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Glamping at Zion: A overview of Below Canvas and AutoCamp

There are dozens of lodging choices in and round Zion Nationwide Park, together with lodges, cabins, tents and RVs. After all, tenting retains you closest to Zion’s towering pink rocks and otherworldly starry nights, however you do not have to surrender creature comforts to commune with nature if you go to Utah’s oldest nationwide park.

Staying at one in all Zion’s glamping resorts presents one of the best of each worlds — and they are often booked utilizing factors. I just lately visited the realm with my household to take a look at two of the park’s outdoorsiest points-friendly choices, Below Canvas Zion and AutoCamp Zion. This is what you might want to find out about every resort earlier than your southern Utah journey.

Associated: The perfect locations to remain close to Zion Nationwide Park

Below Canvas Zion

Below Canvas Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

Below Canvas Zion opened in 2017 close to the nationwide park’s extra distant westerly edge in Virgin, Utah, and the Mr & Mrs Smith property joined World of Hyatt in 2024. The 196-acre, DarkSky-certified resort is surrounded solely by red-rock desert and infinite skies for so far as the attention can see. Due to its outdoorsy nature, the resort closes every year between early November and mid-March.

Associated: First look: Below Canvas Columbia River Gorge brings factors journey to one of many Pacific Northwest’s pure wonders

How far is Below Canvas from Zion?

entrance to Zion National Park with red rocks in the background
Zion Nationwide Park entrance. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

Below Canvas Zion is a couple of 30-minute drive from the primary entrance to Zion Nationwide Park in Springdale, Utah. Its distant location means its environment are simply as stunning as what you will discover contained in the park, however it additionally means it is best to convey all of the provides you want on your stick with you, or decide issues up if you go via Springdale in your solution to Zion. Word that there’s a restaurant on-site, and the lodge does have some provides accessible for buy — extra on that beneath.

Below Canvas nightly charges

Below Canvas Zion is dwelling to 66 safari-style tents, together with 15 suites and 4 two-tent suites. Most World of Hyatt properties function utilizing a set award chart — outlined by Class 1 via 8 — that reveals what number of factors per evening rooms will value. Below Canvas, however, makes use of dynamic money and award pricing that fluctuates primarily based on availability and seasonality.

glamping tent
Below Canvas Deluxe Tent. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

Pricing begins at round $362 or 28,250 World of Hyatt factors per evening for a Deluxe Tent that sleeps as much as two visitors, and $472 or 38,000 factors per evening for a Suite Tent that sleeps as much as 4. You can even go for a Stargazer Tent with a viewing window above the mattress for $439 or 35,250 factors per evening.

Deluxe and Stargazer tents can be found with an adjoining children tent, beginning at round $967 or 88,250 factors per evening.

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glamping tent
Below Canvas Zion Angels Touchdown Suite. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

For bigger events like my household of 5, go for an Angels Touchdown Suite that sleeps as much as six visitors throughout two giant tents linked by a furnished deck. Nightly charges begin at round $967 or 88,250 World of Hyatt factors.

Below Canvas lodging

Every tent at Below Canvas Zion is outfitted with luxurious bedding, a non-public split-layout toilet, comfy indoor and outside seating areas, and a wood-burning range. I’ve executed numerous tenting, however I nearly forgot I used to be in a tent when my head hit these plush pillows and the mushy bedding felt like a heat embrace shielding me from the cool nighttime desert air.

Although the evenings have been chilly, the daytime temperatures have been nonetheless within the excessive 80s. The tents are outfitted with misters, which emit moisture into the air, simply inside and outside the door to assist cool them down.

I used to be additionally equal elements stunned and impressed to search out the marketed “sizzling water” within the bathe was certainly fairly heat. The sink temperature assorted primarily based on the skin temperature, however it was protected to drink, making it simple to refill our bottles with out driving all the way down to the resort foyer tent.

To totally make it easier to join with nature (and untether your self out of your routine), there isn’t a electrical energy or Wi-Fi within the tents. Our tent had one fan, giant lanterns on either side of the mattress and a smaller lantern hanging above the lavatory mirror. All have been transportable, do you have to enterprise out after sundown. Every tent has two energy banks with USB-A and USB-C retailers that energy the fan, lanterns and any of your private gadgets.

tent with bed
Below Canvas Zion tent.TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

The tent additionally had loads of space for storing. Our suitcases slid comfortably beneath the mattress, and there was a storage ottoman, baggage rack, coat rack and low desk for belongings we would have liked simpler entry to.

glamping resort
Below Canvas Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

The tents are unfold out and secluded, giving every visitor uninterrupted desert views and the quiet seclusion you might be doubtless craving if you go to a distant resort resembling this.

Below Canvas facilities and actions

glamping tents
Below Canvas Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

The foyer tent is the guts of Below Canvas Zion. Inside, you will discover the check-in desk, a bar and restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, a grab-and-go foods and drinks space, a small present store, and an actions concierge desk the place you may e book native excursions. Exterior, there are a number of tables, garden video games and a little bit library.

glamping resort tents and cornhole board
Below Canvas Zion foyer tent. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

There was additionally all-day tea, espresso, sizzling cocoa and water; a guitar; a number of board and card video games you might play on the foyer or take to your tent; strolling sticks you might use throughout your keep; and a cooler with limitless s’mores provides. You might even ship a postcard to buddies or household again dwelling, and Below Canvas would handle postage.

After we weren’t mountain climbing or sleeping, we spent most of our time on the foyer tent’s outside space. The youngsters performed cornhole whereas we listened to stay music and sipped native brews within the evenings, after enjoying Slapjack or Scrabble whereas eating alfresco.

tortilla chips and beer on a table
Below Canvas Zion eating. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

We had breakfast and dinner at Embers, the resort’s on-site restaurant. The menu included a number of hand-held and fork-and-knife choices, shareables, and a children menu. Within the morning, Embers additionally served a full espresso, tea and espresso menu.

kids roasting s'mores
Roasting s’mores at Below Canvas Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

As soon as the solar set, we roasted (too many) s’mores, chatted with different visitors across the fireplace pit and stared up at an evening sky full of extra stars than I’ve ever seen in my life. It was so stunning that I struggled to peel myself away and go to mattress at evening.

Below Canvas ideas

glamping tent with deck
Below Canvas Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY
  • Below Canvas has a strict “no meals in tents” coverage, which implies no cooking or snacking in your tent. We stored nonperishable snacks in our automotive, and complimentary ice and coolers have been accessible on the foyer tent if we had objects we would have liked to maintain chilly.
  • Pack layers. It may be chilly within the morning and at evening, even when it nonetheless feels heat in the course of the daytime.
  • There are not any TVs within the tents and no Wi-Fi anyplace on the resort. Cell service was spotty, so be ready to go off-grid throughout your keep. Your coronary heart fee and stress ranges will thanks.
  • Below Canvas areas, together with Zion, have wheelchair-accessible tents with ramps and roll-in showers.
  • The resort is in a distant, secluded space. It is a couple of 30-minute round-trip drive into Virgin for provisions, so ensure you are absolutely stocked, if you happen to do not need to depend on the restaurant, earlier than you head as much as the resort.

AutoCamp Zion

glamping resort entrance
AutoCamp Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

In the event you assume, “I want I had an Airstream!” each time you go one on the freeway, your subsequent glamping keep must be with AutoCamp. AutoCamp presents a wide range of lodging varieties, however essentially the most iconic are the Airstream Suites, climate-controlled journey trailers outfitted with a midcentury design and fashionable facilities.

How far is AutoCamp from Zion?

mountains and a blue sky
Zion Nationwide Park. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

AutoCamp Zion is in Virgin, Utah, solely a couple of 15-minute drive from Zion Nationwide Park. The resort is on the primary stretch of street that runs via Virgin and on to Springdale, so it is a straight shot between AutoCamp and Zion.

AutoCamp nightly charges

airstream with a tent next to it
AutoCamp Zion Basecamp Suite. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

AutoCamp Zion’s Airstream Suites sleep as much as 4 visitors and begin at $165 or 61,000 Hilton Honors factors per evening. For a Premium Airstream Suite that is extra secluded close to the again of the property, the nightly fee begins at $199 or 95,000 factors per evening.

Associated: A glamping getaway you may e book with Hilton Honors factors: My keep at AutoCamp Yosemite

Bigger teams can e book a Basecamp Suite that sleeps as much as six visitors — as much as three within the Airstream and as much as three in an adjoining tent — beginning at $375 or 197,000 factors per evening.

Cabins, together with some which might be wheelchair accessible, begin at $165 or 61,000 factors per evening.

AutoCamp lodging

My household has outgrown something resembling a normal lodge room, so we stayed in a Basecamp Suite. The youngsters slept on the queen mattress and couch mattress within the AirStream, whereas my husband and I opted for the queen mattress within the giant canvas tent.

The Airstream was separated into three sections: the bed room, the dwelling and eating space, and the lavatory. The bed room’s giant window let in ample mild and the beautiful views. There was additionally a TV, bedside tables with commonplace and USB retailers and storage, and two further storage drawers.

Exterior the bed room was a galley kitchen with a small sink and all of the dishes and cooking utensils we would have liked throughout our keep. There was additionally on the spot espresso and tea, which I made within the supplied electrical kettle. Reverse the sink, white cupboards hid the microwave and minifridge. There was additionally a settee mattress, a small desk and a conveyable USB-powered lantern.

The toilet was fashionable and practical, with a big sink and a tiled bathe with citrus-scented bathtub merchandise from Ursa Main.

Our Airstream had an adjoining tent with one other queen mattress and a settee mattress. There was a medium-size fridge, a fan and several other lamps, however solely the Airstream had a TV, toilet and kitchen space.

seating area with table and fire pit
AutoCamp Zion outside seating. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

Between the Airstream and the tent was an out of doors seating space with a eating desk, chairs and a hearth pit. We spent numerous our day trip right here cooking dinner and stargazing by the fireplace.

AutoCamp facilities and actions

The resort had a big heated pool surrounded by loungers and umbrellas close to the primary foyer. There was additionally a basket full of balls and pool toys. (We spent a lot time enjoying volleyball within the pool that my forearms have been sore by the point we checked out.) The big garden exterior the foyer had a hearth pit surrounded by chairs and garden video games like cornhole and ladder ball.

river with mountains in background
AutoCamp Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

The Virgin River, which solid Zion’s fiery-red canyons, runs alongside the resort’s again edge and is accessible by way of a brief strolling path. We have been fortunate sufficient to be proper subsequent to the trail and visited the river’s sandy shores many occasions throughout our keep.

Most of these visits have been to seek for treasure. The youngsters have been so excited when the employees member who checked us in gave us a treasure map with two spots marked by an “X.” Our treasure hunt took a little bit time, however we have been rewarded with a hidden geode pile and a treasure chest full of toys.

AutoCamp had different kid-friendly actions, too, together with a playground and board video games accessible to borrow within the foyer.

women doing yoga outdoors
AutoCamp Zion yoga. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY

Different AutoCamp actions ranged from outside yoga to stay music and household sport nights.

The foyer additionally housed grab-and-go snacks and drinks, complimentary granola, milk, espresso, tea and sizzling cocoa every morning and an all-day restaurant.

Slightly than order off the menu, we bought one of many grill kits ($60). It got here with two steaks, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, asparagus and cornbread. Together with it, they gave us a cast-iron pan, grilling utensils and full directions. We cooked and ate exterior of our Airstream with the sounds of the Virgin River babbling alongside within the background.

Every night after dinner, we headed for the foyer. One evening, a neighborhood band was enjoying inside, so we listened alongside and performed video games like chess, tic-tac-toe and Sorry. The following evening, a guitarist was enjoying exterior, however the children selected to take a seat inside once more and play extra video games.

Between the pool and the actions, I used to be impressed by how a lot AutoCamp catered to children and households.

AutoCamp ideas

man pulling wagon
AutoCamp Zion. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY
  • AutoCamp is a “car-free zone.” When you park your automotive within the parking zone, you need to use a wagon or golf cart to move your belongings backwards and forwards to your Airstream or cabin.
  • The placement and inclusion of Wi-Fi and televisions imply you might be extra linked to the skin world. It is also simple to pop right into a retailer or fuel station for something you forgot to convey with you.
  • AutoCamp’s cabins have wheelchair-accessible ramps for visitors needing that possibility.
  • The resort does sometimes host weddings and occasions that will make a number of the public areas unavailable to common visitors (although when this occurs, it does supply different actions like indoor music and video games).

Backside line

You actually cannot go incorrect with any Zion resort when you think about the view exterior your window, however these two are among the many better of one of the best, particularly since you may earn and burn factors. Each supply upscale lodging and facilities, enjoyable actions impressed by nature, and top-notch service, they usually take part in main lodge loyalty packages.

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