Introduction:
Located within easy walking distance of Zion National Park's southern entrance, this was an ideal campground from which to explore the park.
Click here to read about our criteria for campground reviews.
The Basics:
Overall Rating: 3.4/5
Price per night / Discounts: $49 / None
Campground website: Zion Canyon Campground
Our Site #: E-41 FHU
Privacy Rating (how spacious and private do the sites feel):
2/5: This is a standard commercial campground with minimal site separation. We lucked out with a very spacious end spot, but the majority of sites have minimal space between rigs. There is a fair amount of greenery throughout the campground which helped a bit, but overall, privacy wasn't great. There was a significant amount of inconsistency between the sites. How much space and privacy you end up with is really just a matter of luck.
Location Rating (accessibility to points of interest or to major highways):
5/5: You simply cannot find a better located campground outside the gates of Zion. The Springdale shuttle that picks folks up throughout Springdale and drives them to the front gate of the park does stop right in front of this campground, but we never used it, preferring to simply walk to the front gate. It's about a half mile between the campground and the Zion visitor's center, so it's super easy for most people to just walk. In the opposite direction is the town of Springdale which offers everything else you could need - grocery stores, shops, and restaurants. We basically walked everywhere throughout our visit. This campground was an absolutely perfect base from which to explore Zion.
Site Quality and Big Rig Accessibility Rating (utilities and accessibility of campground hook ups):
3.5/5: Site quality was ok. Our site was pretty large and we were able to get level, but some of the sites did look a bit uneven. The utilities all worked as expected. The roads could be a bit tight depending on where people had their tow vehicles parked, but we didn't have any issues getting around.
Technology and Customer Service Rating (online resources, reservations, and staff):
3/5: You can sort of book your site online - you send an online request and then wait for an email confirmation of your reservation. You can't pick your site or anything like that, but at least you can generally get it done online. Customer service was efficient if not particularly friendly. They clearly churn through a ton of people at this place, but it was fine. You do have to pay a non-refundable first night's deposit at the time of booking which we think is pretty crappy, especially given the high price of the sites (ie: if you have to cancel at any time for any reason, you lose your deposit.)
Internet Availability Rating (Verizon coverage or campground wifi):
3.5/5: The campground offered wifi which worked reasonably as did our AT&T hotspot, though at certain times, both would become overwhelmed. It appeared as though there were only one or two towers in the area serving all of the visitors at all of the various campgrounds and hotels and when everyone was home in the evening, the tower would slow down significantly.
Summary:
While this would generally be a pretty forgettable campground, its location, right outside the front gates of Zion National Park, made all the difference for us. The Virgin River runs right next to the campground, you can walk right to the front gate of the National Park, you can walk to shops and restaurants, and you have access to everything you need in Springdale. It's just a fantastic spot. While the sites might not be particularly posh, the views all around the campground are simply stunning and we were thoroughly content during our lengthy stay.
