The two-story lodge is built on a stone base with intentionally oversized log framing, creating a massive, rustic appearance.

[2][3][4] The main floor of the lodge comprises the lobby, a dining room, a small auditorium, a gift shop, kitchen and administrative and utility spaces.

[2] The Bryce Canyon Lodge was built by the Utah Parks Company, a subsidiary of the Union Pacific Railroad, and opened by T. E. Fitzgerald, a noted hotel manager in the region.

[5] The lodge was part of the railroad's project to develop tourist traffic to Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon by providing noteworthy destination hotels at each park.

The Union Pacific was following in the footsteps of other railroads' efforts to promote the western parks of the United States and Canada.

[2] Bryce Canyon Lodge is operated by Aramark, a park-management company selected and contracted by the National Park Service.