Your Bryce Canyon Country Adventures Start at These Luxe Glampgrounds

I’ve wanted to visit Bryce Canyon National Park for over a decade. Overshadowing its existence, however, are the ethereal landscapes found within Zion National Park, which happens to be the most visited of Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks, attracting close to five million visitors annually. I’ve been there twice and plan to return at some point, but Bryce Canyon has remained in the back of my mind.

Recently, a friend of mine went on a national parks tour, and I found myself looking longingly at her social media posts, wishing that I, too, could be there. And then the opportunity came. When I was offered a spot on a hosted trip to two glampgrounds in Bryce Canyon Country, I couldn’t say no. So, I found myself on a bucket-list adventure, discovering a new-to-me national park while staying in rather luxurious accommodations.

After spending four nights and five days in Bryce Canyon Country, I realized that it’s so much more than Bryce Canyon National Park. It’s also home to numerous charming small towns that people often drive right through without stopping, the 1.9-million-acre Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument that’s overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park for an outdoor geological history lesson.

With so much unspoiled and protected land featuring natural wonders from hoodoos and badlands to cliffs and slot canyons, this region is ripe with adventure. And these two distinctly different glampgrounds make perfect base camps for exploring in Utah’s Bryce Canyon Country.

For tiny homes with big comfort: Escalante Escapes

After landing at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and meeting my group, we embarked on a five-hour ride in a Sprinter van through Southwest Adventure Tours to the glamping destination where we’d spend the first two nights of our Bryce Canyon Country journey. As we traveled through Salt Lake City, commercial buildings and overpasses gave way to mountains and desert. While the journey was long, it was never boring, but by the time we arrived at Escalante Escapes, we were ready to settle in.

We pulled off the main road onto a dirt road that leads to a quiet parcel of land with mountain views and a few residential homes. On the property are nine tiny homes, which became our homes for the next two nights. A code was emailed for contactless check-in, and off we went to our separate accommodations at the adorable boutique glampground.

As I entered the space of my tiny home, named Moon Lily, I was struck by how roomy the 400-square-foot abode felt, most likely because of the high ceilings and how the space was used. The main room features a living room area with a pull-out couch, a TV, and a small yet fully equipped kitchen, complete with a full-sized fridge with a freezer, a dishwasher, and utensils, pots, and pans.

Off the open-concept kitchen and living room area was a tiny room with a set of bunk beds. Since it was just me, I set my carry-on suitcase on the bottom bunk to organize my clothing. A full bathroom featuring a shower, toilet, and sink was in the room next door. I also discovered a surprise luxury item that I rarely see in even the nicest hotels: a washer and dryer. It made me so happy to know that I could wash my clothing after the planned hike in the heat the following day. Finishing the tiny home tour at Escalante Escapes was the primary bedroom with a queen-sized bed (quite comfortable, I must say) and a flat-screen TV.

While there are no amenities to speak of aside from what’s in your tiny home, along with a small deck and personal fire pit just outside, that gives guests a chance to not be bothered by anything but the sounds of nature. There is strong WiFi, and the peaceful nature of the Escalante Escapes’ property can certainly help get you into a solid work flow, but you may choose instead to disconnect, make yourself a cup of tea, and take in the peaceful surroundings from the deck located through sliding doors off the living room.

Things to do near Escalante Escapes

A half-mile from Escalante Escapes is downtown Escalante, so it’s up to you to take a walk or a short drive to get to shopping and dining options. Dinner on our first night was at 4th West Pub, which has the only bar in town along Scenic Highway 12. Walking inside, there’s a small game room, dining areas, and, of course, the bar. We sat in a small dining room and ordered a variety of delicious appetizers, such as the garlic parmesan fries, the 4th West Loaded Nachos, and tortilla chips with queso blanco. For my main course, I opted for the California Street Tacos.

On our way to a guided hike at Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, we stopped for breakfast at Kiva Koffeehouse. Built into the side of a hill in Escalante in 1998 using natural materials, you’d barely know it was there along Scenic Byway 12 unless you were looking for it. Parking is on the roof of the building. From there, we descended a flight of stairs to the entrance while admiring the flowering gardens and mountain views along the way.

The inside is a blend of wood and stone and a rustic, almost historic feel with a kiva fireplace in the center of it all. (A kiva fireplace is a traditional Southwestern adobe-style fixture with rounded forms reflecting Pueblo and other Indigenous design influences.) A case displaying the day’s fresh-baked goods greeted us along with the friendly staff. As I sipped on the coffee I ordered, I reveled in the uniqueness of this place as I soaked in the mountain views from the large windows and checked out the art and wares for sale.

After coffee, we embarked on our hike in Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, which features a campground, the human-made Wide Hollow Reservoir for fishing and boating, a visitor center with displays and a gift shop, and several nature trails. What’s even more worthwhile to see here is the sheer amount of petrified wood found throughout the preserve.

My group was taken on a guided hike with Ranger Chad Jones, who probably knows this state park better than anyone. We started at a display featuring a 50-foot petrified tree, a rare find as its fully intact, and Jones gave us a history lesson before we trekked up a switchback trail to the top. At the top, we paused to take in the lovely panoramic views of the park’s lake and the town of Escalante. As we continued along, we began to see petrified wood scattered throughout the landscape, and it seemed to become more abundant the further along the trail we went.

We then came upon the whimsically named Sleeping Rainbow Trail, so named for the pieces of multi-colored petrified wood along the edge of the trail. Eventually, this trail led us to an overlook, and looking over the edge, we could see more pieces of petrified wood.

Hiking and other exploration are bound to keep appetites high while in Escalante. For a surefire lunch or dinner spot, look no further than Escalante Outfitters. In addition to being an outfitter that sells outdoor gear, offers adventure tours in the area, and has cabins and campsites for rent, Escalante Outfitters has an on-site restaurant with an incredible menu of gourmet pizzas, salads, and sandwiches (including vegetarian and gluten-free options). Just order from the counter, perhaps add one of the deliciously decadent bakery items from the case by the register, and have a seat either out on the patio or in the spacious dining room.

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For stargazing in style: Under Canvas Bryce Canyon

The last two nights of our Bryce Canyon Country tour brought us to a stay at Under Canvas Bryce Canyon, a well-known, everyone-wants-to-stay-here glamping resort. With Under Canvas as our new home base, we were now only 15 minutes from Bryce Canyon National Park, where further adventures awaited us. Not only is Under Canvas one of the best-known glamping brands in our country — with 14 locations throughout the US (four of which are in Utah) — but the Bryce Canyon location is a certified Dark Sky resort.

After checking in at the desk in the large main tent — which also houses the on-site restaurant, Embers, plus a dining room, coffee bar, and small gift shop — a staff member took us and our luggage to our tents via golf cart. Our driver stopped by each of our safari-style tents to give us the lay of the land, showed us how to tie back the canvas and allow air to flow through, and showed us how to use our in-tent wood stoves, which come in handy at night when the temperatures drop to 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are three tent types to reserve at Under Canvas Bryce Canyon: the Suite sleeps up to four people while the Hoodoo Suite can sleep up to six. I had the smallest option, the Stargazer, which can accommodate two. I still found it quite roomy with its queen-sized bed and split bathroom, with the toilet behind a wall on one side and the sink and shower on the other. There is a barn door to shut for privacy from the rest of the tent if needed.

The most interesting thing about the shower is that you have to pull a lever for the water to flow. If you stop pulling the lever, the water flow will stop. Being hooked up to a propane tank outside, it took only seconds for the water to heat up each time I pulled the lever. On the shower walls are pumps of eco-friendly shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

Dinner during our first night at Under Canvas was at Embers. We placed our order at the counter and sat at a table outside by the fire pits, watching as the sun dipped behind the mountains, and the air started to cool. Our friendly server, Kurt, left quite an impression on our group and was incredibly helpful with anything we needed. Delivered to our table was an abundance of dishes made with seasonal ingredients. From the falafel, grazing board, and fries to the burrata, roasted carrots, and marinated red beets, it was a feast for both the stomach and the eyes. I enjoyed the use of metal trays as though we were eating at a rustic campground. For dessert, we ordered the flourless chocolate torte, The Moon and Stars cheesecake, and the warm brown butter cake, which was the star of the show.

After dinner, we grabbed bags of complimentary s’mores kits by the front desk and roasted marshmallows as we talked about the trip. Once the sun had fully set, we started to see stars shimmering in the sky. As a certified Dark Sky resort, Under Canvas Bryce Canyon will host stargazing events for guests during the week. There was one scheduled for that night at 10 PM, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open, so I opted for bed.

Before heading to my safari tent, I stopped by the front desk for a hot water bottle to keep my bed warm at night. I decided not to light a fire in the wood stove, as I typically don’t like it too hot at night. However, I underestimated how cold I would be, and I woke up in the middle of the night shivering as I held onto the hot water bottle. I vowed to light a fire the next night.

As much as I enjoyed two nights at Under Canvas Bryce Canyon, there was no internet whatsoever and a very weak cell phone signal. While I understand the purpose of disconnecting and immersing yourself in nature, it was hard for me not to work for a couple of days as a remote worker. Everything else — from the accommodations to the staff, the food, and the natural surroundings — was well worth it.

Things to do near Under Canvas Bryce Canyon

Because our home base was now only 15 minutes away from Bryce Canyon National Park and the gateway town of Bryce Canyon City, we had easy access to several activities. On our first full day, we took a 90-minute trail ride on horseback with Ruby’s Horseback Adventures, located right in downtown Bryce Canyon City. After saddling up, we were guided through Dixie National Forest to the rim of the Water Canyon Amphitheater with incredible views of hoodoos.

During our second full day near Bryce Canyon, we had two adventures planned, starting with a UTV tour through Ruby’s ATV Tours. We were given gaiters to wear over our mouths and noses, goggles, and helmets before boarding our UTVs. I opted to drive a Polaris RZR as I’d driven one before. Our guide took us on a fun yet somewhat wild ride along ATV trails, some of which intersected with the horseback riding trails from the previous day. It was exhilarating, and the steep hills we climbed or descended were among the most nerve-wracking (in the best way possible).

Our second excursion of the day was a self-guided e-bike tour with rentals through Bryce Canyon EZ Riders, located at the Bryce Canyon Airport. It was easy to get set up with our bikes and helmets (if we wanted them; I opted for no helmet). Across the street from the airport was the bike path that would lead us through Bryce Canyon City and, eventually, into Bryce Canyon National Park. The ride was picturesque, especially the closer we got to the national park. The bike path led right into the park, bypassing the pay booth to get in. We rode past the visitor center, through the parking lot, and picked up the park’s bike path, which wound its way to one of our only stops: Sunset Point.

There, we parked our e-bikes and walked up the hill to an overlook. Noticing another path leading up a hill, I walked toward it and discovered iconic views of Bryce Canyon National Park, a panorama of beige and orange sandstone with hoodoos reaching for the sky — exactly what I’d come there for.

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