Hello fodorites

We will be going to Bryce, zion and the north rim in either late june, or late september, depending on work load.

Since the lodge is booked for the dates we may be at bryce in September, I need alternate lodging. I want to stay close in Tropic. I have seen post about the grand staircase, and bryce canyon pines, but is it really worth it to stay that far away? Ruby's does not seem apealling to us. We are quiet and like comfortable beds. Anything new?

Also am i right to think September will be the better weather? We will be driving from Ca, through southern Nv with a baby. I think late June will be miserable.

topping

L,

A couple years ago, my husband and I stayed at the Bryce Canyon Country Cabins in Tropic. They were clean and decent. They were listed in the AAA Tour Book. Only about 2 "adequate" restaurants near the cabins, but we made do. We were there in Sept. Mornings were quite chilly, but daytime weather was great. Hope this helps.

My husband and I drove through Tropic last June. It seemed fine as a base for visiting Bryce, but there was nothing much going on in town. I'd make the reservation in Tropic, but keep checking the Xanterra website to see if the lodge at Bryce becomes available. I'd probably also plan on September to increase my chances of snagging a room at the lodge.

we do have reservation in the park for the late june trip. Is weather better in late june than in sept?

Late June and September are both reasonable times make the trip. However, late June starts getting very hot and dry at Zion, because the afternoon rains don't start till July. I camped at Zion in early June last year, and was uncomfortably hot. An air conditioned room might have made the time of year less of a problem. Hiking was okay early in the morning and after 5pm.

June is fine at Bryce and the North Rim because they are both so high.
September might be nice to escape the heat and crowds and see some colors changing. I'd make my choice based on when I could get rooms at the NP Lodges.

we stayed at a cabin at Bryce Canyon Inn. Nice new cabins. Really liked Tropic - just a small little town. 1-800-592-1468. I recall they had a website but I haven't written it down

Be sure to hike to Mossy cave - the trailhead is just off the road between Bryce and Tropic.

Thanks fodorites.

I will try the Bryce Canyon Inn and push for Sept.

Quesion for bigtyke: You mentioned having stayed in a cabin at the Bryce Canyon Inn. I`m still looking for a place to stay in this area for 2 nights and this was also one of my choices. I may be silly but I like to SEE what the place looks like on the internet before I make up my mind. The pics of the rooms look lovely but no picture of the overall location. Is it IN Tropic, to where we could walk to other places to eat?(I!m also concerned about breakfast) Is it on the main drag? Is the lode nice looking and then the cabins spread out around it? This area of Tropic has been hard for me to picture. Did you eat at their lodge or try other places in town? Is their restuarant expensive? "Normal food" - as we`re taking out 13 year old nephew? Sorry for all the questions but I have finally found someone who stayed in somewhere other than Ruby`s and we also want to do that. Hope you can help me out here!

Tropic is a tiny town. You do not have many "choices" of places to eat - just 2 or 3 as I recall. The whole town appears to be about 100 yards long on a 2-lane road. Don't go there expecting variety. We had a wonderful dinner there at the Hoodoo Restaurant when we had had enough of Roby's, saw a town with a large-sized dot on the map, and expected more than there was. No complaints about Tropic - we ejoyed talking to year-rounders and got a little more of the feel of what it would be like to live there - just don't expect a big town.

as gail said, the town is really small!

Another place to see in the area is Kodachrome Basin State Park. I don't think it is a colorful as its name implies, but it is interesting - has the world's only 'sandpipes' tall narrow pillars.