All About Camping in Zion National Park

Spend a night camping under the stars and soaring cliffs of Zion National Park!  You will be in awe of the fantastic rock formations, the beautiful Virgin River, and the diversity of desert plants and animals that make up this fragile landscape.

Waking up with these incredible views right outside your tent door should definitely be on your bucket list!

What You Need to Know

• Each standard campsite only accommodates six people and two large tents or two small tents.  If you have a larger group, you will need to book two campsites or look for a campground that offers double or group campsites.
• There is a 14-day stay limit during the summer months, and Senior/Access Pass holders can get 50% off of the camping fee (this does NOT include the America the Beautiful Pass)
• Many of the first-come, first-served sites should be claimed first thing in the morning during summer months!  Plan your trip so that you can get to the campsite early before it fills.
• April and May is tent caterpillar season in Zion, meaning the campgrounds are covered in caterpillars that like to live in the cottonwood trees!  Camp at your own risk during these months — plenty of people do — but I personally would look for lodging elsewhere.
• A maximum of 2 vehicles are allowed at each campsite (RV’s, 5th Wheels, and trailers count as a vehicle).
• The campground restrooms do not have showers or electrical outlets.
• Zion National Park gets extremely hot during the summer months, and many campsites have partial or no shade.  A few riverside spots do exist but are extremely difficult to snag.  Consider the heat when planning your camping trip.

Getting Here

Check the Zion National Park Map before you go!  The South and Watchman Campgrounds are just inside of the South Entrance near the Visitor Center and shuttle pickup area.  The Lava Point Campground is located accessed by driving along the Kolob Terrace Road in a remote northern section of the park.

How to Get a Site

Two of the three campgrounds in the park accept reservations.  If you’re hoping to reserve something, click over to Recreation.gov to find a site.

The third campground in the park is first-come, first-served and is located about 1.5 hours from the main section of the park.  When you arrive, pick a site and set up camp.  These sites are free!

 

To choose your ideal campground, take a look at the in-park options below:

South Campground

The South Campground is a great base camp for your Zion adventure!  Conveniently located near the Visitor Center, shuttle pickup area, the Pa’rus Trail (popular for biking), and the Virgin River, staying here means staying near all of the action.

Open Season: End of February to the end of November.
Max RV Length: No length restrictions, but vehicles cannot be taller than 13 feet.
Generators: Allowed from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Reservations Required: Yes, reservations must be made two weeks in advance here.
Hookups:  No
Dump Station:  Yes
Fee: $30 per night.
Number of Sites: 127
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Zion’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets and running water.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes, 3 sites.

 

Watchman Campground

Like the South Campground, the Watchman Campground is also located right in the action of the South Entrance.  This campground sits near the base of the gorgeous Watchman rock formation and provides amazing views of the surrounding red rock.

Several sites are near the river (loops A and B) and other sites are up on a small hill (loops C, D, and F).  Shade can be hard to come by in this campground, but the views are stunning.

Open Season: Year-round.
Max RV Length: No length restrictions, but vehicles cannot be taller than 13 feet.
Generators: Not Allowed.
Hookups: No full, electric only.
Dump Station: Yes
Reservations Required: Yes and can be made up to 6 months in advance.  Check here for availability.
Fee: $30 for Loops A and B (Electric Sites).  $20 for Loops C, D, and F (Tents Only).
Number of Sites: 176 regular sites and 6 group sites.
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Zion’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes, 2 sites.

 

Lava Point Campground

The Lava Point Campground is located in a remote location approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes away from the South Entrance of the park.  This primitive campground is accessed by driving along the Kolob Terrace Road and then turning off onto the unpaved Lava Point Road.  Pulling a trailer along this road is not recommended as it is narrow with steep grades.

The campground and overlook are located at the end of the Lava Point Road, providing gorgeous views of a seldom seen section of Zion National Park.  You can also access the incredible West Rim Trail from the nearby Lava Point Trailhead.

Open Season: June through October
Max RV Length: Vehicles longer than 19 feet are not permitted on the road to the campground
Generators: Allowed from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Hookups: No
Dump Station: No
Reservations Required: No, first come first served only
Fee:  Free
Number of Sites: 6
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Zion’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Pit toilets and no running water
Wheelchair Accessibility: No

 

Now that you’ve seen your options for camping in Zion, are you ready to make sure you don’t miss out on the best sights in the park?

Click NEXT to see the 10 things you can’t miss on your first visit!