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BRYCE, Garfield County — Bryce Canyon National Park officials say private stock riding is increasing "significantly" at the park.
There were 923 applications filed last year by people seeking to ride a horse or mule through parts of the scenic national park, utilizing the more than 5 miles of open trails to private and wrangler-led rides. That might be just a fraction of the more than 2.4 million visits Bryce Canyon recorded last year, but it's also a 644% increase from the 124 applications filed in 2015.
This increase is why the park is now planning to put private horse/mule ride applications online. Bryce Canyon National Park superintendent Jim Ireland said the change will modernize and simplify the application process.
Beginning this year, horse and mule riders will need to go through Recreation.gov to reserve a private stock ride in the park. Trips for up to 10 riders will be available every half-hour from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. from May through October, weather and trail conditions permitting.
Reservations can be made on the website beginning April 1. While the page has not yet gone online, park officials say there will be a $1 processing fee per reservation, which will cover the cost of online services.
The new method will replace the outgoing process, for which people needed to call or email park staff during regular business hours to request permission to ride in the park. Ireland said the change also allows riders the ability to view availability at any moment.
"This change aligns our private horse rides with the digital pass and campground reservation options already available on Recreation.gov," he said in a statement. "It also gives private stock owners the ability to better plan their visit."
Park officials first proposed the change in December, when new campground fees were announced.
Recreation.gov is the federal government's online planning and reservation platform, supporting 14 federal agencies. Many outdoor sites managed by the National Park Service, Bureau and Land Management and U.S. Forest Service have switched to it for outdoor recreation permits since it launched in 2002.
