Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort — Hotel in Apple Valley

I was kinda conflicted on giving 5 stars for location, because Zion Ponderosa is the only thing where it's at. It's intentionally remote - if you want to get any other amenity (like, even a coffee or a beer), you've got 5-10 miles of driving (at least) down to the handful of establishments on SR9, and if you don't care for the 2-3 options down there you've got an additional 10-15 miles to drive either to Mt. Carmel or Springdale.

So is it remote? Yes. But that's sorta the point.

I've been near or at Zion Ponderosa a slew of times - if you do anything on the east side of Zion, they're ubiquitous. I stayed in a tent here for a couple Ragnars, but the extent to which I interacted with the Ponderosa itself was parking my car. Until this past weekend, I'd had no idea what kind of lodging, amenities, etc. they had on offer.

And - I was pleasantly surprised. The cost for a cabin for a night was very reasonable (especially compared to Springdale prices). Cabins were well-kept, tidy, had none of the frustrating eccentricities occasionally seen at this price point (like, shower head height was good, shower had clearly labeled hot and cold, thermostat worked, beds were tidy, interiors were clearly well cared for). I was legitimately impressed. Hot water was hot, cold water was cold, parking was easy, the cabin wasn't drafty. My only quibble is navigating the Ponderosa at night is kinda tough as they don't have a lot of lights, but that's a very small nit to pick. Our cabin had sleeping capacity for 5 or 6 (bunk beds + twin in one bedroom, queen in the other).

The kitchen was open til 9:30PM, and has a beer/wine license. Pitcher of beer was $18. Which is perfectly fair. The menu is standard family-friendly American (burgers, pizza) with the notable exception of feijoada (Brazilian pork stew). The desert collects some strange characters; turns out the chef is one half of a Brazilian couple that works here. And it was pretty good!

Other things to note: I called the desk here a couple days before (the day after a hard rain) to get road condition information. Due to the eccentricities of land management hereabouts, there's a constant tussle with regards to road maintenance and access between the Park Service, Kane County, and Ponderosa itself. Their outdoor-recreation lead (name of Eric; don't know a last name) was super helpful on providing road condition info. He didn't have to help (I was asking about conditions on a road near but not within Ponderosa borders), but he did anyway, and that sort of generosity deserves to be called out.

We didn't avail ourselves of any of the amenities, but the Ponderosa had a bunch listed. They do run a shuttle up and down North Fork County road for access to some of the trailheads (such as Upper Narrows, Birch, etc.). I haven't used them for that, but the times I've run into their shuttles in the backcountry they've been courteous.

Would I stay here again? Yes. I sometimes have a hard time wrapping my head around the value prop for a place like this, but if you're looking for a family getaway and don't want to fight traffic in Springdale, this place would probably be perfect. I'd always sorta viewed this place as a stodgy island of remote aloofness out on the east side (and they do own a vast swath of property), but... gotta hand it to 'em, they charged less than expected and delivered more than expected, and I wouldn't hesitate to...

We stayed one night in a glamping tent at Zion Ponderosa and overall had a good experience, but the on-site restaurant was a real letdown. The property itself is lovely and well-located, just a short drive from Zion National Park. The front desk staff were very friendly and helpful, and one even mentioned they had been on a missionary trip to Louth, near where we’re from in the UK. That was a lovely, unexpected connection and made us feel really welcome.

Our glamping tent was comfortable, although the door didn’t quite latch shut. The fan was great in the heat, and the shared toilets and showers were clean and well-kept. We really enjoyed the outdoor pool at sunset, cool and refreshing, and the hot tubs were heated with strong jets.

Around 3 a.m. I walked to the restrooms and was treated to an incredible view of the Milky Way and a sky full of stars, which was a beautiful and memorable part of the stay.

The biggest issue we had was with the place labeled as the restaurant, Ponderosa Eats. It isn’t really a restaurant, more like a basic cafeteria. After a long drive, we were really looking forward to sitting down, reading a menu, and having a proper meal. Instead, you wait in a long line, try to read the hard-to-see menu posted above the counter, order and pay (with a tip prompt appearing before you even get your food), and then collect your food on a tray and clear up after yourself at the end. It felt more like a school canteen with tourist pricing than a proper dining experience. The food didn’t justify the cost or the tip. The pizza was greasy, soggy, and hard to even pick up. The drinks from the soda fountain were so watered down that the Pepsi wasn’t even brown. Staff seemed quite young and were doing their best, but the whole thing felt rushed and disorganised.

Even a few simple changes would help, like placing menus on tables or having a waiter system. Calling it a restaurant just sets the wrong expectations. We just wanted to sit and relax after a long drive, and it felt like a chore instead. Maybe a way for people to order on their phone.

One other thing to be aware of is the time zone. The site is in Utah, but close to the Arizona border, and operates on Mountain Daylight Time. This caused unexpected confusion. The leaflet at check-in says “we are in Mountain Daylight Time, Arizona is an hour earlier,” but this isn’t very clear. Since we came from the north, also on Mountain Time, we assumed there would be no time difference. But it turns out only some parts observe daylight saving, and this small pocket of Utah near Orderville follows different timing. We didn’t cross into Arizona, but somehow we crossed into a different time zone without realising. Luckily, we woke up early for our next tour, because my phone suddenly showed we had 40 minutes to get to a location 30 minutes away. It was stressful and confusing, and better communication would really help, especially for international visitors.

Overall, the site itself is lovely, the views are spectacular, and the staff are warm and welcoming. I’d stay here again for the scenery and peaceful setting, but I’d definitely bring my own food or eat elsewhere. Honestly, it’s just baffling that they managed to get Pepsi wrong. The staff were...

We stayed one night in a glamping tent at Zion Ponderosa and overall had a good experience, but the on-site restaurant was a real letdown. The property itself is lovely and well-located, just a short drive from Zion National Park. The front desk staff were very friendly and helpful, and one even mentioned they had been on a missionary trip to Louth, near where we’re from in the UK. That was a lovely, unexpected connection and made us feel really welcome.||Our glamping tent was comfortable, although the door didn’t quite latch shut. The fan was great in the heat, and the shared toilets and showers were clean and well-kept. We really enjoyed the outdoor pool at sunset, cool and refreshing, and the hot tubs were heated with strong jets. Around 3 a.m. I walked to the restrooms and was treated to an incredible view of the Milky Way and a sky full of stars, which was a beautiful and memorable part of the stay.||The biggest issue we had was with the place labeled as the restaurant, Ponderosa Eats. It isn’t really a restaurant, more like a basic cafeteria. After a long drive, we were really looking forward to sitting down, reading a menu, and having a proper meal. Instead, you wait in a long line, try to read the hard-to-see menu posted above the counter, order and pay (with a tip prompt appearing before you even get your food), and then collect your food on a tray and clear up after yourself at the end. It felt more like a school canteen with tourist pricing than a proper dining experience. The food didn’t justify the cost or the tip. The pizza was greasy, soggy, and hard to even pick up. The drinks from the soda fountain were so watered down that the Pepsi wasn’t even brown. Staff seemed quite young and were doing their best, but the whole thing felt rushed and disorganised.||Even a few simple changes would help, like placing menus on tables or having a waiter system. Calling it a restaurant just sets the wrong expectations. We just wanted to sit and relax after a long drive, and it felt like a chore instead.||One other thing to be aware of is the time zone. The site is in Utah, but close to the Arizona border, and operates on Mountain Daylight Time. This caused unexpected confusion. The leaflet at check-in says “we are in Mountain Daylight Time, Arizona is an hour earlier,” but this isn’t very clear. Since we came from the north, also on Mountain Time, we assumed there would be no time difference. But it turns out only some parts observe daylight saving, and this small pocket of Utah near Orderville follows different timing. We didn’t cross into Arizona, but somehow we crossed into a different time zone without realising. Luckily, we woke up early for our next tour, because my phone suddenly showed we had 40 minutes to get to a location 30 minutes away. It was stressful and confusing, and better communication would really help, especially for international visitors.||Overall, the site itself is lovely, the views are spectacular, and the staff are warm and welcoming. I’d stay here again for the scenery and peaceful setting, but I’d definitely bring my own food or eat elsewhere. Honestly, it’s just baffling that they managed to get...