Need Bryce Canyon Advice
 

Should we do the Bryce Canyon horseback ride (2 hour - my kids are 8) ? They really want to do it. If we do the horseback ride, is it redundant to do the Queens Garden/ Navajo Loop hike? I don't really want to cover the same ground again. I had planned to do the Queens Garden/ Navajo Loop hike in the morning, then the horseback ride in the afternoon, but realized we may just be doing the same thing, one on foot, the other on horseback. We have 1 full day and 1 night at Bryce, trying to maximize our time there....Also, should we eat at the Lodge, where we are staying, or drive into town? Thanks in advance!

You will see more of the similar hoodoos, but that is what Bryce is all about. So if you are looking for totally different scenery and you've already had your fill of hoodoos in the morning then you may feel the horseback ride is redundant. I would not skip walking the QG/NL trail - being down among the hoodoos on foot is amazing.

But on horseback you will get to see different view vistas, and there are amazing views around many corners throughout the entire amphitheater, and you'll get away from the crowds. The kids may or may not care about that.

An alternative to doing the horseback ride would be to drive (or shuttle bus) to different lookout points on the rim; Bryce point, Sunrise/Sunset points (you'll be near those anyway if you do QG/NL trail), and even going to the end of the road at Rainbow point and hiking among the bristlecone pines at 9000'. Seeing the various lookouts is good regardless of your other plans.

Horseback riding is not for everybody, and some people feel that riding at Bryce can be a bit unnerving as you zig/zag down some switchbacks. You always have the option of getting in a short horseback trail ride elsewhere, and not at Bryce.

My husband and daughter booked a horseback rise out of Ruby's - I did not go so can't give you exact route, but it did not involve riding thru the same QG/NL trail - they went to a different part of both in and out of Park and road dry riverbeds, etc. My daughter thought it was great. My husband walked funny for 24-48 hours after. Neither had any horse experience, but had a great time.

I can recommend the food at the lodge. We had a buffet and it was good. The waitress was so kind, We had not finished our wine and wanted to take our glasses outside to sit and view the outdoors, she explained we could not do that but she gave us disposable cups to do that. :-)

After eating at the North Rim recently (also run by Forever Resorts) I was very glad that we chose not to eat at Bryce Lodge's restaurants.

I really hate riding downhill on horseback. It puts so much pressure on the lower back if you have any of those issues.

The 2-hour ride is not that different than hiking, but it probably will be fun for your children. So I might do as suggested by J62 and drive out to some of the other viewpoints.

Do look for the prairie dogs in the morning in the meadow near the park entryway!

We did the mule ride down Bryce. It was nice and our young daughter loved it!

Food is fine at Bryce Lodge, IMOP.

Ruby's ride is outside the park, so that isn't even comparing Apples to Apples.

The horses/mules(yes they use both) do not go down Navajo Loop/Queens, so you will not be seeing the same area. It will look similar tho.

We did hike the Navajo Loop/Queens Garden and we did the longer ride, which I would consider over the shorter one. You are there, do it right. I would highly recommend doing both the long ride and the Navajo Loop/Queens combo trail. Bryce is great. You might check out Ruby's just because it has history/ties to the park. I was underwhelmed with Ruby's, but is worth a stop.

Hmm, seems like there are mixed reviews on the food at the lodge...

I would like to do the longer, Peek-a-Boo trail, @spirobulldog, but the kids are too young, you have to be 10 years old for that ride.

I am still not sure what we will, do sounds like hiking and horseback riding are both a good plan though.... thanks so much

My 2c. Food at the Bryce Lodge is fine, but nothing to write home about. Do not expect a gourmet meal, but you won't go hungry.

Buffet at Ruby's is plentiful & mediocre at best, but also OK for what it is.

We did the 2 hour ride. It was plenty for me and my bad hips and knees. I was also affected by the altitude, so be sure to stay hydrated.

Old report but May help:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-report.cfm

To update MichelleY's report, the rooms at the "motel" units at Bryce Lodge (i.e., Sunrise and Sunset blocks) have all been renovated. Perhaps the most comfortable beds of our recent two-week trip. And they should be, for the price. But nearly all lodging near the park is overpriced. Rooms have both a refrigerator and a microwave. We were glad to have brought sandwich fixings, hardboiled eggs, fresh tomatoes and bakery goods for our meals.

Our room was on the ground floor and we had a little 2-person patio (overlooking the parking lot!). Great location for a stumble out to Sunset Point to watch sunrise.

I spoke with the people who run the horse rides at Bryce Canyon and she said that the route they take on the 2 hour ride is through Queen's Garden. So perhaps in the morning we will drive the overlooks and just hike the Navajo Loop, then do Queen's Garden via horseback in the afternoon.

We are staying in a "Western Cabin" and I guess we will just try our luck with dinner at the lodge that night. We are going to do protein shakes in the morning and hold out for breakfast at Hell's Backbone Grill on our through Escalante/ Boulder/ Torrey to Capitol Reef.

Thanks again!

Do the ride first...you'll need a nice walk to limber up after the torture of sitting on horseback ;) Eat outside the park just up the road at The Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant. Great food and prices and REALLY goo home made pies. Breakfast great there too. Take a left on Hwy 12 and it is a couple of miles on the right.

http://www.brycecanyonmotel.com/bryce-restaurant/

I can second the Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant. It was really good and the prices were too. We did eat at the Bryce Lodge but did not do the buffet. Food was OK and the service was indifferent. We did a lot of hiking in the park including the Queen's Garden which is not to be missed and several other hikes including one near the far end of the park which was partly through the woods and quite different. We stayed at the Best Western kitty corner from Ruby's and thought it was very nice.

I would recommend hiking in the canyon. Riding with Ruby's on their 2 hour Red Canyon ride. It's not a steep up and down ride like inside the park if you are inexperienced riders. Definitely drive and see the rest of the park and enjoy the lookouts.

Ruby's also does an all day ride where you trailer the horses out north of the park and really do ride up the mountain and down again on the back side. Stopping for lunch along the way. For very experienced riders only.

Hi Peterboy - anxiously awaiting a TR on your latest adventures!