Watchman Campground in the Zion National Park is one of our favorite destinations. Open year round with absolutely gorgeous scenery.
The Watchman Campground in the Zion National Park in Utah is probably one of my favorite place to glamp. The natural beauty of this place is simply unbeatable!
During peak season you will need to make reservations to stay in the campground. This place is packed during peak season. I would start looking online 12 months before your planned trip.
If you plan on staying here off-season like we did this year (November through the end of February roughly), spots are first come first serve. I was a little concerned driving 8+ hours only to end up with no camping spots. Staying here in early February and half the spots were vacant.
One important thing you need to keep in mind if staying here off-season is that it gets cold. For most of our trip, the temperatures dropped into the low 20's at night. Make sure you pack accordingly!
Not all spots have water and sewer. You will need to fill your freshwater tanks before setting up camp. They have an area when you first enter the campground where you can fill your tanks with safe to drink water. They also have a couple of dump stations for when you leave.
📍 Map of Watchman Campground
Cell service is actually pretty good considering where you are at. I could not get a stable satellite connection for my Dish antenna because of the mountains but was able to get a handful of HD channels (mostly PBS) using my King over the air antenna.
📍 Local Attractions
There is so much to see and do in this area that it would be impossible for me to cover everything. The main attractions in the area, in my opinion, is Zion National Park and Bryce National Park.
📍 Zion National Park Utah
During peak season the only way to get around the park is to use their shuttle system. It's actually very well organized and a very convenient way to see the park. During the winter months, the roads are open to the public so you can drive to the various points of interest in your own vehicle. Make sure you have enough fuel as there are no gas stations in the park!
📍 Bryce National Park Utah
Located a little over 100 miles from the Watchman Campground, this is a must-see if you are staying in the area. While Zion is absolutely gorgeous, I think I might like Bryce National Park a little better.
If you are visiting in the winter months as we did, keep in mind that Bryce can be 10 to 15 degrees colder than Zion and odds are you might encounter snow. The day we visited Bryce we saw temperatures drop to 22 degrees. Only 4 of the lookouts were open because of snow. The entrance to the park is $35 regardless and non-refundable.
📍 Shopping & Dining
The city of Springdale, UT is located at the entrance of Zion National Park. It offers tons of souvenir shops, restaurants, tours, etc.
We don't eat out very often when we are out camping but this time we tried a local greasy spoon called Blondie's Diner for lunch. My guests tried the Grilled Cheese and the BLT while I tried the Elk Burger. The place is an old house with a few different rooms with small tables. They also have an outside patio. If you are looking for a funky place, this one is for you. Next time we will pass.
The first time we visited Zion National Park, we ate at Juniper Pizza. They are still and bummed we didn't go back. Fun place with great food!
📍 Park Reviews
If you prefer to camp in parks with full-hookups, we found a nice RV resort 30 minutes from the entrance of the park called Zion River RV Resort. We have not stayed at that park yet but did take a quick tour as we were leaving Zion. Nice clean park with reasonable rates. I will provide a full review once we've had the chance to spend some time at that park.
If Watchman Campground in Zion National Park Utah is not your thing, make sure you check out all my other RV Park Reviews.
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