Zion Mountain Ranch

Zion Mountain Ranch is an 8,000-acre ranch and hotel that caters to guests seeking an authentic western experience. With horses, bison, and other farm animals on the property, it often draws families and couples who want to be close to the Zion National Park and have a laid-back vacation with great views of the local landscape. The scene here is, however, mostly focused on the ranch and not so much on the hotel. For instance, the only public areas are the pricey farm-to-table restaurant on-site and a small camp fire area. The lobby is mostly filled with a gift shop with a wooden front desk for checking in. As for the decor, it focuses heavily on eco-friendly practices via local wood and stone materials in the restaurant and the cabins and lodges. A stay here is best for the traveler who will be out exploring the area during the day. 

For visiting Zion National Park, the hotel’s location is pretty convenient. The hotel borders the eastern part of the park and is just a six-minute drive to the East entrance. However, the parking is about a 30-minute drive away, and if the parking lot is full (common in the summer) you’ll have to drive to Springdale, a 36-minute drive away, and then take the shuttle. The hotel is also a good jumping off point to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (a 36-minute drive) and Lake Powell (an hour and 40-minute drive). There’s a gas station and a few dining options about a 12-minute drive away at Mt. Carmel Junction, but for more options, Springdale is a better option. The closest international airport is McCarran International Airport in Nevada -- a three-hour drive away. Salt Lake City International Airport is almost a five-hour drive. 

Zion Mountain Ranch has a selection of private cabins and lodges with private balconies or porches and views of the meadows, buffalo herds, or the Meadow Creek Canyon. The units vary in size and are decorated in a down-to-earth rustic style that varies from cabin to cabin. Overall, the decor is simple, warm, and homey with light color tones, natural decorative elements like stone and wood, and some wall art. All cabins and lodges have TVs (some are flat-screen and others are dated tube-style TVs), free Wi-Fi, microwaves, mini-fridges, fireplaces, and coffeemakers. TVs lack cable, though DVD players and DVDs are available to rent from the front desk. Some units have hideaway beds, washers and dryers, a sauna, massage room, or full kitchens with stoves and ovens. Past guests have reported drawbacks like late or no housekeeping, maintenance issues, and some dated or cleanliness elements.   

Zion Mountain Ranch touts itself as a ranch first and a hotel second -- and the features reflect that attitude. There’s no pool or gym. Rather, the property offers activities like bike rentals, guided hikes, fishing guides, or horseback riding tours for a fee. There’s a single restaurant, Cordwood, which offers farm-to-table dining and local ingredients from the ranch’s organic gardens, aquaponic greenhouses, and the farm animals or local bison herd. An excellent breakfast is offered for a fee, with a weekly rotating menu and a favorite of waffles. Other amenities include a camp fire area with seating, in-cabin massages, DVD rentals, and a small gift shop in the lobby that sells jewelry, gems, clothing, and toys. Free Wi-Fi is available.