Trip Overview || Timpanogos || Capitol Reef || Escalante || Peekaboo and Spooky || Kanarraville || St George
After getting food at Ranch Dog Kitchen in Escalante, since we weren’t sure our food options in Tropic, we took our time driving the rest of Scenic Hwy12 to Tropic. Tropic is about 20 minutes East of Bryce Canyon so pretty central to explore this area. We stayed at the Bryce Pioneer Village. The rooms were dark and small, but it had a pool, hot tub and nice out door areas to hang before it got too cold or dark.
The next day we did a hike in Kodachrome State Park, about 30 minute drive from Tropic, very cool area to check out and you can ride on their sandy trails too! This would be a nice place to camp as well. After the hike we drove to Willis Creek Narrows, another slot canyon hike we’ll have to check out another day. The drive in, on Skutumpah Rd, was good, despite the warnings. May not be as good if it’s wet though.
There are better food options in Tropic than Bryce Canyon, but Escalante had a better variety of restaurants. We ate breakfast at the Gas station restaurant – Route 12 Grill – GOOD BURRITOS! Then at Rustlers Restaurant, which was pretty standard food, better than Cowboy Bufffet and Steak Room near Bryce Canyon. DON’T EAT HERE. … The restaurants in Bryce are even more generic.
There is a fine dining restaurant in Tropic that we didn’t make a reservation at Stone Hearth Grille which probably would have been good. Next time.
The next morning we did a short hike before Bryce at Mossy Cave. We then headed down to Cedar City, which is on the I15, via Hwy143 and Cedar Breaks National Monument near Brian Head at 31500 meters! Due to snow we did not hike…, would be a great road ride, there are also mountain bike trails off this road closer to Cedar City.
Our Hotel in Tropic
Breakfast at Route12 Grill
Parking lot
Hat Shop
Secret Passage
Sandpipe
Cool Cave
VIEWS!
Hot Tub at Bryce Pioneer Village
Hanging out outside
Breakfast Croissant at Rustlers Restaurant
Short Hike East of Bryce at Mossy Cave
Love the contrast between blackened gnarly trees, red rock and blue sky.
Arches
Then we took the Scenic Route up to Cedar Breaks National Monument which was at 31,500 ft. Too snowy to hike and COLD!
Once down we did a short hike up Spring Canyon then stayed at the Best Western Plus.