Is Tropic a good choice for Bryce NP?
 

Based on suggestions made by Utahtea I am trying to make changes in the order we are seeing the parks this Aug. Unfortunately, I am having difficulty finding lodging in Bryce. I am currently booked at the Bryce Canyon Resort which does not sound like anything special. The park and Ruby's and all other motels in bryce are unavailable. I found what looks like a nice B &B in Tropic-- The Bryce Trails Inn. Does anyone know it?Is Tropic far away from the park and will I regret not being in the town of Bryce? The lodging choices seem very limited there. Tropic has some B &Bs but is I think further from the park. Any thoughts/ suggestions would be appreciated. (I could keep my Bryce Resort reservations but I am having second thoughts about it)

We stayed in Tropic and found it a nice place. It is convenient to the park - not a bad drive at all. A great hike is the Mossy Cave trail which is located on the road between Tropic and Bryce. Tropic is also on the way to Kodachrome State Park which is worth a visit

When in Aug are you planning to be at Bryce? We have a night reserved at Ruby's that we may be canceling...if it is the same time frame you are looking for, perhaps there is some way we could co-ordinate things?

Hi Zaksgrandma,

I wouldn't worry too much about it. You will probably only be sleeping in the room and hopefully spending all your time in the park and other scenic areas.

Note: There is no town of Bryce. Tropic is the nearest town to the park.

Tropic is a tiny town with about 6 buildins and some spread out houses. We ate at a decent restaurant called Hoodoo - it is in the one main building in town which serves as gas station, general store, gift shop, etc. It is about a 20 minute drive from Tropic to Bryce entrance. Keep checking for cancellations up to last minute, but Tropic would not be awful. There is no other town around - as mentioned above, no such identifiable place as town of Bryce.

to Ausc59:
We are thinking of Aug. 2-5 or 5-8. DOes that match what you are cancelling?

I would keep checking for cancellations up to the last minute. DS and DIL didn't have reservations last year because we didn't have any idea of dates we would be there. They kept calling and the day before we went they got in on a cancellation at Ruby's Inn.

Tropic as others have mentioned is 11 miles and about 20 minutes from Bryce and it's not a bad drive.

Utahtea

Dear Zaksgrandma - No - sorry. Our reservation is for Aug 29th or 30th. Wish I could have been of help - but the reason we are canceling Rubys is because we kept trying and were able to pick one up at Bryce Lodge. I agree - keep trying!!

Hi Zaksgrandma:

I am staying at the Bryce Canyon Livery B&B at the beginning of June, since I started planning the trip too late to get a room at the Bryce Canyon Lodge.

It looks cute and has gotten better reviews that the Bryce Canyon Resort. If you'd like, I can let you know how it was. They had decent availability when we are going, so I bet they'll have it for August, too.

Another recommendation I saw on this board was for the Stone Canyon Inn. They were booked for my trip, but it looks like they might be able to accomodate your dates.

If I were you, I would book something you think you'll like, but that is cancellable, and then keep on checking the Bryce Canyon Lodge - I have been watching it daily and I see dates open up and then get taken again every day.

It would be nice if you could get at least one night in the park to get make it easier to see those famous sunsets and sunrises!

Thanks for that idea-- maybe we'll stay two nights in Tropic and one in the park if it opens. It seems to me that the B &Bs in Tropic look so much nicer than the few places listed in Bryce. I know you can't believe everything on an inn's website but I suspect they are more luxurious for the same price than the Bryce Canyon "resort" which is not a resort. I will keep trying.

One other thought - I know it has been said before but do use the telephone. Several times I have been able to find something available by talking to a person when nothing was showing up on-line b/c they just can't/don't update their webpages fast enough.

I found two B &Bs which look nice. Has anyone had any experience with Byrce Trails B&B and/or Buffalo Sage B&B? Both are in Tropic