Bryce Canyon Lodge facts for kids
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Bryce Canyon Lodge and Deluxe Cabins
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Bryce Canyon Lodge
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 Location in Utah
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah |
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| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Gilbert S. Underwood |
| Architectural style | National Park Service Rustic |
| MPS | Bryce Canyon National Park MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001339 (NHL), 95000434 (HD boundary increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 28, 1987 (NHL), April 25, 1995 (HD boundary increase) |
| Designated NHL | May 28, 1987 |
Imagine staying in a historic lodge right inside a national park! The Bryce Canyon Lodge is a special place to stay in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, United States. It was built almost 100 years ago, between 1924 and 1925. The lodge was designed by a famous architect named Gilbert Stanley Underwood.
This lodge is a great example of "National Park Service rustic" style. This means it looks like it grew right out of nature, using lots of wood and stone. It's the only building Underwood designed for Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon that still looks exactly like it did when it was first built.
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What Makes Bryce Canyon Lodge Special?
The lodge is a two-story building. It has a strong stone base and huge log beams. This gives it a very big and natural look. The main part of the building was finished in 1924. Later, in 1926, more sections were added.
When you enter the lodge, you walk across a long porch. The roof of this porch is held up by a giant log beam, about 52 feet (16 meters) long! The lodge has a heavy, steeply sloped roof covered in shingles.
Inside the Lodge
On the main floor, you'll find the lobby, a dining room, and a small theater. There's also a gift shop and other important areas. The dining room and theater have tall ceilings with exposed log beams. The lobby has beautiful wooden details.
You'll see big fireplaces made of rough stone in the lobby and the theater. The fireplace in the lobby has a cool pointed arch shape.
The Unique Roof
The roof of the lodge is very interesting. It has a special shingle pattern designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood. The bottom edges of the shingles create wavy patterns across the roof. This makes the roof look like it's moving or warped! This unique design is on the main lodge and the cabins too. Whenever the roof is replaced, they make sure to copy this original wavy pattern. This keeps the special look created by the first builders.
Cozy Cabins
Near the main lodge are smaller buildings called "deluxe cabins." There are five buildings with four rooms each, and ten buildings with two rooms each. These cabins have stone chimneys and log siding. This makes them look like they are built from whole logs.
The cabins also have porches with log railings. Inside, you can see the wooden beams that support the roof. They also have stone fireplaces and original wood paneling. There used to be other types of cabins, but they have been removed.
A Look Back in Time: History
The Bryce Canyon Lodge was built by the Utah Parks Company. This company was part of the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad wanted to bring more tourists to Bryce Canyon, Zion, and the Grand Canyon. So, they built impressive hotels in each park.
Construction on the Bryce Canyon Lodge began in 1924. It opened in the summer of 1925. More guest rooms were added in 1926, and the theater in 1927. The second floor of the lodge was once used as a dormitory for the women who worked there. Most of the cabins were built by 1927, with more deluxe cabins added by 1929.
Today, the lodge is managed by a company called Forever Resorts. The Bryce Canyon Lodge and its deluxe cabins were named a National Historic Landmark on May 28, 1987. This means they are very important historic places in the United States. The area around the lodge was made even larger in 1995 to include more historic buildings.
