Standing on the rim of Bryce Canyon removes any doubt that this landscape should be in the National Park System/Ruby's Inn
Editor's note: This is a special advertiser-supported article from the Essential Park Guide, Spring 2015.
Western authenticity: you'll see it in the towering ponderosa pine trees, the deeply eroded canyons that showcase the sunrises and sunsets, the horseback riders wending their way below the canyon rims.
Bryce Canyon is home to the world's largest collection of hoodoos'tall, slender, multicolored rock spires and minarets. Find your spot on an overlook in the predawn dark and ready your camera for the morning sun lighting up these rare geological formations. The orange glow makes the rocks come alive and casts long shadows deep into the natural amphitheater.
That same Western authenticity is the essence of what the Syrett family has been delivering to visitors who have been coming since 1916 to explore Bryce Canyon National Park.
They have been welcoming visitors to Ruby's Inn for decades, starting seven years before the landscape was designated a national monument and a dozen years before it received national park status. Thanks to its location at the park's front door, a stay at Ruby's allows you to leave your rig in the parking lot and enjoy the park's Western splendor and the Syrett family's hospitality.
'Guests enjoy being on the doorstep of Bryce Canyon,' Ruby's Inn General Manager Lance Syrett said. 'By being just minutes away from the main overlook, you have the ability to take in as many incredible sunrises and sunsets as you'd like.'
While you can hike along the rim top, or beneath it, horses are ready to carry you into Bryce Canyon/Ruby's Inn
Spend an entire week exploring the park with Ruby's as your base camp, or wind up there after a backpacking trip along the park's 22-mile-long Under-the- Rim Trail to savor a hot shower, a swim in the indoor pool, and dinner built around a sizzling ribeye steak, or Utah trout, in one of the restaurants. Ebenezer's Barn and Grill at Ruby's Inn entertains crowds nightly with a Western dinner show and cowboy grub. It's a comforting thought.
Ruby's Inn played a prominent role in the decision to build a multi-use path from the inn's grounds into the park. When completed this fall, the path will allow you to walk or ride your bike directly into Bryce Canyon. Or, find a seat on the Bryce Canyon Shuttle, which runs the length of the park's 18-mile rim road, with multiple stops along the way.
'We offer the best of both worlds,' said Jean Seiler, director of marketing for Ruby's Inn. 'The hotel is literally surrounded by the national park and has access to exclusive overlooks that allow for exciting family adventures.'
Whatever season you choose for a visit, there's something going on at Ruby's Inn to complement your days in the park. Through the summer months you can attend the Bryce Canyon Country Rodeo, or just before Labor Day test yourself with the 5-mile Bryce Canyon Rim Run. February snows give a backdrop to the Bryce Canyon Winter Festival. It's a great excuse to cross-country ski or create snow sculptures at 8,000 feet.
Wagon rides are among the most popular summer activities at Ruby's Inn/Ruby's Inn
Without a doubt, the most popular activities are the summer wagon rides and horseback trips in Bryce Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Available for all ages and skill levels, the horseback tours wind through some of the most beautiful scenery that southern Utah has to offer. Riders explore the very trails used by Old West outlaws, and you'll see remnants of ancient Native American cultures.
Bryce Canyon is just one of the attractions easily accessible from Ruby's Inn. The area is home to the white sandstone domes of Capitol Reef National Park, the layered plateaus of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and the tall chimney rocks of Kodachrome Basin State Park.
'Visitors always wish they had planned additional days to explore this beautiful area,' said Falyn Owens, executive director of the tourism office for Bryce Canyon Country. 'Our best advice is for guests to take their time and create some unforgettable memories.'
At nightfall, prepare to be awestruck by the night skies. Bryce Canyon is recognized as having one of the darkest skies of any park in North America, affording brilliant views of the galaxies. Families are invited to take part in ranger-led astronomy presentations and telescope viewing sessions.
Ruby's Inn and its sister property, The Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel, have perfect accommodations for large groups as well. Together, the two hotels provide unique and memorable experiences for family reunions, corporate retreats, and other groups. Ruby's Inn is only a four-hour drive from either Las Vegas or Salt Lake City. For quicker access, the nearby commercial airport in Cedar City offers Delta Connection flights.
Ruby's Inn, pictured here in 1930, was welcoming guests years before Bryce Canyon became a national park/Ruby's Inn
Add comment