Glamping Under Canvas at Zion National Park

Under Canvas

When our niece told us that she and her fiancé had chosen an elopement wedding in Zion National Park in November and that we would all be staying in tents at “Under Canvas Zion” before the wedding, we were excited about the adventure and had a ton of questions!

• What is the weather average in Zion the second week of November? Days average in the low 60 degrees and nights average in the mid-thirty degrees.

• Is there a way to heat the tents? Yes, all of the tents have wood-burning stoves with a generous supply of complimentary firewood.

• Do the tents have private bathrooms? Yes, the Deluxe Tents and above have their own bathroom and shower facilities. (Note to self… be sure to get a deluxe tent.)

• Is there a way to charge phones, etc.? (After all, if you can’t take pictures, did it really happen?) Yes, there are USB battery packs and charging ports in the base of the lanterns. (The lanterns also come in handy for lighting your path at night.)

Now that the essentials were covered, I started exploring the Under Canvas website. They have camps in eleven locations… the Grand Canyon, Moab, North and West Yellowstone, Glacier, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Mount Rushmore, Acadia National Park, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon and Zion. Their corporate “leave no trace” commitment to protect the environment is seen in practice through their water conservation practices, the use of solar energy, their zero-waste goals and intentionally not offering Wi-Fi at their sites.

Under Canvas Zion

Under Canvas Zion covers 196 acres just outside Zion National Park on the west side. It has access to numerous trail heads on that side of the park, including the Subway Trail Head. We drove in from the town of Springdale, which is located at the Main Entrance of the Park. The drive was about twenty miles of stunning scenery. As we approached on Kolob Terrace Drive, we could see all of the tents across the canyon and soon turned in at the well-marked “Under Canvas” sign.

The first stop was to check in at the Main Tent. A helpful staff checked us in efficiently with a brief orientation to the property, instructions for our tent and took our order for the complimentary coffee service they provide to be delivered to our tent at our chosen time in the morning. The Main Tent also had a walk-up restaurant “Embers”, an indoor fire pit, items for sale, complimentary coffee, tea and a water fill-up station and was stocked with games for the guests to enjoy.

The tent

We then drove around to our tent to unload and relax before the pre-wedding dinner being hosted at the outdoor fire pit area. The views were breathtaking in every direction and the camp sites blended seamlessly with their surroundings. It was a perfect day with the highs reaching above 70 degrees. The tent itself had a porch with high-backed wooden chairs to enjoy the views day and night and an ample supply of fire wood stacked neatly at one end. The opening had two zippered layers, one which was a screen material and the other that provided a full canvas closure. The king bed was amazingly comfortable. The wood-burning stove was ready to go and at the opposite end were the toilet and sink/shower facilities with their own curtained closures.

Under the stars

Helicopters would land occasionally on the helipad behind the Main Tent, transporting passengers to and from Under Canvas. The pre-wedding dinner for our group outdoors could not have been more perfect as the sun set on the red rocks and the temperatures dropped. The sparkling night skies, the flickering flames of the fire and the camaraderie of celebrating the union of these two beautiful souls made for a truly magical evening under the stars. As the night continued, Under Canvas also had live music and s’mores for everyone. We returned to our tent and enjoyed a little star-gazing. In no time, the wood stove had our tent toasty warm. Cuddled up, cozy bedding … a perfect end to an amazing night!

Sunrise yoga

Our coffee service arrived at our tent as scheduled at 6:30 am. Despite not being a fan of either early mornings or being cold, I bundled up and made my way down to the helipad for the first wedding day festivity… sunrise yoga! It felt great to move through the poses as the rocks lit up with the sun. Breakfast and coffee at Embers, followed by the indoor fire pit.

The showers

The Under Canvas conservation philosophy was designed into the private bathrooms. They have low-flow toilets, sink faucets in which the water cuts off after a few moments and then the unique shower operation. To shower, you pull down on the chain for hot water and when you release the chain the water stops. If you hold the chain down continuously, the water will cool down after a few moments, so you release the chain and pull again to get the hot water back. Quite simple... and an effective reminder as to how much water we really need in a shower.

The experience

Staying at Under Canvas while exploring the park was the perfect complement to nature’s amazing masterpiece. We can't wait to try more Under Canvas locations!

Did you know that, aligning with their corporate "leave no trace" policy, that every camp is dismantled and stored during the winter and then re-constructed the following season?

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Utah. In need of further inspiration? Check out Ana Santos’s guide, Utah Adventure Guide: 7-Day Itinerary.