Stone Canyon Inn

Stone Canyon Inn is the most characterful place to stay near Bryce Canyon, and the antidote to the motels of the park gateway. It sits on a quiet hillside at 1380 West Stone Canyon Lane just outside the village of Tropic, about 11 miles from the park entrance on the eastern side of the plateau, and its east-facing deck looks back at the Pink Cliffs of the Bryce Amphitheater and Powell Point. From the property, guests can pick out the formations of Bristlecone Ridge, Sinking Ship and Fairyland, and on clear nights the sky is spectacularly dark. Accommodation comes in several styles. The cabins have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, sleep six, and include a full kitchen, a living room with a sofa bed and a private hot tub on the deck — perfect for families or two couples. The bungalows have one bedroom, a fireplace and a Murphy bed in the living room, sleeping four. The treehouses are a family favorite, with a king bed, large windows facing the red rock and a loft that sleeps two children. Deluxe king rooms are adults only, with a tiled shower, a soaker tub, a partial kitchen and a private patio. There is also a larger guest house. Most units have WiFi, a TV and kitchen basics. The on-site Stone Hearth Grille serves dinner, and is one of the best restaurants in the Bryce area. Summer rates are well above winter rates, so the cold months bring real value, and the inn promotes telescope tours with a local family stargazing business.

Staying in Tropic rather than at the park's northern gateway changes the trip. The town sits below the Bryce Amphitheater on Scenic Byway 12, so mornings start with a short drive up to the rim for sunrise, and evenings bring you back to a quiet valley with views of the cliffs you hiked that day. Tropic is also the natural base for exploring east along Byway 12 to Kodachrome Basin, Cannonville and Grand Staircase-Escalante, and for hikes like the Willis Creek Narrows, a gentle slot canyon the inn lists among its nearby adventures. Conde Nast Traveler named it one of the best U.S. places to get lost in the outdoors, and it is easy to see why.

Making the most of it. Book a cabin for the private hot tub and soak under the stars after a day on the trails; choose a treehouse if you have children; pick a deluxe king room for a quiet couples stay. Reserve dinner at the Stone Hearth Grille, which is open for dinner only, and arrange a telescope tour on a moonless night. Visit in shoulder seasons or winter for lower rates and an empty landscape, and keep in mind that the roads around Tropic can be snowy in winter.

Who should stay. Couples looking for a romantic retreat, families who want space and kitchens, stargazers and road-trippers heading east on Byway 12. The trade-offs are the drive to the park — about 20 minutes — and limited dining choices in Tropic. But for a peaceful, beautiful stay with the Pink Cliffs in view, Stone Canyon Inn is the best in the area.