Zion National Park, located in southwest Utah, is also quite lovely in the winter months. The geography is what brings families here year-round with dramatic features such as colossal cliffs, deep canyons, high plateaus, and the Virgin River, which are only more gorgeous when covered in snow.
Zion National Park has three campgrounds.
Watchman Campground is open year-round. Make reservations up to six months ahead of your visit.
South Campground is partially closed for a long-term rehabilitation project. Make reservations in the open part of the campground up to two weeks ahead of time.
Lava Point Campground is about a 1-hour drive from Zion Canyon on the Kolob Terrace Road (closed in winter).
There are no campgrounds in Kolob Canyons. Camping is only permitted in designated campsites, and not in road pullouts or parking lots (including the oversize parking lot near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center). From mid-March through late November the campgrounds are full almost every night.
Reservations at Watchman Campground (Call 877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov) are recommended if you would like to guarantee a camping spot.
Several area campgrounds are a short drive from the park. Please check the following links for more information.
Zion Canyon Campgrounds
South Campground and Watchman Campground (Call 877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov) are near the south entrance at Springdale. This part of the park is desert. There are few trees to provide relief from the heat. Some campsites get shade for part of the day, but many get no shade at all. Summer temperatures exceed 95°F (35°C) and lows rarely dip below 65°F (18°C); staying cool is a challenge. Remember these temperatures and the possibility of a sunny campsite when planning. The Virgin River runs along the edge of each campground; there are a few riverside campsites.
All campsites are drive-up and allow a maximum of two vehicles. Only one RV or trailer is allowed. Any RV including motorhomes, cabover campers and camper vans, or any trailer including 5th wheels, pop-up campers, and cargo or boat trailers are vehicles and count toward the limit. Each campsite allows a maximum of six people and two tents; plan accordingly. Hammocks are allowed but are limited to the footprint of the campsite. Check out time is 11:00 a.m.
Comfort stations provide flush toilets, cold running drinkable water, and trash containers, but no showers or electrical outlets. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit with attached grill. Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet. Hiking in the park with pets is allowed only on the roads and Pa’rus Trail.
Please note that food must be stored in a vehicle or a hard-sided lockable container. Feeding wildlife is strictly prohibited. Do not leave trash unattended while camping at Zion, and dispose of trash in dumpsters.
Springdale is adjacent to Zion Canyon; pay showers, small markets, firewood, laundromats, a limited medical clinic, and restaurants are available. Springdale can be reached from the campgrounds by car, foot, bicycle, or Springdale shuttle.
From March through mid-November, the park-wide camping limit is 14 nights. An additional 30 nights is permitted the rest of the year. These limits apply to all park campgrounds.
