Watchman Campground, near Springdale, Utah, is a prime location for those looking to immerse themselves in the stunning landscapes of [Zion National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/utah/near/zion-national-park). With a mix of tent sites, RV spots, and electric hookups, it caters to a variety of camping preferences while providing easy access to the park's breathtaking trails and scenic viewpoints.

The campground is known for its clean facilities, including well-stocked restrooms and drinking water stations. Visitors often rave about the beautiful views and the convenience of being just a short walk from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, where you can catch shuttles to popular hiking spots. One camper noted, “The views can’t be beat!” which sums up the experience perfectly.

For those who enjoy outdoor activities, the Virgin River runs along the campground, offering a refreshing spot to cool off after a day of hiking. Many campers appreciate the proximity to trails like the Watchman Trail, making it easy to explore the park's natural wonders. Just be prepared for the crowds; as one reviewer mentioned, "Zion is a beautiful place... but it’s overrun with idiots." 

Whether you're here for a weekend or a longer stay, Watchman Campground provides a fantastic base for exploring the beauty of [Zion National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/utah/near/zion-national-park).

## Overview

 For visitors to Zion National Park, Watchman 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 March through November each year. Season Dates: Watchman Campground is open year-round. Reservations are available 6 months in advance. 
## Recreation

 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 nearby; 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. Although there are no rock climbing routes in the campground, many popular climbs are within a short shuttle bus ride into the main canyon. Use of OHVs and ATVs is prohibited in Zion National Park. 
## Natural Features

 Zion is known for it's dynamic geologic history and Watchman Campground is no exception. Named for the rocky peak that rises above it, the campground is surrounded by tall sandstone cliffs that glow red and orange during sunrise and sunset. The Virgin River, a narrow but powerful river that has carved out the canyon over time, runs adjacent to the campground. Cottonwood trees surrounding the campsite turn golden in the fall. Most of the campsites are in partial to full sun, however in the Group sites (E-Loop) and the Walk-To sites (F-Loop) visitors may receive some shade under pergulas that are constructed over the picnic tables. Visitors can also 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. Insecticidal treatment by visitors is not permitted. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The town of Springdale has shopping, art galleries, restaurants, and a public library. Throughout the year, concerts, festivals, and parades are held in the town. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (877) 444-6777.
## Charges & Cancellations

 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 on the day of arrival you must contact campground staff at zion\_watchman\_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.

Watchman Campground — Zion National Park

Springdale is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Springdale, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Springdale, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Springdale

The Best Camping Near Springdale, Utah

The campgrounds at Zion are packed in quite tightly, but totally worth the seeming lack of privacy to stay in such a beautiful area.  A shuttle takes campers into the depths of the park from a stop right outside the campground as well as a bit into the town near Zion, Springdale.  I highly recommend hiking the Narrows if you are visiting Zion- it's an incredible experience.

outstanding beauty surrounds

Zion National Park is amazing.  The campgrounds are nice.  Sites are close together, but it is worth it to be in such beauty.  Bathrooms good.  Stores/restaurants near.  Bus access to park.

AMMMMAZING!!

Open spots and super hot, however the location is great. Close to the visitor center and shuttle.

Zion

This is a POPULAR campground as it is one of the closest to the entrance of Zion National Park. We made reservations - they open about 6 months in advance online and I suggest you do the same, especially if you want a weekend visit. 

Zion is beautiful - multi-colored cliffs with spotted lush greenery. There are so many great hikes to do so spend a few nights. 

The tent sites are pretty exposed so it can get HOT during the day. 

One of the Prettiest National Parks in the US

We went horseback riding and just enjoyed the beauty!

loved it but a lot of people

We stayed at this park on a road trip back to Maine. We visited towards the end of June much during an extremely dry spell and due to that couldn't have any wood burning fires. No fault of the park whatsoever but definitely put a wrench in the plans, attempting to cook for several days on one small micro backpacking stove. The campground itself was well kept and despite the amount of sites they have it still felt like you had your own private space. There was a deer that was snacking about 30 feet from our site which was pretty cool. It was close to all of the main attractions - Angels Landing was only a short shuttle away and the shuttle stop was just a minutes walk from the campsite. I would rather stay at Lava Point next time just because it is out of the way and much more secluded, however with only 6 primitive sites it is difficult to get a spot in the summer time. So if that is when you find yourself here I would definitely recommend the Watchman Campground.

Watchman Campground

Well, This is absolutely my favorite N.P. so far. We stayed in Watchman Campground summer of  2013.  The campground was full of wildlife. Deer walking through, etc. The lodge / restaurant were great to sit out front and watch the kids play. Scenery is beautiful as always in Utah. 
There is bus transportation to go and see the park which is always a plus when you don't want to drive your RV everywhere. The highlight of my trip there was hiking in the narrows of the virgin River. 

Zion- The place I revisit in my mind!

I visited Zion National Park back in February with no camping reservations at all. We showed up late on a Friday night and got the last spot available here at Watchman. The sites are pretty nice but also pretty close together. The Virgin River runs right behind the campground so I would suggest trying to get one of the outer lying sites. Location is really good, close to visitors center, stores, and south park entrance. I believe you can get on the shuttle very close to the campground. 

Decent camp close to town

As we came to Zion National Park, we thought it would be amazing camping weather and an experience we could remember. We definitely would remember it. First off it didn't help that is was 101 degrees. We found a campsite that seemed nice but later, we got very upset that the camp sites were all very close together, we could hear every conversation of our fellow campers! The bathrooms were filthy and the cleanliness was terrible. The one thing that was good were the views and animals. The mountians and trees surrounded us and in the morning, we took an amazing hike to see a big horned sheep.

Terrible camping, great views

Nice location in Zion's national park. They have facilities that are good. Depending on the year can be very crowded. Great location to spend time in Zions.

Watchman zions

These are definitely some of the most crowded campsites I have ever stayed at and I have been here 2 times. The sites are small and packed in close together but they do have a bench and firepit and the water/bathrooms is close and accessible. There are also enough trees to set up a hammock or a slackline. Make sure to reserve a site far enough in advance because they fill up though picking out a specific site doesnt really matter since they are all very similar. You will have plenty of room to park a car and the whole site is very flat. The nice thing is you can take a shuttle to most of the hiking in the park right from the campsite and dont need to drive anywhere once you get settled in. Make sure to take a sunset hike to the peak that is accessible right from the campsite. You can ask when you check in how to get there. But leave yourself enough time to get down before dark because the trail gets steep and tricky. While in the park I highly suggest going to the Narrows and Angels landing as they are very unique hikes.

Crowded but worth it

Sites book up months in advance at Watchman Campground, so book early. We booked 4 nights mid-week in May prior to Memorial Day and we only had a couple of sites to choose from when I looked in January. All that was left was walk-up sites, and I would highly recommend them. The walk from your car is only 50-100 yards and then there are no car doors slamming, errant car alarms or lights going off in the immediate vicinity. 

We booked site F017. It had campsites on 3 sides, but plenty of shrubs and distance between other campsites for privacy. It was 50 yards from group campfire pit and 100 yards from bathrooms and dish sink. 

The sites are highly manicured, completely level, sit on fine gravel, come with a picnic table, sun shelter and storage unit for food to protect from squirrels. Best of all, it sits at the base of the Watchmen which makes for excellent viewing while unwinding from a day of hiking. The visitor center is within 200 yards and you can grab a shuttle from there to any of the hiking spots. 

Favorite Hike - The Subway (apply early and often, its difficult to get a permit; canyoneering shoes and neoprene socks highly recommended, can rent in town fairly cheaply).

Underrated Hike - Hidden Canyon, awesome scrambling and climbing if you choose to venture far into the Canyon.

Enjoy!

Walk-up campsites are pristine, quiet and at the foot of the glorious Watchman

Everything was perfect. We arrived late and the campground attendant was driving around and was very friendly and helpful. D33 was our site. It was clean and had amazing views. The toilets were always clean and our camping experience was unforgettable!! I highly recommend this campsite. 

Best campground 

Came during Spring Break in the middle of March and the campground was completely full. Everybody in the campsite was very respectful of one another, and it wasn't too loud. Each campsite comes equipped with a picnic table and a fire pit with a grill grate to prepare dinner. The picnic table is nice to set up meals and eat at. A quick walk away are bathrooms with flushing toilets and running water. The bathrooms also have a dish cleaning station which is very nice. Each campground has gravel which is nice for setting up tents. The ground stays dry and the area is not dusty or dirty. The only downside is you must bring your own firewood into the campground which can be expensive. Other than that, I highly recommend this campsite!

Beautiful Views and Clean!

Just inside Zion, this.well groomed campground offers something for everyone.  Spaces are small and thw campground is packed, and reservations are required.  The bathrooms were poorly stocked and there were no showers.  However, the shuttle and visitors center is very close.  We had deer strolling through our campsite in the morning.  Will definitely return.

Spectacular views!

Watchman is conveniently located within walking distance of the Zion National Park south entrance. The camp sites are shaded with trees and red gravel/sand ground structure. You'll find plenty of trees to hang your hammock as you relax after a day of hiking within the park. The cute town of Springdale, Utah is nearby where you'll find grocer stores, outdoor gear, restaurants, art galleries, movie theater, & excursion outfitters.  Utilize the Springdale shuttle & Zion National Park shuttle for all your longer distances of traveling to shops throughout the town and trailheads throughout the park.

Convenient, shaded campground near Zion National Park entrance

I stayed at this campground for 2 nights before I headed into the Zion backcountry. The campground is nice and the facilities are nice as well, just be prepared to be near people. This is a very popular campground and during high season it is usually full so make sure to make a reservation prior to showing up. 

Great campground but make reservations

Beautiful well maintained campsite. Lots of tree coverage, perfect for hanging hammocks. Walking distance to the Zion Canyon shuttle and visitor center. Campground has toilets and clean water. Can be a bit noisy in the morning but overall very nice campsite. Nature sightings included deer, lizards, squirrels, and various birds. Late summer usually means fire restrictions so plan on bringing a gas or charcoal grill for cooking and save the smores for a different campground.

Watchman B loop

Watchman is one of my favorite campgrounds ever because Zion is so amazing. We really enjoyed attending the Ranger programs in the evening at the amphitheater. The Virgin River runs right behind the campground - nice for cooling off. Also, the Zion Canyon Brew Pub is right across the river - nice to have good food, craft beers, and live music easy walking distance just outside the Park entrance. Springdale is a great little town - Spotted Dog Cafe is fabulous, and Zion Canyon outfitters rent everything you need for canyoneering adventures.

Favorite!

This was a nice campground and well maintained however I found it to be very crowded which has never been my favorite type of campsites.  However it is a nice site and is close to ALOT of beauty so the convenience alone makes it worth it.

Crowded but nice

Zion National park Was the first stop to my 2 week hikeathon. Before going into  the park we hit a few stores in springdale. Bought a few supplies beer and hot dogs. The town has everything you could need . The people were very friendly. I want to move there. Headed into the campsite with no problems. Site up camp next to the privy. Deer and birds were all around us. the camp sites are in the middle of a beautiful canyon and campsite was in close proximity  to angles landing subway and narrows. so it was perfect for a base camp.

Trip of a life time

Watchman is located right next to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.  The campsites are pretty spacious with beautiful views.  I would give the bathrooms a 3 out of 5 for cleanliness.

We went on the fourth of July and reserved the last campsite.  We made our reservations at the beginning of March, so plan ahead and book early.  We tried to reserve multiple days but could only secure the one night.  As a result we missed out on taking the park shuttle.  Instead we explored the Zion-Mount Carmel highway and had an awesome time.

I can tell you that this is one of my favorite National Parks and we didn't even get to see half of it.  I can't wait to come back and this time I will plan further in advance.

We will be staying at Watchman again.  All we needed was the electricity to be able to run our air conditioner in the camper.  For those of you tent camping, keep in mind that temperatures in the summer months are regularly above 100 degrees.  Having said that, it is a dry heat, so it is a little more bearable than the humidity you find in the midwest and the South.

Zion is a MUST see and Watchman is a MUST stay!

Zion is Amazing!!! You must stay at Watchman but bring your air conditioner

We loved our trip to Zion and stay at Watchman Campground within Zion National Park. It is super hot during the day (of summer months especially July... like 100-105F) but the nights cool off considerably into the 60s.

This campground is close to the visitor center, shuttles (which take you to all the hot spots throughout the park) and is near the South Entrance to the park. The Virgin River flows throughout the park and there are lots of spots to hop in and cool off (we found a secret one which was amazing ! See the video!)

There are lots of RVs at this campsite (to be expected) and but the actual tent camping wasn't particularly private or spacious. 

Zion!!!! Wow

We had a wonderful time at Watchman. It is a beautiful and well-maintained campground near the entrance of Zion National Park. It was so convenient to be able to walk to the shuttle bus in the morning to explore the park and go hiking. The bathrooms have running water (flushing toilets and sinks, what a luxury!) and are very clean. The campsites are covered in gravel with a spot to pitch your tent, a picnic table and a well-sized fire pit. The surrounding canyon makes for a beautiful backdrop - there was a warm breeze in August which made the experience very pleasant and there were no bugs. Highly recommend!

Wonderful campground!

Reserve early

Love Watchman campground. Coming from Southern California means I'm rarely in Zion early enough to get a spot in South Campground and while I don't mind dispersed camping, I would much much rather have a reservation in Watchman.

Right next to the visitor center and very close to the town you could get away with not really bringing any supplies at all to be honest.  

The rangers are great and the crowds are generally good. I have no complaints about this campground.

Prime location with reservations

We came in pretty late at night and we were able to quickly find out spot and set up camp. The area was super clean and easy to find our way around.Bathrooms are fantastic as well. We will be back again!

Great Place!!

This incredible park will fill up very very fast.  So if you want to camp inside it, get on it early!  Zion gets ultra crowded, go mid week and during the beginning or end of the seasons

Wow, get on it early!

Had a fabulous trip to Zion with out 6 month old and 2 dogs.  Cap sites had plenty of room.   there were clean restrooms and plenty of space to wash dishes.   Dogs loved it!  there is only one trail that allows dogs, but it runs along the river and is a beautiful trail for jogging with the dogs and our little one.  Took a while to get out of the park due to traffic from all the campers leaving in the morning. but allowed us to take in the sights a little more than on the way in. 

First Family Trip to Zion

The campground was simply one of the best I have been to yet.  The group camp site was amazing, with a large covered area, plenty of picnic tables for our large group to prepare meals, stage our food and sit comfortably.  The fire pit was large enough for all 20 of us to comfortable sit around and the stone walls gave it a nice touch as opposed to the standard metal fire pits.  The restrooms were clean and there were quite a number of them, that I never experienced a wait when needing to use them.  The landscaping with the red rock throughout the camp site was a nice change from the standard dirt at most campgrounds.  Although, it did get everywhere and on everything, so be wary with light color clothing.  The campground is within quick easy walking distance to the visitor center and the shuttle system within the park.  It also is an easy walk across the pedestrian bridge to the town of Springdale and the shuttle system through Springdale.  There is a market and an outfitter along with other shops just outside the park for easy access to get more firewood or other supplies you may have forgotten.  Finally, for nature sightings, there were a few brave deer that would come through the campground in the morning and at dusk.  

Best Campground I have been to yet!

Near the entrance to Zion national park, this campground has great views surrounding. However it is a zoo in the summer. If you don't have a reservation, don't bother. Sites are very close together and it's the desert, so don't expect much vegetation to protect you. Full restrooms and water are nice. Loud RV's running their generators are the norm. But you have very few options if you are visiting Zion. I really wish they charged RV's more for usage and separated them completely from use tent dwellers. Doors slamming, generators running till 11pm and starting back up at 6 am... Not a really restful nights sleep

Get to know your neighbors

Myself and one friend were lucky to grab the last site available, a walk up tent site, F 17, and were not disappointed. Upon walking up to the site, at our very first introduction to our site 3 deer standing IN the groomed tent area. 

When I say "walk up tent site" it was a short walk from a parking strip, what you would expect from your car to the grocery store doors, and our site was the farthest back. You might get a site closer. We had no problems bringing our cooler, tent and other gear over from the truck. It had just been raining heavily bout an hour before our arrival about and there was a small puddle (that the deer were helping drain by drinking). The site is backed up to a mountain/hill formation, and in heavy rain water will run down, however, the site has railroad ties diverting water away. There was never any threat of getting swept away, but it was gonna flood a bit, it's not the campsites fault, this is heavy rain, this happens. Too much rain too fast, the earth couldn't soak it up.

There was a monster storm that night, the radar was RED right on top of us. It sounded like a train coming in. Wind, rain, cold, the site stayed mostly good. I am grateful for a tarped bottom tent as the water did pool a bit and you could feel it below, like water in a bag, but solid tent! The site was just so soaked, the site was just saturated, all but one of the tent stakes stayed planted. 

There's a bear box in the site to stow your food. Our site has a very nice picnic table and small tree, don't count on it for any shade though. If you are there in summer I'd suggest easy-up for sun protection,  you could try to tarp it, but there's not much to tie down to and that tree is young and flimsy. It's pretty bare, but if you don't need it in the cooler weather, no sense in blocking the most gorgeous view. 

Bathrooms are not much farther than past where you park. Found them clean, toilets, sinks, hand dryers, what you'd expect. There is a station to wash dishes there too. There are no showers here but there is a place in town I hear you can pay for a shower (we just went camping to Snow canyon the next day and the had showers there anyway).

There was a group fire pit between the parking strip and our site,  other campers were using it.

We didn't have problems with noisy campers or bugs, maybe because of the off-season timing or the fact that the storm was as loud a train. The trip was absolutely beautiful. 


Weathered the Storm at F17 

Stayed here on a Saturday a week before Christmas.  Was amazed at what a ghost town the area had turned into.  Drove thru the Park back in October and it was absolutely packed...every turnout full, every parking lot full, etc.  This time it was just the opposite...empty lots everywhere you looked, and all the shuttle buses parked for the winter  The campground is shut down so that only one loop is open in winter.  We got there mid-afternoon and had no trouble getting a spot, but it looked to be full or close to it by nightfall.  Spots are fairly close together and what few trees/shrubs there are have lost their leaves, so you won't feel alone.  Crisp.cold morning in the low teens, sunny with high around 30 in the afternoon.  Went on three nice hikes, including Angel's Landing.  If you want to avoid the crowds, a sunny winter visit is the way to go!

One Winter Night 

I was in Zion in mid April at Warchman CG loop D site 35 for 2 nights. The weather was great and there was enough tree cover for shade. The CG is close to the main entrance in Springdale. An easy walk for firewood and a trip to the brewery into town, or very short for water. It is also an easy walk to the visitor center to catch a shuttle bus. This in my opinion is the best campground in Zion to make things easy after a day of hiking.

Watchman CG Zion NP

We were luckily enough to grab a site here once. It's beautiful. Close to other campers but quiet enough. If you're camping in the area look no further....

Watchman camp

Zion was the second camping stop on an 8-day trip; we arrived after driving through the Mojave Desert from Black Rock Campground in the Yucca Valley of California. Just inside the entrance, to the right, is the historic Watchman Campground. Our site, at the base of the teardrop on C-loop, rested at the base of the awe-inspiring historic rock structures for which the campground gets its moniker.

The Campground itself was full during our stay, but as campers and outdoor-people alike understand etiquette, the environment was tidy & respectful with regard to noise. Walk towards the entrance of the Campground, beyond the shuttle station, to find the Watchman Trail; a 3.1mi round-trip of moderate terrain & about 400ft of elevation gain. Uphill one way, downhill on the return. The hike offers a progression of sweeping views of Zion Canyon accented by a color palate of wildflowers, sandstone, limestone, and the iron rich, striated walls which continue through the park. We were even lucky to share the trail with a large Mule Deer doe on the trail back down.

From evening, through sunset, and as the moon overtook the sky, the light display against the backdrop of stoic giants was mesmerizing! A must for quick campers on a drive-through to further destinations.

Watchmen: At the Foot of Ancient Giants

I camped at Watchman Campground during a road trip with a friend. We were there in late winter (February to March) which made for easy parking, camping, and hiking. There were other campers and travelers but the campground offered plenty of space for a comfortable camping experience. There was a steel fire ring for a campfire, firewood was quite expensive at the store near the park entrance. This is a developed campground with restrooms within walking distance to all campsites. This campground is close to amenities and allows for full cellular connectivity, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your camping preference. 

During our visit the shuttles were not in service but there was ample parking at each trailhead. We hiked the Emerald Pools and Angels Landing Trails. I cannot say enough about Angels Landing, this was by far the most beautiful and fun hike I have been on. 

Beautiful campground along the Virgin River

We came to Zion on the heels of a December blizzard that dumped a couple of feet on south western Utah. We were able to snag one of the few remaining sites in Watchman. It was much colder than we anticipated but hardly kept us from enjoying Zion for all it's beauty; especially under snow. The proximity of the campsite to Springdale is pretty valuable to check out the local shops and restaurants.

Winter Wonderland in Zion

Planning our Zion trip well in advance allowed us to make the most of our time here in September 2015\. We chose to stay at Watchman campground because (1) it allowed convenient access to everything inside Zion National Park, (2) it seemed super scenic, and (3) unlike the other campground inside the park, it is reservable May through October.

Zion is generally a very crowded park, but our site at Watchman (B-019) was nestled in a patch of trees and tucked as far away from other sites as can be expected in a big campground like this. We had two tents, a shade tent, and two cars, and we had plenty of space at our campsite. Since generators are not allowed, we were able to really enjoy the quiet scenery.

The biggest benefit of staying here is its proximity to the park activities and trails. With a short walk, we accessed the Visitor Center, the free shuttle stop that is required to take visitors into Zion Canyon, and even trails like Watchman which made for a great evening hike when most other visitors had already vacated the park.

There are a few Zion activities that we’d recommend for just about any visitor: hiking The Narrows (go as early as possible, and trekking poles are very handy!), hiking up to a view like Angel’s Landing (not for the faint of heart!) or Observation Point (higher and longer, but not as exposed as Angel’s Landing), driving the Mt. Carmel Highway Scenic Drive (go in the evening and look for bighorn sheep!) and learning about the park through a variety of free ranger programs. For the adventurous off-the-beaten-path visitors, hiking to The Subway (permit required) was one of the biggest highlights of our trip here.

You can read much more about our five days in the park on our blog: [Switchback Kids (Zion)](http://switchbackkids.com/zion/)

Seclusion and scenery in the crowded Zion National Park

This is the best campground to stay at when visiting Zion but is really hard to get a spot at! Check for cancellations during the day or reserve online!

Camping in ZNP

Had to book this site super early in the year but was very glad to secure a place in the park - loved that we could book a reservation here. The sites were level and included all the basics for camping. There were nice bathrooms but no showers. The sites are very close and noise carries throughout the campground. BUT it was amazing staying in the park, parking the car once and taking shuttles everywhere. Really enjoyed our stay!

Loved camping in Zion!

Shuttles for the buses (required) leave from here. You could walk to town if you needed to. The Virgin Rive runs through this campground. Some of the riverfront sites are awesome, but not all of them. It greatly depends on the river level.

Nice campground right inside the entrance to the park

I was very excited to secure a campsite at Watchman on a crowded holiday weekend in July (yes, that one). You just can't beat a central location where you can park your car and not have to use it at all for a few days.

Location: The campground is very conveniently located in walking distance to the shuttles and the town (and market most importantly for late night ice cream cravings). You do have to walk across an unsightly (and hot) parking lot to reach the shuttles, but after seeing the holiday crowds at Zion ANYTHING is better than having to drive/find a parking space.

Exposure: The campground also has nice tree cover so you're not constantly exposed to the harsh summer sun. However the foliage is not dense enough to give campsites privacy from their neighbors. The sites are located close together and everyone can see/hear/smell everything happening next to them. Not the best site for privacy.

Comfort: One of the more uncomfortable campsites I've ever stayed at. The ground is hard and gravelly, sleeping pad STRONGLY encouraged. The site was also INFESTED (EMPHASIZE INFESTED) with ants; not the kind that bite but it was a nag to try and do things around camp and constantly feel ants crawling up your legs...or to try and enter your tent to discover it's covered in ants. Bees were also very curious, but otherwise no other insect issues.

The site stayed hot well into the night for those who have issues sleeping in the heat. It started to cool down around midnight when the strong winds arrived. Tent placement can probably alleviate the winds, but they were VERY strong and VERY noisy. The cool temperatures lasted until around 9 AM.

Amenities: The site included a grill and picnic table, which was great! Didn't get to use the grill however due to fire restrictions.

Bathrooms: The bathrooms are kept very clean! I was impressed. The water pressure was great. There are no showers or trash cans (save sanitary disposal trash cans) but there's a fantastic river running through Zion to make up for the lack of showers. The bathrooms were small for the amount of people they were meant to service; there were times I had to wait to use the sinks. And rarely was I ever alone in the bathroom.

Views: Obviously fantastic! Great views of the peaks right out your "front door"

Overall: It's okay for a place to sleep at night if you're desperate and won't be spending a lot of time in the campsite. The ants were a huge issue for me personally and really dampened my enjoyment of time at the campground. But really I spent most of my time in the park so it wasn't a huge deal. The price is good, the location was convenient and I had a place to put my head down every night even if it wasn't comfortable.

Conveniently Located, Buggy and Open

Sites are small but come with a picnic table, pergola for shade, food box, and some with a fire ring. For those that don't have their own fire rings there are two communal fire pits. Short walk to the bathrooms that were very clean, short walk to the visitors center, and a short walk to Zion Brew pub. Deer walked through the campground both nights we were there

Walk in Site

Great established campsites with amazing scenery.

Great view

Stayed at the beautiful Watchman campground and had such an incredible stay. We stayed here only one night unfortunately on a road trip and left wishing for a longer stay. We pulled in late at night to a huge campsite. When we awoke in the morning we stepped out of the tent to the most glorious view.

The campground was was very clean and it seemed the restrooms had been recently renovated or built. They were the nicest bathrooms I have encountered in a campground.

The campground is from my understanding the the closest to Zion National Park. Can't beat the views, location and price.

Tip- check it Oscars nearby for the best breakfast burrito you will ever eat.

Beautiful Campground at the Heart of Zion

I've stayed at Watchman several times while living in southern Utah. My most memorable trip was with my dad in the family's airstream. Plenty of room for the trailer with the tow vehicle. Impeccably clean campgroud. We loved the short walk to the Visitors center or restaurants in Springdale. No showers, but outfitters in Springdale are close by. We also love the shuttle system. Don't have to worry about fighting for parking in the canyon and easy to hop on and off. Observation Point was our favorite hike. Better views and less crowded than Angels Landing. Cant wait to go back in November to tackle the West Rim Trail!

Classic Campground, Classic Park

I stayed at this campground in May of 2012 with a large group. This is the bigger of the two campgrounds in [Zion National Park](https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm) and the only one that accepts reservations. Because of the popularity of the park reservations fill up fast often months before, especially for peak weekend nights. The campground has sparse tree cover providing spotty shaded areas. It might get quite hot in the warmer months. The sites here seemed rather cramped and they did not offer much privacy. The campground has 176 sites and 6 group sites, and each site has picnic tables and fire rings. The campground has flush toilets and drinking water and is $20 per night for tent sites. 

The best part of this campground in my opinion is the proximity to hiking and the shuttle lines. The campground is within a 5 minute walk of the visitor center where you can access a shuttle into the park or the shuttles that go to Springdale, where there are grocery store, gift shops and restaurants. There are also several hikes that you can access from the campground. This includes a paved walking trail the follows the Virgin River and a moderate hike to on Watchman Trail which has scenic views of the valley below. This campground is pretty basic and typical of cramped national park campgrounds but does offer the convenience of location which is ideal for those who plan to spend most of their days in the park.

For more information about the campsite [click here](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/watchman-campground.htm) and to make reservations [click here](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/watchman-campground-ut/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&amp;parkId=70923).

5 Star Group Camping in the Zion

This is one of the most popular campsites in Zion and getting this site was not easy. I would not recommend coming in the Summer as I did. The temperature was way too hot even at night. Coming in the Fall or Winter would be the wisest choice.

The site is located near the the visitor center which is actually a walking distance. The only down side was the privacy concern. the sites are actually group pretty close together and it can become a bothersome if your neighbor snores. The wildlife will come into the site and take food if food is just laying around.

I was able to hike the Watchman Trail that was near the site. There are other trails int eh park. The shuttle come every 15-30 min and drops you off at the famous Angels Landing Trailhead.

Hot like a Campfire

Beautiful scenery, clean bathrooms.  While no showers in the park, they are accessible at the outfitters just outside of the park.  

The sites were pretty nice in terms of being well-maintained, clean, and very established. The campground as a whole was huge and absolutely full.

We were lucky enough to book a site on the east edge of the entire campground and therefore were only surrounded on three sides, where most of the sites surrounded on all sides.

The campground is very group- and family-friendly, but not the best for those of us wishing to experience nature and "get away from it all." That said the brewery just outside the park boundary, and a easy walk from the campground, has some great beer so over development has its perks.

Huge Campground, Very Busy and Very Open

Everyone has to camp in this canyon at least 1 time in their life!

Mindblowing

My friend and I stayed here after being at the Grand Canyon for two days, and we arrived around 5pm on a Friday night. There were no tent camping spots available, and only 1 RV site spot available. We let an RV have it since we felt bad taking up an RV spot with a tent. We were afraid we wouldn’t have anywhere to stay when some very nice people let us set up our tent on their site with their RV. We stayed there for one night and it wasn’t as cold as the Grand Canyon. We had a fire and ate dinner and there was a picnic table. You are not allowed to hang your hammock on the trees. The bathrooms had flush toilets and sinks along with an outside sink for washing dishes and trash recepticles. There was a water spicket but it was winterized. This campground is located next to the visitor center and one of the entrances, so it is very convenient!

Winter Camping

Nice little campground at the base of the iconic “watchman” mountain.

This campground is close to the visitor center and fills up quick! Be sure to get there when the park opens to try and get a spot. We waited about a half hour but luckily got one. Campers need to be out by 11 so you are able to set up then.

A river runs along the campground and walking trails to the visitor center, the watchman trail, and the museum are easy to access. Most sites are at least partially shaded.

Camping in the canyon

We stayed at Watchman Campground for 2 nights in early June at the beginning of a campervan road trip, sites C022 and C004\. The campground was spotless and beautiful, flanked by rock formations. Our loop was tent sites. Both sites were large with nice level parking pads and level areas for pitching a tent if you are tenting it. Fire pits and picnic tables at each site. The views were stunning, especially at sunset. Campground was very open with a lot of sites (typical of most National Park campground from what I've found). Not a lot of privacy but campground was pretty quiet. Quick walk to the visitor's center to get the shuttle into the park, and walking distance to Zion Brewery as well! Sites were $20 per night and fill up quickly, we reserved ahead of time. Bathrooms were clean, water access was convenient. Not the campground to choose if you want solitude and to get away from it all - but if you want a fun camping experience with easy park access, Watchman is perfect!! We drove out and day hiked the Subway on our first day, and on the second day took the shuttle out to hike Angel's Landing and the Narrows.

Scenic Campground steps from Zion Shuttles

In March the weather can be a bit unpredictable, which was helpful for us. We did not secure a campsite prior to our arrival but were able to snag a site at watchmans for 2 nights. The visitor center was less than a 10 minute walk from our site, which was super nice.

The kids loved hanging at the campsite, plenty of places to explore. Not very busy in terms of cars and people even though the campground was full. The bathrooms were clean and warm, which is nice when it is 30 degrees and you need a bathroom late at night.

Overall zion was great for kids- enough hikes with great views but not to strenuous for the little ones.

Beautiful views and super convenient 

Even though just adjacent to the main attractions of the park, the campground is nestled between the mountains. The range towers over you as we cooked, slept, and star gazed. The bathrooms were clean with fresh drinking water. Restaurants were a walking distance away. The park shuttle is super close. Pure convenience after a hard hike.

Gorgeous surroundings

Zion has really been seeing an insane amount of visitors in the past few years. The campsites are very close and offer close to no privacy. 

Beautiful but Crowded 

If you're going to camp best to have reservations here. First come first serve at the south campground takes about 3-4 hours to get. Cheap. If you check out and have to pay for parking is $20 for parking. So might as well have a campground!

Great Location! 

We were some of the lucky few to obtain a permit to hike the Narrows top down camping at a backcountry site half way. This was one of the coolest campsites ever! The sites were all very spaced out and private. It was nice having the sound of the running river as we slept. Ours was just a few steps up from the river, so we had great access to water, although it had to be filtered. It did take longer than we anticipated to reach the campsite, although we did stop for pictures quite often along the way.

The Narrows Backcountry site

perfect place to camp!  close to the shuttle and the market.  camp sites were pretty big.  had a spot for a fire and a picnic table and a place for our 8 person tent.  windy every morning so make sure you stake down your tent.  no showers so wading in the river just to get off the sand or sweat from the day.

Beautiful site, good location in the path. Lots of deer friends out and about. Bathrooms were clean. Tent stakes don’t go in the ground here, instead of stakes we used rocks. Easy access to the shuttle and visitors center.

Wildlife and beautiful views 

Only ended up staying one night but was a beautiful and very clean campground. Bathrooms close by. Right by the visitor center at zion.

Amazing place

This campground is awesome!! It is so beautiful. Whatever campsite you are in you are surrounded by the towering red cliffs. There are lots of trees that keep it decently shaded. The river is also flowing right up against the campground. It is awesome-the colors are just astounding. It is also a great location, you are in the center of the park; a short distance walk from the visitor center. It is really, really popular though! You have to book weeks in advance in order to get a site. (There is no chance of walking up and getting a site in the spring/summer).

Awesome!

I recently stayed at the Watchman Group Campground at Zion National Park on a volunteer trip to help clean up trails. Such a great campground! Covered picnic area, bathroom facilities, large firepits, ample parking, nice flat gravel camp area, and an incredible view.

Outstanding Group Campground

We recently stayed at Watchman campground for 2 night stay over Father's day weekend. Book your weekend early, like 6 months in advance if you are staying over the summer.  You should not have problems during the week, as we saw many vacant spots Monday morning. 

We stayed in site 18b loop B group site. I made this reservation about 5 1/2 months ahead and all that was left was a group site. If you are out and about the park all day, this spot will be just fine.  

However, if you have a trailer bump out, this will not work for you.

The site has electric hook up. There is a water station and dump station. 

The site is about a 2 mins walk to the bathrooms and about 7 min walk to the visitors center along the trail. 

Be sure to arrive at the shuttle early, like before 8:00 to avoid the long lines. 

Perfect national park camping

Reservations are needed for most of the year, winter season is first come first serve

Nestled under trees are plenty of sites. With at least a row of trees to separate you from your neighbor. A handful of sites are along the stream.

Being next to the visitor center, you are in walking distance of lots of trail information and trail heads.

Campsites nestled under trees with red rock views

Zion national park is just incredible and it has all that you need! The hiking is great!!

Amazing rocks!

Zion is overrated. Drive, hike and move on. We were accosted by roving vans of teens abusing the English language with intermittent courses of obscenities and inappropriate conversation topic. I know this is supposed to be about the camping, but it’s more about the unsustainable level and attitude of park visitors, it is inescapable, By the way, I’m a high school teacher and things were out of line. 

Zion, Maybe Kodachrome?

I only have positive things to say about this experience. It was my first time exploring Zion NP and went for the first come first serve check in with a few buddies of mine. We left the bay area the night before, took turns driving until we arrived in the early morning. We spoke with a ranger whom gave us a site, not a bad one but after speaking with him further, he insisted on taking our map to relocate our stay. To our surprise, as my review title states-we were relocated right under The Watchman and next to The Virgin River. Truly one of the best campsite locations I've ever had. The sunrise/sunset shining on The Watchman was more than my photographer-eyes could have asked for and the sound of The Virgin River singing me to sleep was the more blissful lullaby. Of course we spent most of our time hiking and exploring the park but this campsite was the icing on the cake.

Under The Watchman & next to The Virgin River

This campground has great amenities and has close access to most attractions in the park! The large lawn near the lodge is wonderful to relax on after on long hike.

Hikes to choose from in the area include the easy emerald pools and beginning of the narrows. A hike that is a little harder but is the most photographed in the park is Angels landing. Canyoneering and climbing opputunities also abound so there's no reason (other than booking) not to stay at this prime location campground!

Close to so much!

Some people swear Zion is their favorite, but with the number of people there as well as the number of campers in close proximity, it was not the one for me.

We are one or two night campers and then we move on to the next stop. I wished this stop hadn’t happened. When we arrived, the capsite across from us in the tent loop appeared to have made themselves at home for the week. All of their crap was spread out EVERYWHERE. They were having a loud party of Jenga playing…and a small child was screaming their head off with nobody seeming to care. The bugs were bad and it was HOT so we set up quickly and went into Springdale to see what we could see, hoping all would cool off by the time we came back. Springdale closes up early so there are no cute little shops to wander through at 9pm. We went back to the campground and the noisy campers were still up and playing games. I wondered if they would be up all night or if they were the type to leave their Christmas lights on all night. Yes, Christmas lights. This campground really has you packed in and it just wasn’t that great.

To top it off, we woke up at 4am to the wind attempting to fly away with us in our tent. The stakes had pulled out of the ground, which was not surprising because the ground was rock hard and I could not get them in very far.

I think if you were in an rv, this would be an ok campground, but the tent loop is too tightly packed. If the wind hadn’t been blowing, I think we’d have heard the neighbors snoring!

We did not use the restrooms because they were too far to walk to. Instead, we used one at the grocery store the night before and at the visitor center in the morning.

I doubt very much that we will ever return to Zion. It is too busy and too crowded. It’s gorgeous and was worth a look, but it’s not a great camping destinaton.

On the plus side, site D24 was on the outside row so at least we did not have more people behind us!

Very busy campground!

We stayed in the Watchman campground for three nights in the third week of October. First and foremost, the area surrounding the campground is GORGEOUS, especially during early morning and sunset when the sun’s rays are shining on the surrounding cliffs, making the sandstone turn bright, fire-y yellows, oranges, and reds. SUBLIME.

**WARNING**: Getting a campsite in the canyon of ZNP is a challenge. The Watchmen campground does not take reservations ahead of time, and fills up on a first come first served basis - even in the third week of October, the campground was filled up every day we were there. If you want a campsite in Watchmen, I suggest getting up EARLY (5am ish) to get in line outside the campground. Lines for the campgrounds begin forming around 5 or 6am, and grow quickly. When we first stayed in Zion at the South campground, we timed the road trip so that we would drive to Zion in the middle of the night and arrive early enough to get in line for South or Watchman campground. Both South and Watchman has had lines 20 cars deep by 6:30 am whenever we have camped inside Zion National Park, so be prepared to get up early to wait in line - I would also suggest having a back-up plan just in case you do not get a campsite in the canyon.

On this trip we stayed at an Airbnb that was maybe 40 minutes outside of ZNP. We got in line around 6am, and there were already about 20 people ahead of us. The rangers will start assigning campgrounds based on how many people are scheduled to check out on that particular day - you will not be able to choose your own site, it will be assigned to you by a ranger. When you are given a site you will have to give the ranger the number of nights you will be staying - your stay time is not flexible, if you want to stay past the number of days you initially book. If you wish to extend your stay you will have to get back in line.

The campsites are small, crowded, and very open to neighboring sites - but with that being said, they are still very nice sites, and you can’t beat the backdrop of Zion canyon.Each site has a fire pit and picnic table, and plumbed bathrooms and water spigots are available. There are no showers in South campground - showers (for a ridiculous amount of money) are located a short walk away in the “village” area, where there are also shops, restaurants, rentals, etc. The Virgin River runs adjacent to the campground - it is lovely to swim in when you are visiting Zion in the hot summer months. There is little to no cell reception in the campground - I use Verizon, and could occasionally get a signal in the campground. The signal was a little better in parts of the village.

There are no bins for food storage in the campground - I do not know what kind of animals frequent the campgrounds in Zion Canyon, but I would still suggest locking all of your food inside your car at night.

The visitors center and shuttle station are only a couple minutes away by foot; some of Zion is inaccessible by personal vehicles, so one must take the shuttle service to get around. The shuttle services are fast and efficient, but there still might be some wait time due to lines.

Zion Canyon can get VERY windy at night - every time I have camped in Zion National Park the winds have howled all night long, from around midnight well into the morning. If you have the option of bringing a tent with a low, sleek profile, I would highly suggest it. The first time we camped in ZNP we brought our large tent, and the wind really whipped it around all night. We used a small backpacking tent for our next trip, and the lower profile tent made less noise in the wind.

On this trip to ZNP we hiked the Narrows and Angels Landing. The Narrows were INCREDIBLE. The Narrows is a very popular hike, so we got up early and took a shuttle when the shuttle services started. We had rented our gear the day before - special water hiking books with neoprene socks, and large wooden hiking sticks. You can rent that package for around $40, and it’s worth EVERY PENNY! The special water hiking books and neoprene (think wetsuit) socks keep your feet comfortable and warm, even though your feet will be wet for the duration of your hike. The water socks are meant to be the only thing worn with the shoes, and do not cause blisters.

When you rent the pair of shoes and neoprene socks, you also receive a wooden walking stick to use for the hike - even if you do not want to rent the shoes and socks, I **HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you use a walking stick** of some sort when hiking the Narrows. You are literally walking in a river for 99% of the hike, and while there are a few sandy areas, the majority of the hike is on slick, moss-covered river stones. It is SLIPPERY, it is UNEVEN, and there are parts of the river with a fairly strong current. Without that walking stick, I think I would have been tripping/sliding/falling into the river every other minute of the hike. Having the walking stick REALLY helped on this hike.

Pack for the Narrows hike accordingly. I have only been on this hike once, and it was in late October. The weather was around 85 degrees in the daytime, so it was still pretty warm out. But, remember that you are hiking through water the entire duration of your hike, so you will constantly be wet. Also, in some of the narrower parts of the slot canyon do not get much sun, so there are stretches of the hike where the air remains quiet cool. I wore skin tight running pants that went to my knees to avoid chafing with any loose fabric, and that worked well for me. I went back and forth from wearing a down puffy jacket to just a tee shirt for the entire hike; there would be times when the canyon felt super warm, and other times it felt very cold.

**WARNING**: be very mindful of the weather when you are planning on hiking the Narrows. If there is any chance of rain or thunderstorms, do NOT go into the Narrows, or any slot canyon for that matter. Flash flooding can happen in an instant in slot canyons, and people have died in flash floods in Zion National Park. As mind-blowing as the Narrows are, the hike is not worth risking your life.

**CAMPSITE SPECS**

**Fees:** $18/night

**Plumbed Toilets**: Yes

**Drinking Water:** Yes

**Showers:** NO

**Picnic Table:** Yes

**Firepit:** Yes

**Cooking Grate**: Yes

**Shade**: Limited

**Cell Service**: Limited/NO

**Animal Bins/Food Lockers**: NO

**Trash**: Yes

Zion National Park - Watchman Campground 

Restrooms and portable water were conveniently placed. Sites are a good size. Plenty of shade from the trees that attracted plenty of birds including humming birds.

Perfectly treed

We camped at the walk-to sites and then again in the drive-in sites. The walk-to sites were great but had no shade, and the wind coming off the hill behind us was very loud in our tent. The drive-in sites had shade and were very comfortable. There were lots of deer walking through the campground and came right up to us.

Great campground but little shade in the walk-to sites

As someone who camps with a dog, finding a campsite that allows my furry camper is important! Getting a spot here is first come first serve, and that can prove kind of chaotic at times. You used to be able to pick your spot, but now it’s more assigned. The group sites are also really great!

Stay here every time!

Its Zion!

This campground has pretty good bathrooms, just make sure you bring your own toilet paper.

I really suggest going here if you want to visit Zion because there is a bus that takes you right to the park and a lot of hotels are sold out year round.

You should reserve the campground as soon as possible because spots go away fast!

Great campground with facilities and electricity

Went to Watchman mid August with a total of 3 of us, and it was great! We reserved a few months ahead, and were in the "walk in" section, where you park in a lot and walk into your assigned camp site (very, very close to the lot). The sites had privacy, and the bathrooms had lights on so you could see at night! Also just outside of the campsite is the town, where you can find rentals, grocery stores, hotels, showers, restaurants, etc.

comfortable, close to town

Excellent location for this campground. Very close to the south entrance and the ranger station. And what a view! Definitely recommend.

Wow!

Great sites throughout the campground with breathtaking views. 

Fantastic national park-awesome campground

 these sites are decent sized- we fit 2person and a 1 person. there are facilities to fill water and use the bathroom near the campsites and we thoroughly enjoyed our site. such a beautiful place with a great view. trails are amazing

a comfy place to recoop at 

This was a beautiful area as t the southern end of Zion. Went on a trip with some friends on this one who had a camper. The ground seemed to be a little too touch for tent stakes at our lot. And there were no trees to throw up the hammock I brought. We ended up throwing the hammock up between two Jeep's and that works just as well as trees. I didn't manage to get any pictures of the camping area itself. I'll upload a few of the main trail in Zion. We were there when it was around 100 degrees if not over it in the middle of July. Not much shade in the area. We didn't get to walk on a few of the trails due to a storm that caused a bit of damage. The rangers said it would be closed for a few weeks if not months. Also had a flash flood warning while we were there but it didn't affect us. Very beautiful area but be prepared to be very hot the entirety of the trip as there may not be much shade in your area.

Great little area for RV camping

Clean sites and spacious. Surrounded by the beauty of Zion. Has some shade with trees, bet restrictions on campfires during peak season.

Beautiful

Very busy and campgrounds are packed in near the entrance. Running drinking water but no showers. You must go to a neighboring gear shop outside the entrance. $25/night

Best for location to get ahead of the crowd

Great campground and definitely a spot I'd want to stay again when back in Zion. It can book up, but they have good spots with decent privacy and its a very clean and nice campground. Wake up to views in Zion, doesn't get much better! Also right next to the visitors center and walking path into park and into down. Great spot! And does have cell service there.

Great spot - In the Park

When we traveled here we were fortunate enough to snag a spot at Watchman, which is pretty difficult to do unless you plan to go well in advance. My tip is to try to plan during the week after school has come back into session, it is still warm enough but there are a few less travelers here at that time, still pretty busy. [(Campground Website)](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/watchman-campground.htm)

Settling into the site it was laid out pretty well with standard amenities, the bonus to this site is the restrooms are heated, much needed on those cold windy mornings. Just helps you start your day freshening up in a little comfort. There are no showers here so by freshening up I mean anything you can do from a standard sink or you can walk to the Zion Outfitters for a shower and pay for the service there.

The site itself was pretty flat and hard packed which was great for sleeping with a sleep roll but not so great for staking the tent. Had to use the method of wetting the ground to secure and drive in the stakes before camping. Not staking the tent is NOT an option, the wind here will get strong enough to blow it away if you are not secure.

I did notice that some sites were equipped with different amenities, typically occupied by RVs and though I didn't explore a lot around these and be nosey it looked like maybe electric was available. [(Full Campground Map)](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/upload/WCG-Map-undated-Jan-2018.pdf)

At night it was really quiet after 10 except the whipping of the wind. I noticed the following morning a few people who had taller tents were struggling with repositioning them because they had caught to much wind and it had made them buckle or they had lost their rain flaps. It was pretty chilly and I can't imagine being one of those hikers looking to do the Narrows on days like the one I was there. Still I did notice people packing their gear and wetsuits for the long hike as early as sun up.

[Book Your Visit To Watchman](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232445)

TIPS;

*   Opt for metal stakes instead of plastic ones, they drive a bit more easily into the hard packed dirt and set to hold more securely in the gusty winds.
*   Use your America The Beautiful Pass fo admission and save big while also getting into the park more quickly.
*   Bring a jacket. Even during the warmer months a light jacket is a good thing, temps do drop at night here and it can get quite chilly with winds very rapidly.

Busy Camp With River Access To Narrows

Amazing campground if you want to get out and explore Zion. Right next to the first shuttle stop, there you can take the shuttle to Angels Landing, Overlook, the Narrows or walk over to the visitors center. We stayed in Area A which was also quick walk to the local pub and store to rent dry suit gear for the narrows. Bathrooms were amazingly clean and onsite staff was nice and helpful. I would stay here again!

Easy access to hikes and clean! 

Excellent campground but not much privacy. This is a beautiful place with some much needed shade! Some sites are close to the creek and others are right off the road. Great place to camp if you need to hit the shuttle early to start your hike!

In the thick of it

Zion National Park is one of my favorites. This is the second time I have been here in the last four years. This time we spent a whole week here with the kids. It was awesome but it is tough to find a spot if you don't make your reservations six moths in advance. Make sure you book it early. It fills up fast

Book 6 Months in advance

Don't be confused when you see two Watchman campgrounds. There is really only one campground and you need to book it six months in advance. It is so beautiful and so much fun. If you want to be around some amenities though, skip Springdale and drive an hour west to St. George and make sure you stop off at In and Out Burger. Especially if you live in the midwest like me.

There is only one Watchman

Watchman campground is inside of Zion National Park.  Reservations are hard to get, I booked mine the moment they were released and when I was done booking they were all filled.  You can easily walk to the visitor's center to hop onto a shuttle. There are also trail access points off of the campground. The views from anywhere in the sites are lovely.  The bathrooms are well kept with flushing toilets. There is no store on site, and you can only buy firewood outside of the park.  We were able to walk to buy it but it is a bit of a hike back while carrying firewood, I would recommend purchasing wood before you arrive.  This is one of the nosier campgrounds that I have visited.  There was loud music until 10pm from the town right outside the gates of the park, along side the campground.  This is nice if you want to enjoy the social party scene, but less appealing when trying to enjoy the nature.

Loop D, site 20:
Our site was wonderful!  I would book this site again if we return. This site is along the back side of the campground so you have no neighbors behind you, just a beautiful view of Watchman.  You are on the curve so there is extra space between you and your neighbors.  There is ample space for a large tent, or 2 smaller tents on a marked tent pad.  The bathrooms are 4 or 5 sites down the road.  There is a fire ring and a picnic table. This site is one of the furthest points from the visitor's center in all of the campground. 



Amazing!

My husband and I typically plan our trips pretty loosely and I think that's part of the fun. We don't know where we will sleep every night and don't plan out every second of our day. When we decided we wanted to take a trip to Utah, we had a rough idea of what we wanted to see and do. The ONLY solid plans we made were reservations at this campground 6 months in advance and knowing we had to be in Zion by a certain date to keep that site.

I had a calendar reminder set for 6 months to the day and we barely got a site! There were months of studying the map and tiny pictures on the recreation.gov website; contemplating shade, bathroom locations, and proximity to the Virgin River that runs the outer edge. It was all in vain as by 9am PST, I had my choice of the three remaining tent sites in the C or D Loop. At least we got a reservation. The popularity of Zion is unbelievable. The amount of people moving through the park, on the trails, and the lines for the shuttles are massive. I personally think that detracts from the experience overall, but you can't discount that all the popularity is for a reason. Zion is incredible and this is a great campground to experience it from.

The bathrooms are big and clean. Flush toilets and stalls. Multiple sinks on counters with mirrors, important if you have been showerless in a van for over a week and finally want to access the damage. You can fill your water outside the bathrooms and there are dish washing stations as well. The sites have picnic tables, fire pits, and are pretty large and spread out. We had spotty tree coverage. It was warm out and I would imagine this site would be tough in the summer when you could not escape the sun. Not much privacy, at least in C and D loop, but that as much the natural landscape as it is the campground. The campground was clean, quiet, and the Rangers were friendly.

Nearby Springdale is a neat town. We rode the shuttle from the Visitor Center close by the campground. Had a nice meal, some drinks, and a good walk.

We hiked the Narrows, Hidden Canyon, Emerald Pools, and a few others. Drove down to the nearby ghost town of Grafton which is a fun side trip if you are into that sort of thing. Make sure your car can handle the rough road.

Getting a site at Watchman can seem daunting, that's the only reason it's not a 5 in my book. That and the crowds and wait lines, but that's really the park, not the campground. Keep at it. It's a great base camp for exploring Zion and its surroundings!

Don't take a chance, plan ahead!

This campground is fine, but a bit crowded. Lots more RVs in this one than in South. Amenities are nicer, but there is construction on one of the loops right now so there is some noise from that. It's close to the visitor's center and right next to the Virgin River, so that was cool! Better bathrooms than South. More family friendly, but also more crowded!

It's okay. I prefer South Campground!

The Watchman Campground was quiet and seemed way less caterpillar infested like it’s sister camp (South Campground). Super kid friendly and tons to keep the tiny humans entertained. Be sure to visit the Nature center during the peak season or the visitor center in the off season to pick up a Junior Ranger work book for the kiddos. Complete given instructions and you too could receive a nifty Junior Ranger badge! Several trail heads such as the watchman and pa’rus trails are accessible from the campgrounds and the visitor center is right in between. The town of Springdale is just beyond that across the bridge of the virgin river where you can find an array of restaurants (we visited the brewery and loved it!), shopping and several gear outfitters.  Zion National Park has some of the cleanest restrooms I’ve ever experienced while camping. The visitor center is making some major improvements that look fantastic! I would recommend camping in Zion via reservations! We got lucky with the lottery and cancellations but definitely make reservations at least 2 weeks in advance! Overall great experience! 

Cozy  Utah camping 

Beautiful campground. Shuttle near by to get to a lot of hikes. 

Beautiful 

This campground was beautiful, we arrived in the dark and woke up to the best view. Watchman is positioned near the information center. The bathrooms were near by and we were able to easily drive into town for groceries. 

Wake up to a view

First time to Utah. BEAUTIFUL sites, very clean. Group site was awesome. We didn’t camp with tents, it was awesome waking up and having deer all around you! 

This was our home base before heading out on a two night backpacking trip with students. Park Rangers were awesome. 

Breath taking 

**Campground Review:**

Watchman Campground is one of two campgrounds inside of Zion National Park. It is located near the South Entrance of the park closest to Springdale, UT. You MUST make reservations online 6 months in advance to get a spot and they go SO FAST!

There is so much to love about this park!! I’ll start with the location. The South Entrance to the park is next to a town called Springdale which has so much to offer. There are restaurants, shops for camping gear, grocery stores, gas stations, laundry mat, showers, etc.…anything you could need is right there. (Super Convenient) It is also within driving distance of a bunch of other spectacular places, such as…Coral Pink Sand Dune State Park, Bryce Canyon, Grand-Staircase National Monument, Antelope Canyon, Kanarraville Falls, and many many others! So take some time to plan out a trip. There is so much to see!

The park has plenty of amenities, it is definity one of the nicest parks I have stayed at. Clean, well-stocked bathrooms on every corner, huge visitor/information center and a shuttle system inside the park as well as in Springdale.

Now because the park is such a big tourist destination, it does come with a few downfalls. There are many wonderful trails, but the majority are going to be paved so that they are accessible to everyone, which don’t get me wrong, that is an awesome thing. Anyone and everyone can go experience this amazing place, but we did miss some of the adventure that comes with a dirt trail. The Watchman trail and the top of Angel's Landing trail will give you some sense of adventure.

There are also a TON of camping sites and they will ALL be full, so be prepared to get to know your neighbors and everyone else around. There will be a lot of noise and it feels more like you’re at a theme park than camping, but if you embrace it….you will find such a fun community and leave with new friends and experiences!

We did have a permit for The Narrows but unfortunately due to snow melt it was closed along with a few others. This made for even bigger crowds at the other trails, but it was still an experience I will never forget.

Quick Tip: Get a National Park Pass!!!! We always have our National Parks Pass in our pocket because we like parks, but I found that while in and around Zion we used our pass more than ever before. There are so many National Monuments and Parks around Zion that the pass can be used for and it was nice to just be able stop on the fly and have free entrance. We saved at least a couple hundred bucks on our trip just by have our pass! Without the pass, Zion alone is $36.00 per car to enter.

**Product Review:**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products from time to time. At Watchman Campground I tested the [Stream2Sea Tinted Suncreen](https://stream2sea.com/product/tinted-sunscreen-spf-20/).

I was very excited to try out a new sunscreen. Full disclosure, I am what you call very fair skinned. I burn faster than the marshmallows roasting at you campfire….literally. So sunscreen is an absolute MUST for me. My first beach day of the Summer I had reapplied a 40SPF sunscreen 5 times throughout the day and still ended up a ripe tomato.

Now as I had said previously, I had a permit for the Narrows and thought that would be a great place to try it out with all the Sun and water, but the trail was closed. So my husband and I decided to take a day to drive from Zion to Lake Powell, where we rented a 2 person kayak and decided to kayak into Lower Antelope Canyon.

When first applying the tinted sunscreen, I immediately noticed the difference from other “white” sunscreens. You still have to rub it in very well, but you don’t have those white streaks running down you as you normally would. I was worried it wouldn’t blend well with my skin tone, but surprisingly it did. It also blended well with my husband’s skin who is much darker than me. I have quite a few tattoos and I noticed it did look kind of strange on ink.  It was almost like you could tell there was a film of goo over the tattoo.

So we heading out in the kayak down into the canyon till we hit land, then began hiking in. We spent about 6 hours in direct sunlight without reapplying and I will say I did not even get pink. I normally would have burned to a crisp, but nothing, no redness on my shoulders or top of my thighs.

This stuff works!

There was however one thing I did not like about it…

It felt heavy. You could tell that you have sunscreen on. You could feel it.

It wasn’t sticky at all, but it did have just a certain feel to it, that you do not get with the spray, lightweight sunscreens we have nowadays.

Overall, my skin was protected. A whole day in the Sun mixed with splashing water and it felt good to not be paying for it in the morning with a huge sunburn!

Ranger Review: Stream2Sea at Watchman Campground, UT

We stayed in Loop A and where we were situated was perfect in the morning.  The trees were covering our camp site.  It was quiet even though it was a full campground.   The bathrooms were nice and it even included sinks to wash your dishes and drinking water. Bathrooms were clean(not outhouses).  The campsite was convient to the shuttle, vistors center, springdale, and a few trails.  The only thing that i was bummed about was that we waited to long to make reservations and could only get one night.  So plan ahead if you want to stay here.  We booked ours two weeks in advance and that was the only spot available. 

Photos of Watchman Campground — Zion National Park

Real photos from real campers