The wonderland of Bryce Canyon will take splendid new forms with seasons’ change, and as colder airs arrive to blanket the warm glow of its rocks in the boreal blues and whites of wintertime, other changes in the park will be seen as well.
During the winter season, some facilities and amenities will be closed or have their operating hours reduced. The park Visitor Center and Bookstore will be open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. beginning October 2nd and change to winter hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning November 6th. Sunday, December 25th, is the only day that the park Visitor Center will remain closed.
On September 19th, Bryce Canyon Shuttle will begin running at 8:00 a.m., with the last bus entering the park at 5:15 p.m. The final day of service this season will be Sunday, October 23rd.
The concessions facilities, operated by Forever Resorts Inc., will begin closing on October 7th. This year, Valhalla Pizzeria will close for one month beginning Sunday, October 7th until Monday, November 7th when it will reopen to serve Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner for the duration of the winter season. Effective October 17th, the General Store will begin closing at 5:00 p.m. daily. Public showers/laundry facilities will close for the season on Friday, October 28th, and two days later on October 31st, the General Store will also close its doors until Spring. The restaurant and gift shop located in the historic Bryce Canyon Lodge will close for the season after serving breakfast on Sunday, November 6th. Lodging at the Sunset Motel building will remain open through the winter.
North Campground Loop A will also remain open for the winter season, but loops B-D, Sunset Campground, and the North Campground dump station will close in mid-October or earlier if overnight temperatures drop dramatically.
The final day for horseback and mule rides operated by Canyon Trail Rides will be October 31st, unless weather dictates an earlier closing.
Bryce Canyon National Park’s main road will remain open but will be subject to temporary road closures following heavy snowfall, while the Fairyland Point and Paria View roads will be closed to vehicular traffic and left un-plowed for cross-country skiers and snowshoeing. Cross-country skiing is permitted above the canyon rim, however no skiing, snowboarding or other sliding is allowed below the rim. Hikers are encouraged to prepare by dressing warmly and hiking with snowshoes or under-boot traction devices. Those planning hikes below the rim are encouraged to check with the Visitor Center for weather updates.
Come enjoy the wintertime at Bryce Canyon, as the landscape is transformed, and some of its most striking vistas are on display. The reopening of closed facilities at Bryce Canyon will coincide with the start of Spring Season on April 1st, 2017.
Additional information can be obtained at www.nps.gov/brca or by calling the park’s information line at (435) 834-5322.
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Kathleen Gonder, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Information, Bryce Canyon National Park, 435-834-4740 office, 435-690-0084 cell