Visiting Bryce Canyon Country with a Wheelchair

Accessibility in Bryce Canyon National Park

​    Did you know you can walk or roll to see hoodoos that are estimated to be 60 million years old? That’s right Bryce Canyon is known for its otherworldly hoodoos and has fully accessible trails and viewpoints so everyone can take in the sights.
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     My first step when planning any national park trip is to go to the park’s website. Some are more helpful than others and Bryce Canyon National Park is an example of a job well done. They list trails, viewpoints and even created a video! You can also stop at the visitor center and talk with a ranger. I Find when I explain our limitations and goals, we get better recommendations.

     You have the option to drive into the park and utilize handicap parking spaces or take the wheelchair accessible shuttle. I would make that decision depending on the time of year you visit and how busy the park is! The shuttle is free and will pick you up and drop you off at your campground or hotel if you choose one of the recommendations below.

     If you are planning a national park trip and have a disability, check out the Access Pass. It is a free lifetime pass to national parks and so much more! You can apply in person or online and have it mailed to you for $10 to avoid the delay the day of entry to a park. 

Where to stay in Bryce Canyon Country

​     We stayed at Ruby’s Inn RV Park and Campground, and it was the perfect place to stay! They have accessible shower areas with chairs you can transfer into and restrooms. The sites were all very clean and level. If you have been camping you will know how important that is for wheelchair users and caregivers if you are doing transfers. I once fell in a pothole while carrying Robbie to our camper because a site was so unlevel. The sites are wide and flat at this park, which is so much safer.
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     We visited in October just after the campground closed their pool for the season. If you stay during this time you can go to their hotel next door Best Western Plus- Ruby’s Inn and get a guest key to access the indoor pool and hot tub! There were lifts and very large shower areas here as well! It was a great break for our son who loves water to burn some energy before bedtime.

Favorite inclusive activities in the area

     Riding in a 6-seater OHV with Ruby’s Inn ATV Tours may have been the most fun adventure our family has been on yet! We did an hour-long guided tour. You first drive to the rim of the canyon overlooking hoodoos then get to do some fun trails. The unique thing about this experience was they were so willing to adapt our adventure for our children to be included safely. We used a 5 pt harness for our son and a car seat for our daughter who was 11 months old at the time. This was the perfect quick adventure! The staff here was particularly wonderful. When we pulled back in, they instructed us to drive our OHV directly to our truck so transferring our son would be easier. So often I feel like the smallest details make the largest impact.  Our trip was full of smiles and giggles from our entire family.

     Something you don’t want to miss is the dinner show at Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill. If you like country music and good food this is a must-do experience. When we purchased our tickets, we made sure to let them know our son was in a wheelchair and our daughter used a highchair. This ensured we got the best seating option for our family. The Bryce Canyon Wranglers were such a joy to meet. One of them came over without hesitation to make sure if we needed any help getting through the line to get dinner, we got it! We ordered steak dinners, and our daughter had an adult chicken meal. Dinner shows aren’t usually known for great dining, and the quality of food was a pleasant surprise for us. We sang along to our favorite songs during the show and got up to dance with our kids. Our son is nonverbal but he had the biggest smile and was dancing flapping his hands to the music. We could see how much he loved this.
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If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask me or their local tourism board. Bryce Canyon Country sponsored this trip and experiences for our family to share!