We live and work where others vacation. But that doesn’t mean we can’t explore the offerings that occupy the itineraries of our area visitors.
Personally, Greater Zion has become a destination for my friends and family from my native Minnesota, but from elsewhere too. And, they keep coming back, not always to see just me. Professionally, working at Open Sky, a luxury camping resort just outside of Zion National Park, I get a first-hand look at the most desirable adventures and must-do experiences of our worldwide vacation destination.
“Visitor feedback” from my house guests and more official feedback from our resort guests has me believing we’ve discovered some explorations that create a pretty well-rounded, intentional, and immersive itinerary.
As a local, there’s no need to build a spreadsheet of minute-by-minute fun, but this array of unique experiences can dot your calendar, be crafted into a day date, or assembled with the whole family or a friend group in mind.
Use any of these tried-and-true experiences to explore this magnificent destination. Make it part of your lifestyle, be refreshed by the new perspective, and soak in all the marvels visitors clamor to embrace.
And, like me, you’re allowed to do these things over and over and enjoy them each and every time. Live life as an explorer.
Go (Luxury) Camping at Open Sky
This off-the-grid, luxury camping resort gives you the opportunity to feel worlds away without going too far. A Desert Rose Luxury Camp offers air conditioning (and heating), king-size bed with lavish linens, private ensuite bathroom with heated floors, plush bath robes, patio with firepit and lounge chairs, s’mores kits, and more. Other camp types feature stargazing alcoves and hot tubs, beyond the resort amenities. The Experiences Team, who is in touch once you book, can serve as your complimentary concierge, arranging any of the experiences mentioned below, and beyond.
Have a Culinary Experience
Slow down, savor, and reconnect through food that tells a story inspired by Southern Utah’s rugged beauty and local bounty. This true farm-to-table restaurant, located up Dalton Wash Road out of Virgin, showcases dishes highlighted by ingredients from local farms and ranches, so the menu changes frequently. Alongside seasonal cuisine is a thoughtfully curated menu of local brews, wines, ciders, and mocktails. You’ll feel like you’ve discovered a local (or visitor’s) secret. Reservations needed.
Soak in the Hot Springs
Pro tip: wrap up a day of hiking with a rejuvenating soak at Zion Canyon Hot Springs. More than 50 bodies of water, including natural mineral waters or pools inspired by worldwide bodies of water, offer invigorating relaxation and refreshment. Cold plunges and barrel saunas are also available; food and bar service on-site too.
Be Guided for a Tour – Hiking, Climbing, Canyoneering
If you’ve wanted a Zion experience like The Narrows or Angels Landing, but haven’t wanted the hassles of buying or renting the equipment, getting the permits, and even getting to the park, there’s a guide for that. If you’ve wanted to try rock climbing or canyoneering, but don’t have the equipment or expertise, there’s a guide for that. With expert guidance, premium gear, and every detail handled from pickup to drop-off, these journeys can be designed entirely around you and your experience level. No rush. No pressure. Just the sound of the river, the quiet of the canyon, and the freedom to move at your own pace.
Traverse the Utah Wine Trail
This sometimes takes some convincing, as no one believes Utah produces good wines. But never have my guests been disappointed by the wine-tasting experience, the first-hand encounters with the winemakers, and the grapevine settings of these emerging wineries. As time allows, hit multiple stops along the Utah Wine Trail.
Hike Taylor Creek Trail
This always feels like a little secret, the lesser known side of Zion National Park. The Taylor Creek Trail with its multiple creek crossings and the payoff of a stellar double-arch or the Timber Creek Trail featuring easy hiking and views for days are both fabulous, easy options.
Yoga on the Rocks
We live in a red-rock paradise, one that offers calm and relaxation, and a connection to the soul. Take your yoga routine out of the studio. Immerse yourself in the magic of the desert with Cosmic Flow Yoga, a private and fully customizable yoga and meditation session set against the red rock cliffs of Zion, beneath the sun (or moon and stars). Pair it with a sound bath or stargazing experience. Perfect for couples or even a larger group.
E-bike Tours
Enjoy a little wind in your hair while letting the freedom and fun of an E-bike provide a zero-stress tour of the area’s jaw-dropping beauty. Stop where you want, go places autos can’t, and cover lots of ground. Take an E-bike through Zion National Park, Snow Canyon, or on lesser known routes. Numerous rental companies will outfit you and put you close to your intended path.
Embrace Our Dark Skies on a Stargazing Tour
These guided adventures by several local companies take you beyond this Earth. One offers a guided walk through a to-scale solar system to the “sun,” where you’ll lay back and watch the night sky above. The knowledgeable guides walk you through what you’re seeing above, direct you to the discoveries of their high-tech telescopes, and capture you and your crew in an epic photo with the night sky background. My too-cool 13-year-old nephew said “I’ll never look at the sky the same again.” Neither will I, buddy.
Venture Off-Road
You don’t have to be a motorhead to embrace the adrenaline of cruising the red sand of Sand Mountain. Even if you’ve never driven an offroad vehicle, a guided adventure can put you in the driver’s seat of a four-wheeler or side-by-side for a sunset tour (my favorite) or another expedition. The experienced guides bring you all the equipment, instruct you on the operation of your temporary toy, and take you through this Mars-like playground of ours.
Don’t let this be the end of your list. Find your own adventures, craft your own itineraries, and love this place that you live in that begs to be explored.
We live in a red-rock paradise, one that offers calm and relaxation, and a connection to the soul.