BRYCE CANYON CITY — After attending “Mule Days” events all around the country, Tropic residents Merilee and Mclain Mecham could not understand why Utah had not joined in on the tradition. However, the Mechams aim to remedy this with the inaugural “Bryce Canyon Mule Days” taking place Thursday through Saturday in and around Tropic.

“There is no other place in the country to ride trails that show so much diversity in the scenery,” Merilee Mecham said.

The Mechams knew their hometown of Tropic would be an ideal location to show off the beauty of Utah through a Mule Days event.

“Our town is so lucky to have the access to places like the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Dixie National Forest.”

The Mechams own an outfitter in Tropic and have plenty of experience taking visitors on rides through Garfield County. With the help of the Garfield County Tourism Office, the couple decided to put on the event themselves.

“My husband and I are excited to welcome the community of Mule Days attendees to Utah and show our friends how gorgeous Utah’s terrain and views are,” Merilee Mecham said.

The Bryce Canyon Mule Days event will feature all-day rides Thursday and Friday and half-day rides Saturday, all of which will highlight the areas around Bryce Canyon National Park. Spots will include Red Canyon, Willis Creek, Henderson Canyon and Powell Point.

For those who want to come but are not able to bring their own mule, nearby outfitters are available to help complete the experience.

Other activities will include arena events, clinics and a Saturday night concert by Brenn Hill at the Red Rock City Barn.

“We are really excited to host Utah’s first Mule Days event,” Merilee Mecham said. “We hope everyone enjoys their time and we can continue on the tradition in following years.”

Check-in begins Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Tropic Heritage Center, just off Main Street. The center will also have information about activities, events and ways to get involved. For more information and to register, click here.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews