Camping Confidential: Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort

Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort is by far the most robust place in terms of amenities and activities that we have stayed at to date, and it isn’t even a campground! It is located just a few miles down the road from the east entrance of Zion National Park and offers so many activities on the property that you might not even want to leave the ranch. But you absolutely should because Zion National Park is definitely one of the most beautiful national parks to visit.

We found the east side of Zion National Park to be peaceful, relaxing, remote and less crowded, whereas the west side is much more touristy, with shops, groceries, restaurants, hotels, lodges, campgrounds and more. And that is most likely why Zion Ponderosa offers you so much within the resort, because the drive to the west side for supplies and such is about an hour.

When staying at Zion Ponderosa, you have so many options that can work with any budget. The property is definitely more of a resort than a campground. Whether you’re looking for rustic or luxury accommodations, or anything in between, they have you covered. With vacation homes, cabins, glamping tents, cowboy cabins and Conestoga wagons, as well as campsites for tents and RVs, the options are almost endless. The camping area for RVs offers full hookups but is very limited on spaces. There are only about 13 RV camp spots. One thing to note is that the resort has a no-dogs policy, except for folks camping in the RV and tent areas. Pets are not allowed inside any buildings on the property.

As far as things to do, you definitely won’t be bored at Zion Ponderosa. There is a lovely pool area with two pools, waterslides, two hot tubs and towels provided. If you like a bit more action, there are numerous Jeep, hiking, canyoneering and horseback riding tours — not to mention the biking, walking path, tennis courts, volleyball, basketball, paintball, shotgun range, bungee trampoline, climbing wall, zipline, game room and minigolf course! And, of course, there are playgrounds for the kids, too.

If you love animals, you are in for a treat because they have tons of wildlife! We woke up early one morning to a dozen deer all around our campsite. In addition to horses, they also have rabbits, chickens, pygmy goats and wild turkeys on the ranch. Sometimes the goats are just roaming freely to say hello or receive a nice pet.

Other amenities on-site include a coin-operated laundry, individual bathrooms with showers, a restaurant and gift shop. In the main office, you will find coffee, snacks, s’mores kits, quarters for laundry, the gift shop and minigolf equipment. Adjacent to the main office is a basketball court, playground and lovely outdoor area for sitting or eating. The Ponderosa Eats restaurant is connected to the main office, too. However, if you prefer other food options, there is a pool snack shack, catering, to-go menu and Grandma Ruth’s Country Dinner (available in summer only). And if all that wasn’t enough, the night sky is an absolute treat! There is no nearby light pollution, and the stars seem to multiply before your eyes. Experienced stargazers will fall in love immediately. But if you need some assistance finding the constellations, Zion Ponderosa offers a guided stargazing session complete with hot chocolate and a friendly staffer pointing out astronomical wonders.

We happened to visit during the month of March, when their camping area was just opening up for the season. Most of the days were on the chillier side, and we even got a few days of snow. But overall, the weather was great and definitely warmed up toward the end of the month. A few miles down the dirt road from Zion Ponderosa is the Zion Overlook Trail. It’s roughly a 6-mile round-trip trail that Spencer scouted out first and we decided to hike the next day. Of course, that night was one of the nights it snowed, but we ventured out anyway the next day and accomplished the hike with Kade in our Deuter child carrier and with our dog, Ruko, in a backpack. We highly recommend this hike, especially if you’re staying at the resort. It is a pretty easy hike with some moderate elevation changes, and the views along the way and at the end are incredible. The overlook is arguably the best view in Zion, as you can see down the length of the entire canyon. You can even see the famous Angels Landing trail from this vantage point. Even if you only want to hike part of the way, there are spectacular views just off the main trail. You don’t have to enter the park for this hike, and the foot traffic is generally low.

If you are an adventurous hiker, we also recommend hiking Angels Landing, located inside Zion National Park. It is a difficult and strenuous hike, suitable for adults and older children who aren’t afraid of heights. Thankfully, we had friends in town visiting us and we were able to take turns doing this hike. One day the girls hiked Angels Landing, and two days later the guys did. We both have small children who were not ready for this hike. Another thing to note is that you need a shuttle pass and now a trail-specific permit to hike Angels Landing. At the time we went, we did not secure a shuttle pass, so we all had to extend our hike by parking off the main road and hiking to the Angels Landing trailhead. It made for a long day, but the views and sense of accomplishment were well worth every mile that day.

We of course spent several days inside of Zion National Park, exploring and hiking. For the most part, we stayed on the east side of the park and also explored some incredible places nearby. Bryce Canyon, The Wave, Pink Coral Sand Dunes, Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon, Toadstools, Buckskin Gulch, Lone Rock Beach and Kanab, Utah, are all are within two hours of Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort.

If Zion National Park is on your list of places to visit, which it should be, we highly recommend staying at Zion Ponderosa!