by Matt, Oct 2021
Many people visit Bryce Canyon for a day and move on to another national park, like Zion or the Grand Canyon. But don’t overlook the entire area surrounding Bryce!
Bryce Canyon is part of “Canyon Country,” which is also an ATV playground. If you’re looking to add some adventure to your Bryce Canyon itinerary, consider renting an ATV.
There are 5 companies in the Bryce Canyon area that offer ATV rentals or guided tours. Rentals generally cost about $100 per hour per rider, depending on the size of your group and the kind of machine you rent. Machines include 4-wheelers, side-by-sides, and dirtbikes). Guided tours generally cost between $45-$80 per person per hour. These are usually slower single-file rides.
You cannot ride ATVs inside Bryce Canyon National Park, but don’t worry: there are places nearby that are extremely scenic and fun as well.
There are many more details to cover, so keep on reading!
In this post we will cover:
Quick Recommendations
ALL the companies are getting generally favorable reviews online. One complaint I saw a few times were from reviewers who said the machines were old and outdated.
Keep on reading for more information about these companies and the trails you can ride on.
Ruby’s Inn practically owns the area surrounding Bryce Canyon. It’s a resort that offers lodging, camping, and ATV, horseback, and helicopter tours.
They only offer guided ATV tours, and yet it’s still quite affordable. Costs range from $80-160 per person.
The advantages of Ruby’s Inn are that it’s close to Bryce Canyon and the rides are short and affordable.
The drawback to Ruby’s Inn is that the trail they ride on isn’t very scenic. The ride goes through the forested Paunsagunt Plateau (the rim area above Bryce Canyon, and just outside the park — kind of bland) and ends at Water Canyon.
Water Canyon is a nice overlook that is basically the northern end of Bryce Canyon, so it looks similar to Bryce, but not nearly as stunning. Don’t get me wrong; it’s good — but there are more scenic options around.
But if time, convenience, and just going for a ride are your priorities, this is for you.
Watch this video to see what it’s like (the end of the ride is Water Canyon):
Bryce Wildlife Adventure only offers rentals, NOT guided tours.
If that worries you, don’t let it; they will give you maps and the trails are extremely well-marked. It would be hard to get lost in this area.
They do NOT offer traditional 4-wheelers (where you straddle the seat). They only offer Polaris Rangers, which ride like a mini-jeep and seat 4 people.
This is another reason why you can do it on your own: the side-by-sides are very easy to drive.
The price is about $300-400 per rental, depending on the length of time. But if you have 4 people in your group, the cost per person ends up being about $100 for a 4-hour rental. That’s a good deal for that amount of time.
Bryce Canyon ATV Adventures offers guided tours AND rentals.
One nice thing about their guided tours is that the cost for passengers is cheaper; so you’ll save money with more people in your party. The prices below are for the driver.
Guided tour options include:
Rental options:
American ATV Rentals only offers rentals, NOT guided tours.
They have ATVs, dirtbikes, and side-by-side rentals.
It’s located in Panguitch, and riders can just drive out directly from Panguitch onto some ATV trails. Where you can go depends on how long you rent the vehicle. Trails include Casto Canyon and the Fremont Trail.
Rental options range from 2-hour ATV rentals costing $150 per person to 2-day rentals costing $550. Prices are higher for side-by-sides.
Kanab Tour Company is not located very close to Bryce Canyon, but I put it on here because it offers guided tours starting in Kanab, Utah, and ending at Bryce Canyon.
This is an all-day ride and might be for you if you’re staying in Kanab, Utah, nearly 1.5 hours away from Bryce Canyon by car (so, much longer on an ATV).
And since this is an all-day guided adventure, you’ll pay quite a bit more: around $450-660 per person.
They also offer tours to Zion, Lake Powell, and the Grand Canyon.
| Company | Length | Cost | Guided? | Company Location | Destination | Kind of ATV |
| Ruby’s Inn | 1 hour | $80- $160 | Yes | Bryce City | Water Canyon | ATVs, side-by-sides |
| Bryce Wildlife Adventure | 2-4+ hours | $300- $400 | No | Bryce City | Not listed, but maybe Casto Canyon | Side-by-sides (4 seaters) |
| Bryce Canyon ATV Adventures | 1 hr to all-day | $45- $200 | Yes and No (both) | Bryce City (Airport) | Casto Canyon | ATVs |
| American ATV Rentals | 2 hrs to multi-day | $150- $1100 | No | Panguitch | Around Panguitch, Casto Canyon | ATVs, side-by-sides, dirtbikes |
| Kanab Tour Company | All-day ride from Kanab to Bryce | $450- $660 | Yes | Kanab | Bryce Canyon | ATVs, pickup trucks |
We bring our own ATV to Bryce Canyon (actually, it’s my dad’s).
We’ve stayed at Ruby’s Inn, and from Ruby’s Inn we can hop in the side-by-side Polaris Ranger and connect to the nearby trails directly.
Ruby’s Inn even offers free ATV trail maps so you know where you’re going. This website is a MUST.
To get to ANY of the trails directly from Ruby’s Inn, you must drive across the street by the Sinclair and connect to the trail behind the Sinclair. Head South, then cross the street again to access hundreds of miles of trails.
If you want to go for longer rides, you might be able to connect all the way over to the popular Casto Canyon or Fremont Trail from one of the nearby trails, but you should check with someone at Ruby’s Inn.
And if you’re staying anywhere other than Ruby’s Inn and want to explore trails beyond, the Garfield County website is an incredible resource for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ATV trails in the area.
Dave’s Hollow Loop is a very short and easy ATV trail behind Ruby’s Inn. It’s great for beginners and kids.
Coyote Hollow Loop is located beyond Dave’s Hollow Loop, and there is a trailhead right by Highway 12 in Red Canyon. You should be able to connect to it from Ruby’s Inn via the Dave’s Hollow Loop area, then turn onto Forest Service Road 091 just north of Tropic Reservoir. Just check with someone at Ruby’s Inn.
Badger Creek Loop is about 25 miles long and takes 1.5 hours to drive. It’s located right by Tropic Reservoir, and I know for sure you can access this from Ruby’s Inn because I’ve done it.
Casto Canyon is administered by the Forest Service and is a very scenic ride through a canyon full of hoodoos, kind of like Bryce Canyon.
This is a very popular place to ride. Bryce Canyon ATV Adventures will take you there on their popular 3-hour drive.
The Fremont Trail connects Tropic Reservoir to Circleville, and spans for over 65 miles! It also connects to Casto Canyon.
Getting to Powell Point requires trailering your ATV to Pine Lake, just off of Johns Valley Road (just north of Bryce Canyon).
The ride is only about 20 miles round trip, and you’re rewarded with an opportunity to take a short hike to Powell Point, well over 10,000 feet in elevation.
But the drawback is you have to get your ATVs to Pine Lake by hauling them in a trailer.
There are sooooo many ATV trails in Bryce Canyon Country! Here are some resources to help you plan your ride:
Yes! If you want ALL the secrets to have an amazing trip to Bryce Canyon, check out our Bryce Canyon Travel Guide.
We give you a step-by-step guide to see the BEST of Bryce and it comes with an audio guide to tell you all about it while you drive through the park!
It’s just like having a tour guide in your car, only it’s WAY cheaper!
We also have travel guides to nearby Zion National Park as well as the Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef, and other locations. Get them here! Keep reading for more resources to Bryce Canyon.
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