ATTENTION: Glamping is a game changer! Don't get me wrong, I love nature; the views, fresh air, exercise of a good hike... but when it comes to sleeping on the hard ground on an air mattress that inevitably deflates halfway through the night, I get less fond of camping.
I decided to upgrade myself from a traditional camping experience to one of glamping when visiting Zion National Park this past weekend. Glamping is the glamorous version of camping, so we're looking at running water & plumbing, showers, a real bed (thank gosh), and in my tent we had AC (essential in Zion during the summer as it was 90+ degrees).
I booked my experience through Zion Glamping Adventures and I totally recommend them. I don't give them the full 5 stars just yet, but I think given a year or two they will be a full-service stop!
HITS:
Tucked into the mountain side with a beautiful view
Tents are clean and as cute as pictured
Each area has its own grill, picnic table and fire pit which is perfect
There were communal areas for games like tetherball, corn hole and volleyball
Campers were super friendly and family-oriented
On-site point of contact is ready to help
Minutes from Water Canyon trail which is outside of the National Park (free)
MISSES:
not every tent has AC (first come, first served basis)
shower experience: little water pressure & some showers didn't ever heat up
website claims 'luxurious bedding' no real complaints but definitely over-promised
A quick 5 minute drive down from our tent was the trailhead to Water Canyon, which was the perfect mini-hike to start the weekend! The hike is 3-4 miles roundtrip depending on where you want to end the hike, but at the top of the main trail are beautiful pools of fresh water and a waterfall to cool off in. While you cannot drink the water, it is clean enough to dip in, and a dip in some fresh water is the perfect motivation for an almost all uphill hike on a hot summer's day. This is an easy hike to start your Zion journey with as it is short, the trail is well-worn and the experience & views at the top are so worth it!
When it comes to exploring Zion National Park, make sure you get there early as most likely you will want to stop along the way in the park for pictures, spend time driving through the tunnel and end up in line for the free shuttle to get to your hiking start points. For an easy hike with water views I recommend the Emerald Pools Trail which has three stoping points at different water features depending on the level of difficulty you want. On your way back down there is the Kayenta Trail which leads you to some stunning river views.
Zion has no shortage of beautiful trails, including the famous Angles Landing (not for the faint of heart) and The Narrows (Insta-ready)!
As REI says #OptOutside and enjoy Zion with the modern-day comfort of a glamping trip!