Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit St. George? Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. These scenic and easy-to-reach Utah campsites are perfect for your horse camping excursion.
Reservations for South Campground are available up to 14 days before your arrival and may extend up to two days beyond this 14-day booking window. For visitors to Zion National Park, South Campground is an ideal place to stay. Located near the park's south entrance, the campground is just a short walk from the main visitor center, the Zion Canyon Shuttle System and the adjacent town of Springdale. The canyon and most of the park's trails are only accessible by shuttle bus from approximately the end of February until the end of November each year. Season Dates: South Campground is open from early March to the end of October. Reservations are available up to 14 days before your arrival. For example, if you want to make a reservation for March 14 to 16, you may book this reservation beginning on March 1. Reservations that extend beyond the 14 day booking window cannot be altered. For reservations more than 14 days ahead of arrival, please check Watchman Campground which offers reservations six months in advance of arrival.
Hikers can access three trails directly from the facility: the Watchman Trail, a moderate trail that ascends the peak behind the campground; the Archeology Trail, which offers a light hike to an archeological site; and the Pa'rus Trail, a paved walking and biking trail that runs alongside the river, and the only trail in the park that allows dogs. The Zion visitor center and the park shuttles are a short walk from the campground. Many popular rock climbing routes are within a short shuttle bus ride into the main canyon. Use of OHVs and ATVs is prohibited in Zion National Park.
Zion is known for its dynamic geologic history. The South Campground and Amphitheater were built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the early 1930s. The project was completed and opened to the public in the spring of 1935. The Virgin River, a narrow but powerful river that has carved out the canyon over time, runs adjacent to the site. Cottonwood trees surrounding the campsite turn golden in the fall. Although the campground is moderately forested, most of the campsites are in partial to full sun but visitors can cool off in the cold river when temperatures peak during summer. Be Advised: The months of April and May bring an unusual infestation of Tent Caterpillars, which fall from trees onto tents, tables, and unsuspecting campers and can make it quite uncomfortable to sit outside. The months of July and August in particular bring a higher concentration of ants in the campsites, which seem to come out especially after the monsoons, but are present all summer long. August and September bring yellowjackets. Insecticidal treatment by visitors is not permitted.
The town of Springdale has shopping, art galleries, shower facilities, restaurants. equipment rental businesses, gas stations, markets, bike rentals, library and health clinic.
Individual Site: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you modify your reservation or change your stay dates. Cancelling your reservation prior to 11:59 pm Eastern Time two nights before your stay will incur a $10 cancellation fee. Camping reservations cancelled the day before and day of arrival incur a $10 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. If you need to cancel or modify your reservation after 12:00 am Eastern Time the day of your arrival you must contact campground staff at zion_south_campground@nps.gov. Group campsite: Customers who cancel a group site reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.
$50 / night
Family owned for six generations. Come enjoy an off-the-grid experience, away from the Zion National Park crowds, off the beaten track, tranquil, with breath-taking views of Kolob, Smith Mesa, and Zion National Park. Wake up to cattle grazing, deer playing, or even cowboys working the ranch. Come stay, book a horse ride, and enjoy Southern Utah in a way that can't be beat. .
Pine Valley Recreation Area is located in scenic Pine Valley, Utah at an elevation of 6,900 feet. The valley offers a great escape from the heat of the southern Utah desert. Visitors enjoy fishing at nearby Pine Valley Reservoir and exploring local trails.
Hiking and horse trails are abundant in Pine Valley. Trails vary in length from 2 to 35 miles. Some trails allow mountain biking. Shoreline fishing for rainbow trout is a popular activity on the lake. Flotation devices - canoes, paddle boards, inner tubes, etc. -are not allowed on the lake. Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness is adjacent to the recreation area.
Hiking and horse trails are abundant in Pine Valley. Trails vary in length from 2 to 35 miles. Some trails allow mountain biking. Shoreline fishing for rainbow trout is a popular activity on the lake. Flotation devices - canoes, paddle boards, inner tubes, etc. -are not allowed on the lake. Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness is adjacent to the recreation area.
Pine Valley is situated in the Pine Valley Mountains. A beautiful forest of ponderosa pine and oak covers the area, offering partial shade. Mountain mahogany, juniper and sagebrush dot the landscape.
Zions National Park is a short 1 1/2 hour drive from Pine Valley with a 75 mile drive.
$61 - $190 / night
When you book a stay at Zion Ponderosa Resort, you’ll experience the best of Zion National Park lodging. Only 10 minutes from the east gate entrance of Zion National Park and 75 minutes from Bryce Canyon, Zion Ponderosa rests on a 4,000 acre resort and features a full-range of world-class lodging from deluxe vacation homes to rustic cowboy cabins, RV sites to tent camping and glamping. Accommodations don’t stop at lodging options, Zion Ponderosa features a two-tiered swimming pool, adventures and activities from jeep tours to sunset yoga, and quality cuisine at Ray’s Restaurant and Narrow Coffee Bar. Whether you’re staying at our Zion resort, or looking for lodging near Bryce Canyon, Zion Ponderosa has the biggest array of places to stay near Zion National Park.
The Equestrian Campground has a parking loop with facilities specifically for horses. It is located about 3/4 mile from Pine Valley Reservoir, in a ponderosa pine, pinyon, and juniper setting north of the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness. It offers great views of the Pine Valley Mountains. There are near by trails in the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness including: Equestrian Trail, Forsyth Canyon Trail, Browns Trail, Whipple, Pine Valley Cannal Trail, and the Santa Clara River Trail. Fishing in the Santa Clara River and in nearby Pine Valley Reservoir. Activities include horse riding, hiking, fishing, and at the reservoir. Accomodates RVs up to 45 feet in length No hookups Dump station located 5 miles southwest on Highway 18 11 single campsites (up to 8 people) with picnic tables, fire pits, and tent pads 4 double sites (up to 16 people) with picnic tables, fire pits, and tent pads 2 single tent only sites 1 double tent only site 1 multi site Drinking water (Memorial Day-Labor Day) Vault toilets No garbage disposal, please pack it out
$21 - $42 / night
Guide
Loved this spot!! It’s quiet and has a creek and trees Lots of sand so don’t get stuck, you can go to Belly of the Dragon before anyone due to camping next to it!!
RangerNice level large sites with great separation but too hot in July (97F). Watch weather the road seem like it could become sticky mud in rain. 5 stars for this free blm area expect for our July weather heat. Near belly of the dragon cave hike.
Traveler
Lots of spots. Was very quiet and only 20 minutes from the entrance of Zion. Would stay there again. No outdoor facilities.
Scout
My daughters and I had a great time! There was a fire ban however, propane grills were allowed. If you didn’t have one, they had a community one you could use. Showered were a bit dirty. Girls hair everywhere! Pool was fun, mini golf and loads of other family activities. We had one funny incident the first night we got here. We couldn’t figure out where campsite was because it started out we pitched our tent at the wrong site. Eventually, we got to the site where our tent was and realized what our mistake. Family memories as we couldn’t stop laughing.
Traveler
We were in site 16A. It was close to 16B, which would be perfect for a large group, but we had plenty of privacy. Our site could have had 3-4 large tents with plenty of room. There was another group at 16B and we could see them, but it was very quiet at night. The hikes her easy and fun and we will definitely go back.
Guide4 mile long campground with lava tunnels, petrified, sand dunes, and red cliff cliffs. Access to 14 miles of trails only 50 yards from the campgrounds. All RV sites are paved and close together, non-electric sites have a little more space. The campground is also the site of the Rangers station so a lot of traffic during the day but very quiet at night.
Was a fantastic place for the work week with easy hikes after the workday was done. The campground is surrounded by high red rocks and is a beautiful scenic setting.
ScoutFound a sweet cherry of a space. On the left side, there's a raised area and three or four sites. Right up against the mountain. Wanted to try by the river but was worried about my car in the sand.
TravelerNice little area, good separation between camp sites
Traveler
We were happy to be here after a long drive and failed searches . I would use this area as a failsafe-always something available here. There is a lot of shooter trash along the whole road but we were able to go to a spot with the trailer off the road aways where there wasn't much junk . Nice enough base to explore the region where we could let the dog roam around. The road is busier than you would think so if you have a spot close to the road I wouldn't let dog loose.
LegendGeneral: Small state park campground with 29 sites and two group areas. There are a variety of sites in both size and quality. Most are paved but a few are gravel.
Site Quality: Sites 1-14 have water and electric hookups but are obscenely close together (I’m quite certain if a person in the adjacent site sneezed, you would hear it)! The one redeeming quality to these sites are covered pavilions with lights. Most of the other sites do not have w/e but four others did (15A, 15B, 17, & 18). Some of the driveways are very long while others are very short. There are two “shared” or “twin” sites that would best be suited for people traveling together (although they are not as close together as Sites 1-14)!
Bath/Shower house: There are two restrooms in the campground. The bathrooms are very clean, as were the showers (there is a code to get into the showers).
Activities: Hiking and biking. There are several trails accessible from the campground. Highly recommend hiking the Petrified Dunes trail! The short trail to Jenny Cave was also nice.
The campground was full on a Tuesday in April; I recall that when we made reservations a few months in advance we snagged the only site available. However, if I had known the layout, I’m not sure we would have stayed. The only saving grace is that Site 1 is at the end of the row so aside from the road, we had privacy on one side. If you are lucky enough to snag Sites 19-22 (especially 22), they are the most private sites in the park and 22 has the longest driveway (could easily have fit four of our vans with room leftover). The trails were beautiful but the campground could definitely have a better layout. If we had one of these four sites, my rating definitely would have been higher.
ScoutThis was my first time ever using this app and trying to find a campsite for a camper van I rented. The reviews on this site helped me decide to check it out and I'm glad I did. The little river was nice and relaxing. Very quiet spot and super dark for great star viewing in the evening. Bonus is that it was fairly close to Zion and very easy to locate. Would def recommend.
GuideI got here around 4 on a Tuesday, good amount of spots available for any kind of rig set up. If you drive all the way down the road there is a turnaround and fire ring. Like others stated, the creek was wonderful. There is also a hiking trail at the first parking area, go under the tunnel. Very quiet at night, some dust from the ATV.
TravelerNot much to tell it’s a standard desert campground. Heard quite a bit of gunfire and there are some obvious signs people had targets set up along the access road. Lots of litter which is unfortunate to see. I have neither the time nor the crayons to explain how easy it is to not litter.
Ranger
Zion’s beauty is unmatched. It is too busy but has great facilities. Most of the campers and hikers are inexperienced and not prepared. But damn is it beautiful
TravelerHow lucky we got to arrive here with no reservation and actually land a spot from a cancellation! It must of been Gods will or shall I say Gods blessing! What a beautiful spot!!!! Access to the river, bike trail/river walk, Enough space between sites, a wonderful host, and can’t leave out the beauty of nature surrounding us!
GuideThis is a very remote area if you go in far enough. I saw no other campers and only a couple 4 wheel drives going through the area. Be sure you're self sufficient in every way before you go too far in.
Traveler
Very quiet campground and felt like we were alone. Can’t see other sites. Horse stables away from tents and didn’t smell at all. Restrooms really clean. Can’t wait to go again
GuideIf you want wilderness this is the place. Get out into the parashant and it's all yours. There's nothing there but what God put there and a few people left behind. (I was a little disappointed with the small bit of thrash left at some old camp sites I found). It's beautiful if you like desert southwest areas. Lots of juniper, cedar, cacti, etc. Be sure to be prepared to be self sufficient in all ways if you get off the main rough road or you could be in real trouble.
Scout
Beautiful campground under pine-trees near creek.
Ranger
Didn’t stay here, but the road leading up to the site is insanely rocky. 4WD MINIMUM. Tried to get up it with a Subaru forester and we had to bail halfway through. Anything lifted will be better, too. Didn’t see anything about this road until we made it there so only go if you’ve got the car for it, or if you want to walk!!!
Guide
This has been my all time favorite place that I’ve camped. We had a gorgeous spot and the bathrooms were also super clean too. The cows roaming around was also so nice, we even saw some coyotes and deer. The stars were also so visible at night too. The road wasn’t too bad to get too either. I would highly recommend this place to anyone.
GuideNice resort just outside Zion. This was a great place to book last minute since the campsites in Zion get reserved pretty far in advance. It was a beautiful, quiet campground, and it had great amenities to come back to after a long day of hot, summer Zion hiking!
GuideDecent spot right off the highway. Lots of places to pull out off of the main dirt road. Camping next to the river keeps the sound of the near by highway almost un-noticeable. Plenty of room for anything from tent camping to big RV’s. Plenty of hiking available in the area too. Lots of side by sides in the area do make for a dusty environment.
ScoutUpdate to some other reviews - Dogs are now allowed on ALL the trails. This is a beautiful area for hiking and camping. The RV sites with hookups are a little crowded but other sites are very private.
LegendCG is quite small considering the popularity. Sites are $40 no hookups, $45 elect hookups. Group sites are $200+. Cell signal is very poor. 29 sites plus two group sites. Showers available, no Xtra charge. No firewood for sale in CG so bring your own. SC-1-14 are elect and water hookup but are very close together! Only criticism is the $20 extra vehicle fee...that is way too high... imo
ScoutLots of space for camping. Fairly decent roads. Just don't come out while it's wet. Fair bit of trash around hillsides where people are shooting.
RangerAs a solo woman, safety was my first priority and it felt very safe the whole time. It was, however, a bit pricey, and the sites were not very private. On the plus side, the pool and hot tub were amazing after hiking Zion, the adventure add-ons were incredible, and the accessibility to the park is hard to beat for this price range. I would go back but I also assume there are other places.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near St. George, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near St. George, UT is Snow Canyon State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 38 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near St. George, UT?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near St. George, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
