 hour ride but it didn’t take 3 hours because it was just the 3 of us—easier to get everybody saddled up etc. And I was fine with that because it was so cold. It only took us about 2 hours or so to ride the 6 miles. When we got back to Ruby’s we did the Old West Photos. I have never done these before but the kids had begged and I thought, what the heck? It was fun and the kids loved doing it! And then we drove back home. They actually wanted to stay longer-maybe next year.
So it was a great quick trip and the weather was just fantastic!
Oct 25th, 2013 | 03:12 PM
#5
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,598
Likes: 0
Forgot to mention that we got free color 8x10 pix of each of us on the horses as part of the trail ride. The kids love theirs! I didn't even realize that was a perk! The other nice thing about horseback riding in Red Canyon is that you weren't riding in an area that you would hike into--like Bryce. And that is a steep trail. Even as an experienced rider, I feel safer on my own 2 feet than on a horse on a steep trail (I say the same thing about the mules in the Grand Canyon). But that's just me...
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