Looking to wrangle up some authentic western fun? Saddle up and head to Bryce Canyon Country for down-home cookin’ and live country music, horseback riding, chuckwagons, dude ranches, and more. For western hospitality with a view, Bryce Canyon Country has it all.
The Wild West lives on in Bryce Canyon Country, so release your inner cowboy at a working cattle ranch in Escalante, or at the Rockin’ R Ranch & Lodge in Antimony. The Rockin R offers an authentic dude ranch experience complete with cattle drives, roping clinics, trail rides, hayrides for the kids, and down-home cooking followed by a real country hoedown. The Wild West Retreat also offers a taste of Old West comfort food at their rustic family-friendly retreat in Escalante, with Dutch oven dinners of epic cowboy proportions.
Good Eats, Music, and Entertainment
Enjoy an unforgettable evening of great country grub and foot-stompin’ country music with the Bar G Wranglers at Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill. Voted the ‘Best Place to Eat in Bryce Canyon National Park,’ Ebenezer’s all-inclusive package includes dinner, dessert, drinks, and entertainment. Work off the cowboy-size portions of hand-cut ribeyes and pulled pork smothered in Ebenezer’s HooDoo BBQ sauce with boot-scootin’ to the best country western entertainment in the county.
For more good eats, try The Cowboy Smokehouse Bar-B-Q in Panguitch with live country music on summer weekends, the Cowboy Buffet or Canyon Diner on the grounds of Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City, or dinner on a horse-drawn wagon at the Cactus Cowboy Restaurant in Hatch.
Horseback Riding
Saddle up and head to the rim of Bryce Canyon on a Ruby’s Horseback Adventure. Voted ‘Official Best of Utah’ in 2011, Ruby’s Horseback Adventures caters to all levels of riders–even ‘city folk’ who’ve never seen a horse before. Trot to the rim for an amazing overview of the amphitheater, ride amongst the hoodoos, or try the thrilling all-day Thunder Mountain adventure along sheer cliffs with breathtaking drop-offs. Wagon rides to the rim are great for all ages, and horse-drawn sleigh rides to the rim guarantee a western experience even in winter.
Other ways to experience Bryce Canyon Country on horseback include scenic trail rides amongst Red Canyon’s spectacular red rock hoodoos, galloping through the famous outlaw hideout Casto Canyon, or a trot through slot canyons so narrow you can reach your arms out and touch both walls right from your saddle. Try an adventurous pack trip or wagon ride with Riverside Resort. Or cowboy up for a week of backcountry fun with Red Rock ‘n Llamas famous Red Rock Ride.
Rodeos and Fairs
The cowboy spirit lives on in Bryce Canyon Country, and what better way to pay homage to its proud western heritage than with a rodeo? During summer rodeo season, you can watch bronco busters and steer-roping cowboys show off their skills at the Bryce Canyon Rodeo or get in on the action yourself by riding and roping bull at the Ruby’s Inn Rodeo Grounds. The Triple C Arena hosts several major rodeos each year, plus acclaimed team roping events, the NBHA Barrel Race, and the nationally sanctioned Little Britches Rodeo where future champs get to show off their riding and roping skills. In July, contestants come from all over North America to the Panguitch High School Invitational for a week of bronco bustin’ competition.
For Old West entertainment of epic proportions, don’t miss the highly anticipated Garfield County Fair, held every August for more than 75 years. This week-long event draws you into the true spirit of the west with rodeos and stunt shows, livestock sales, live music, and mouth-watering BBQ. The Working Ranch Horse Competition in Panguitch brings summer to a close with extreme horseman challenges, rodeos, western art, and Dutch-oven dinners.
