We arrived at Zion on a Thursday evening in mid-November'19 without any plans. The Zion South Campground is closed for the season at this time, which we were unaware of. We did not have a reservation, and the sign at the entrance said full. We drove around a bit anyway.
In the 'F' loop, which has access to the walk-in sites, we noticed a parking spot without a reservation tag. So we knocked on the door of the on-duty campground host to ask about its availability. Sure enough, it was a no-show and they allowed us to stay after paying the standard $20 fee. The host made sure to explain how rare this occurrence is and we shouldn't bet on it in the future. Worth a try though if you have no other plans!
It is a very short walk from the parking lot to the 'walk-in' campsites. Maybe a few hundred feet. Sites are pretty close together, and the walk-in sites do not have their own fire pit. Instead, they have a few communal fire pits with benches around.
The sites each have a nice flat tent pad, an awning for shade, a picnic table, and a bear box.
We camped off the second labeled mesa road/path - the one after Wire Mesa - I think it's labelled Grafton mesa? Drove pretty far down the mesa, maybe 2 miles, and found a great spot overlooking the valley.
This is challenging to get to coming from Rockville over the single-lane bridge (Bridge Rd). The section of the road that ascends to the mesa/butte is very rough. Lots of rocks, dips, washboard, etc. It is like this for maybe a mile? And then it turns into a fairly decent gravel road. We made it up and down in a Subaru Crosstrek, but I would recommend a higher clearance vehicle unless you are very comfortable in your vehicle.
Takes about 30 minutes to get from site to Zion.
Very worth it though! Not many people here in November. Much better experience than the tightly packed campgrounds south of Zion.
Sand Hollow is a beautiful man made lake with bright red sand and clear waters. This park allows for motorized and non motorized boats, off road vehicles, rentals, camping and dogs.
There are very limited spots by the water to camp, and fires are only allowed in specific fire rings. Outside firewood is not allowed. There is also an entrance fee to enter the park, National Park Passes will not work here.
There are nice day use areas, and areas designated for camping. Tents and RVs allowed, although most access roads are covered in thick sand. I would not recommend taking a low clearance vehicle. There is also a small restaurant for food and vault toilets for use.
You cannot camp around the entire lake. The back portion is fenced off, only allowing half of the lake to be occupied. I chose to camp as far away from the other campers by the backside of the lake. It was a very beautiful, sandy spot right by the water. However, it seemed like the other people staying at the park had no sense of respect or personal space. We set our tent up around 2:00pm and we constantly had ATV's, families with dogs off of the leash, fishermen etc walking/driving right through our site. This continued even through the night until quiet hours. Light and sound travel very well over this lake, so someone drunkenly singing with their buddies across the lake sounds like they are right next to you. People are driving their cars at all sorts of hours blinding you with the reflection off of the water. There are Park Rangers that drive around but don't seem to do anything. There was litter everywhere hidden in the sand. There are a couple of trees and bushes that provide some shade but I would recommend bringing a shade tent. There are also a couple of metal tables with attached chairs at some campsite locations.
This would be a beautiful location to visit for the day with your family. I would not recommend camping here overnight unless you don't enjoy personal space, respectful neighbors, quiet hours or humming RVs.
Not as good as camping in the park and twice as expensive this campground (in November) offered plenty of campsites on relatively level ground. The fire pits are prehistoric without any grates but… if you can’t get a spot in Zion… you’ll hopefully appreciate finding a spot here.
1st of November and no reservation… the campsite was full but the park let’s stragglers like myself camp together at one of the group campsites. Plenty of picnic tables and a large fire pit and a fire ring with cooking grate. The ground isn’t level at this site and it’s almost impossible to pound stakes into the packed earth without a iron mallet (thank you NEMO Meidr mallet)… so having one I was popular. Plastic stakes won’t work. Many campers loaded their tent with rocks to keep it from blowing away.
I haven’t stayed here yet, but I stayed close and hiked most of the trails over just a few days. This National Park is very underrated and I believe it is very well maintained. Home to one of the “hardest” trails in America, Angel’s Landing. I think it’s rated that because of how dangerous it can be, don’t let that discourage you though, anyone can do it! And the view at the end does NOT disappoint.
In my opinion, this campground is a means to an end… It's simply the most convenient place to camp if you want to take advantage of Zion and all the amazing hikes. We arrived super late because of traffic and the entrance to the park was closed so we couldn't get in to camp - we had to (illegally) sleep in our car until morning. The campground is right at the entrance and is nicely spaced out. In all honesty, we didn't spend much time at the site because we were out hiking the Narrows, Angels Landing, and anywhere else we could possibly wander. There's a great restaurant nearby inside the park, with a big grassy area out front. Mule deer everywhere!
Do yourself a favor and take the free shuttle to the Narrows, even if you only hike in a quarter mile (which most people do).
Literally just outside Zion NP had great views easy access for our Sprinter 2500 and we stayed here 2 nights in peace and happiness!
Short drive from Zion this was a nice spot on a high plane. We opted to camp under the beautiful stars rather than in the van here. Shaky rough drive up and down though, like jar your teeth shaky lol but was worth it.
This is a great campground. Backs up against the Virgin River. Just a few minutes from Zion NP and St George. Pet friendly and kid friendly. Lots of shade trees. Clean pool and hot tub. Market on site with very reasonable prices.
Not sure what all the fuss is about with this place. Tiny, dusty/dirty, uneven, noisy sites with a concrete plant right behind it that is sure to bring you closer to nature with backup alarms and mixer trucks waking you up. Live in campers on both sides of spot (B15), one with a dog whining all day and the other propped up on wooden blocks. I will give this campground two stars, the first star is for the close proximity to the entrance to Zion and the 2nd star is for clean bathrooms and showers. It got the job done but next time through here we will look for a different spot.
This campground is a two minute walk to the Zion National Park Visitor Center, which is also the first shuttle stop into the park. We had a walk in tent site which had a sun structure, picnic table, and a metal box to safely store food from critters. The mule deer often could be seen in the campground. There were flush toilets and a dish washing station close by and the sites were spaced for privacy. They also had lovely views of the Watchman overlooking the campground. We loved it!
Watchman is located just inside the main southern entrance for Zion National Park. It’s a large national park site with multiple loops and hundreds of campsites. The sites are best suited for tent campers and small trailers or vans. They also have park and walk in tent sites. The campground is along the creek which runs through the park. The views from the camp are simply breathtaking and remind me of Yosemite. The hiking trails are world class and shuttle buses system runs within the campground. The sites are very clean and well maintained as well as the other facilities which are first rate including the restrooms, showers, and information centers. The park staff are truly amazing and have to deal with huge crowds throughout the year. They have guard gate at the camp entrance of the camp for passes and traffic control. The park has visitors from around the globe and its proximity to Las Vegas and St George makes for a great day trip. Some of the sites have privacy with small trees and brush depending on your spot. You will have access to fresh water and supplies. You will need a reservation to camp here given the popularity. Zion is an absolute must see and highly recommended. We plan on coming back in the Spring.
Quail Creek State Park consists of a decently sized reservoir surrounded by beautiful orange sand dunes. The campgrounds are nice and clean, all paved, and provide most amenities that one could need. This is definitely a place best utilized if you have ATV’s/UTV’s and a boat. But, if you don’t, there is still great beaches and places to cliff jump!
This is average private roadside RV campground located on the main highway heading into Zion National Park from the east. The site has decent facilities with a gas station and cafe located across the street. If you are planning to stage and enter Zion early in the morning this may be a good one night stay for you. The site was a bit busty and noisy from the highway traffic. The setup is an open parking lot with electrical and water hookups. If you are out of options and want to camp close to the National Park this may be a last resort for some. The main attraction here is the proximity to the east entrance of Zion.
Zion National Park lives up to its rating. This has to be one of the beautiful places in Western United States. The drive in from the Eastern entrance is simply incredible and full of epic photo ops. Zion reminds me of Yosemite Valley in some ways. The park is located near some large population areas in Southwest Utah and Nevada. So it can get very crowded at times, especially give the limited capacity of the roadways and parking. So you will need to plan your visit carefully.
The campground is easily accessible and located along the shuttle routes. The campground views are some of the best we have seen during our travels. The facilities are very good and hiking trails runs through the camp. Like many National Parks, you will not have much privacy at your site but the views and the hikes more than make up for it. The focus here is tent camping but you can park a small van or camper in many of the sites. The visitor center and park staff were outstanding. We also enjoyed the diversity of visitors from around the world. It’s clear Zion and Southern Utah is on a lot of bucket lists. This camp is very popular and full most of the year. So you will need reservations and a plan to beat the traffic coming into the park. We are planning to come back and spend more time in this beautiful place.
Decently spaced out sites (though it varies) with good trees for shade but no privacy. Sites near river are optimal for views and night time privacy and the sound of the stream, but during the day expect to have a lot of trail walkers go by.
Chances are high you will see loads of Mule deer at camp. Views of the canyon at sunset are outstanding.
Absolutely beautiful a hikers paradise the deer walked right through our campsite in the evening Go!
Gravel road with many off shoots with camp sites. Many sites are right on the rim with beautiful views of Zion. One bathroom located at the first trailhead.
Site #17. Campground sits right on the lake. We were there on a 75 degree day. Beware no shade and can be windy.
Spacious spots with trees all around. We tent camped. All spots pretty flat. Tables and fire rings at each site. Very short drive to the lake.
By fluke on my honeymoon we booked at this campground.! SO glad we did! My family and I absolutely LOVE it!! It’s fun of all sorts, kayaking, lake beach, boating, cliff jumping, bbq, off-roading everywhere!!! And the beauty that surrounds is unreal!!
Also a GREAT restaurant down in town called Main Street is a must!!
There was very little privacy between sights. Bathrooms were okay. Noisy.
We love camping here and come often. We would usually visit between the months of March-Early November. Spring and fall bring sunny days and cool evenings and mornings. During the warmer summer months we take to the water. The temperature is always a bit cooler than in town. There are no fees but also no amenities. So please, if you pack it in then you need to pack it out. Bring plenty of water for drinking and cleaning. Make sure to plan ahead for bathroom/ shower needs as those are not available. If you follow the river you can find some spots with good shade. We usually find a spot near to the river in lower sunset, some spots around the bends are deep enough to swim. There is a lot of hiking nearby as well as horse trails. The kids really enjoyed hunting for crawdads, watching the tadpoles/frogs, and the cows as they would cross through for water. The nights are dark and allows for an awesome night of stargazing.
This campsite is conveniently located inside Zion Park. It is nice because unlike the other campground it is on a two week rolling reservation so you don’t have to plan 6 months out—downside is it fills up quickly. We camped in a tent spot right by the trail and a short walk to the virgin river. Pros: decent shade (for Zion) and easy access to the water. Cons: ridiculous amounts of ants (from what I could tell most of the spots near the trail/river have that problem). I was stoked to wake up under the red cliffs and be able to relax in the river for sunset. Ants were definitely a headache but considering the views we made the most of it. Also plenty of deer roam through the campground adding to its beauty.
Clean showers and toilets. Trees for shade. Pet area with dog bags. Conveniently located off the highway but the downside is you can hear the highway. Sites are pretty close to each other. Good for a stopover
This campground has easy access to All the Cedar Breaks National Monument has to offer! Great sites, although my only complaint is that they are pretty close to one another. Also, there’s only one bathroom which is no fun when you REALLY gotta go. Beautiful views from most sites. Located at 10,000 feet it does get chilly at night. Would stay here again, but maybe on a weekday.
I’ve stayed at the campground many many times. It’s a nice escape from the summer heat. The sites are nicely separated compared to some of the other campgrounds up highway 14. Clean bathrooms with pit toilets. No cell reception (which I appreciate, but some might not). It is close to the highway and you hear cars going by all day. However, it’s quiets down at night. There’s a creek that runs through the campground too!
Brilliant free BLM campsite - we loved it so much we stayed 2 nights.
No facilities nearby - we used the showers and restrooms at Zion Outfitters. There are some pre built fire pits already dotted around.
The drive up was a little sketchy - definitely need a high clearance vehicle for the upper plateaus. A car might have been ok on some of the lower spots but the road is very uneven.
Spectacular views and the star gazing was incredible.