Bar 10 Ranch 

Our visit to Bar 10 Ranch in Utah is probably Mark’s best adventure find. Who wouldn’t want to sleep in a covered wagon close to the Grand Canyon North Rim? He showed me a few pictures and I was all in. 

He read about it on an RZR side-by-side vehicle forum. It didn’t take much research for us to decide we needed to go. Mark’s cousin Keith and his wife, Linda, who are also FMCA members, joined us for this adventure. The ranch sits outside the Grand Canyon National Park boundaries, meaning it is a lot less crowded. It’s also not readily accessible, which cuts the crowd even more. And, it’s close to one of the only access trails down to the river along the rim outside the park.

The plan was to camp in Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane, Utah, and RZR down to the ranch. The ride was 136 miles, with a few stops along the way.We tied a small suitcase down on the RZR, packed some snacks and drinks, and headed out for our adventure. Our first stop was an old abandoned building. We peeked in to find the floors mostly intact and the roof in okay shape. There was a potbellied stove in one corner. I think it may have been a worship space for ranchers in the area in the early 1900s. Our next stop was the historic Mount Trumbull Schoolhouse, built in 1922. This building also served as a church, dance hall, and town gathering place until 1966. Arsonists burned the original building in 2000, but people wasted no time rebuilding it using the original specs, bell included. It was fascinating to walk through. The committee in charge of the rebuild contacted school families for books, assignments, report cards, photographs, and more to include in the new building. We did enjoy playing on the playground; it had been a long time since we’d been on a teeter-totter!

We ventured up the Mount Trumbull Loop to the remains of the Mount Trumbull Sawmill.  This sawmill produced much of the lumber needed for the first Mormon Temple in St. George, Utah.  Nothing remains from the mill, but we walked along a path that marked where different parts of the mill had been.It was time to head to the ranch.  We went back down the mountain to the old schoolhouse and made the left turn that would take us directly to the ranch. Once we hit 120 miles, both Keith and Mark were watching the gas gauge closely. We were sure we could make it, pretty sure.  We also had more weight with our overnight bag. A few more turns, pretty scenery, and lots of rocks later, we arrived!

First, a little history. Bar 10 started as a cattle ranch in the early 1970s and still is an active cattle ranch. In the mid-70s, they worked with Canyon raft ride companies to offer lodging and a flight out to vacationers at the end of their 7-day raft ride. Together as a family, they trucked in and build dormitories and later added the covered wagons for a more private stay. We were greeted warmly and shown to our covered wagons. These were real wagons from the 1800s — very cool.  The bed took up most of the space, with a bench across the foot and a small LED lantern hanging from the top of the canvas cover. There are also a few “dilly deluxe” wagons that would be perfect for a family with children to stay in. Mark and Keith gassed up the RZRs while Linda and I put our stuff in our wagons.

We got back into the RZRs; this time it was a short trip to the Grand Canyon rim. The river bends at this spot, which gave us a great vantage point to look up and down river. We could see the trail that rafters used to hike up. Looking left, we saw small rapids. I bet they were bigger in the spring.  Looking right, we saw the gentle flow out of sight. We watched as a group of rafters navigated the rapids.  Mark got some great shots with his drone.  He even flew it out over the water.We headed back to the ranch, and we walked around to check everything out. They have a basketball court, cornhole, table tennis, and horseshoes ready to play.  You can also practice your roping skills on their practice steer. The lodge is big, with a giant fireplace, long tables to eat at and play games, and cozy couches to sink into. Outside, there are lots of places to relax in the shade or sun and a small outdoor amphitheater for nighttime entertainment. Underneath the lodge are restrooms and shower rooms. This level is also where the caught critters live, by that I mean snakes. Lucky us; it was feeding day. We watched as a snake tracked the little mouse. I couldn’t watch it all; I left as soon as the snake got it. Meals are included and served buffet style along the bar that separates the kitchen from the guest space. Dinner this night wasn’t steak from their cattle, but it was still delicious. After dinner we sat on the patio looking up at the stars. So many stars.

It was a cold night; I was glad Mark got a sleeping bag to use as an extra blanket. We zonked hard. Morning came early. We got dressed and headed inside for breakfast. They’ve laid out a nice path that loops around the other side of the wagons. It marks different plants native to this part of the Arizona Strip. We packed up and loaded the RZR and headed out for our 100+ mile ride back to the RV. Mark had plotted a different return route.  He is a fabulous “Julie McCoy, Cruise Director” (from “The Love Boat”), and this time he knocked it out of the park. While I know I couldn’t sleep every night in a covered wagon, I know now I can do two or three nights. We’ve talked about going back, and I hope we do. 

 

Meet the Family I’m Maureen Milne, F446881.  Mark and I are becoming empty nest veterans and you know what, we enjoy it!  We are always on the lookout for the next adventure, our friends call us the X-Games family. We are avid hikers, cyclists and skiers (both snow and water).  Mark does triathlons and we run several races a year.  We’ve been RVing together since we were teenagers and we love traveling with our two grown sons.  I share our RV adventures, RV friendly recipes, wonderful campgrounds and more on my blog, M&M Hit The Road.  You can also find our fun on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.