Bryce Canyon Winter Festival

The Bryce Canyon area offers some of the most spectacular winter recreation opportunities to be found anywhere in the world. And the folks at Best Western Ruby's Inn, just outside the park, are gracious hosts to snow sport enthusiasts. During the summer months the resort teams with visitors who come from around the world to see delicate pink and orange rock formations that make the park famous. But most of the tourists never see Bryce in its real splendor–when the elements combine to create the perfect playground for people wanting an escape to the sun, snow and scenery of southern Utah.

Winter is perhaps the most beautiful time at Bryce, when snow caps the pink hoodoos making them more colorful than during any other season. Photographers find the scenery breathtaking and give their cameras workouts, shooting one picture after another.

Every Presidents Day weekend Ruby’s Inn hosts the Bryce Canyon Winter Festival. This year it will be held February 18-20 (2006). The three-day event includes cross country ski races, a people-powered sled race, kids snowboot races, an archery clinic, archery biathlon competition, free snowshoe tours, free clinics in photography and snow sculpture, kids' events, food, music and much more. Most of the clinics and events are free but there is an entry fee for some activities.

Snowmobiles are not allowed within Bryce Canyon National Park, but there are many excellent mountain trails in the surrounding area. The East Fork Trail climbs the Paunsaugunt Plateau above Bryce, past Tropic Reservoir, and provides several play areas. Cedar Mountain and Duck Creek Village, located just west of Bryce, rank among the great snowmobile destinations in the U.S. Ruby’s Inn does not rent snowmobiles but can provide information about local trails. Several shops in the Duck Creek and Brian Head area rent machines.

Most of Utah’s national park country is located in low-elevation desert terrain where winters are usually dry and mild. Bryce Canyon is the exception. The high point in the park is an impressive 9,100 feet above sea level. The Bryce rim receives an average of 96 inches of snow every year–plenty to support a wide range of winter activities.

This season the weather was so mild during early winter, and the southern part of the state was receiving almost no snow, and so people started to worry if Winterfest activities would need to be adjusted. But January storms dumped on the area and so it should have plenty.

The national park is open year-round and is accessible by automobile. After a heavy snowfall, sections of the access road may be closed to traffic until the snow is cleared. The park's visitor center is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day, and the displays there make the stop enjoyable.

Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are particularly popular activities at Bryce Canyon and equipment for both can be rented at Ruby’s Inn. Cross country ski trails begin just outside the Ruby’s Inn motel and wind through meadows, forests of ponderosa pine, and along the Bryce Canyon rim. The trails provide hours of beautiful scenery and outdoor enjoyment for skiers of all abilities.

There is no trail fee at Ruby’s Inn Nordic Center.

For backcountry skiers, there are thousands of acres of untouched snow in the surrounding Dixie National Forest. Cedar Breaks National Monument is not far away and it also offers wonderful cross country skiing and snowshoeing terrain.

From Ruby’s you can snowmobile to the East Fork Trail. Other nearby snowmobiling areas include the Griffin Top, which is located north of Ruby's Inn. The trailhead starts at Widtsoe and snowmobilers can climb 40 miles of signed, ungroomed trails to spectacular vistas from atop the Aquarius Plateau, the highest plateau in North America. To the west, the Cedar Mountain snowmobile complex is an extensive groomed trail system connecting Panguitch Lake, Duck Creek, and Cedar Breaks/Brian Head.

Utah's Division of Parks and Recreation publishes a series of maps showing groomed snowmobile trails throughout the state. The Cedar Mountain/East Fork Snowmobile Complex map details this area. Pick one up at a Parks and Recreation office, Forest Service office, or one of the many snowmobile-oriented area businesses.

Ice fishing is also a popular winter sport in this area. Panguitch Lake is perhaps the most popular spot but fishing can also be good at Tropic Reservoir and Pine Lake. However, the last two mentioned waters are usually only accessible by snowmobile or cross country skis. Fishermen should check current weather and ice conditions before heading to the ice.

Ruby’s Inn has a grand tradition of hospitality dating back to 1916, when Reuben (Ruby) Syrett constructed his first tent shelter at Bryce Canyon. Chances are Ruby never imagined his idea would blossom into a multimillion dollar business and so dramatically affect life in southern Utah. What first started as a canvas shelter so many years ago has now become a complex of 368 spacious guest rooms, a conference center, restaurants, general store, indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, and a host of activities that help entertain visitors from around the world.

Enthusiasm and love for the Bryce area carried over to Ruby's son, Carl. Today Carl’s children and grandchildren, many of whom work at Ruby’s Inn, carry on the same Western hospitality and friendly service.

Summer is the busiest season at Ruby’s Inn and people interested in vacationing here are advised to make reservations well in advance. Between the national park and Ruby’s resort, there are plenty of activities to keep guests busy. Hiking and horseback riding are incredibly popular here. There are also excellent ATV trails in the area. Ruby’s Inn stages a rodeo during the summer and also hosts chuck wagon dinners. Several companies offer airplane and helicopter tours.

If you’d rather camp out, Ruby's has a campground/RV park that offers full hookups, tent sites in the forest, authentic tepees and rustic cabins. Guests have access to a headed swimming pool (summers), hot tubs, hot showers, large laundromat, dump station and other amenities.

For more information or reservations at Ruby's Inn, call 1-866-866-6616 or visit www.Ruby’sinn.com.

Bryce Canyon Winterfest Activities

The following activities are scheduled for this year’s Winterfest. At this point it looks like the weather will cooperate and all activities will be held as planned.

Cross country ski tours
Snowshoe tours and races
Archery clinic
Ski Archery competition
Kayaking demos
Waxing clinics
Photography clinics
Photo contest
Snow sculpture contest
People-powered sled race
Kids snowboot races
Entertainment