The resort is very popular with residents of the valley, as well as families and tourists from the Washington, D.C. area, some 115 miles (185 km) away.

The ski area was opened as a year-round resort by Pete and Julie Brice in 1965, seeking to attract visitors drawn to the nearby Orkney Springs, and has been in operation ever since.

Facilities at Bryce include the main lodge with the Copper Kettle restaurant, a cafeteria (only open during ski season) inside the Shenandoah Center, an outside snack bar called Carter's Hutte, the Express Grill next to the pool, a full-service ski/bike rental and instruction operation,[3] a ski shop and a golf shop.

While alpine skiing and snowboarding are the most popular winter activities, the resort also offers an 800-foot-long (244 m) snow tubing run and an ice skating rink.

[6] In 2021 Bryce opened its 2-acre terrain park named Thunder Jug which is accessible off Red Eye near Lift 2.