Watchman Campground — Hotel in Springdale

2nd time camping here. Love this camp ground

Watchman Campground is one of the most popular campgrounds in Zion National Park, located in southwestern Utah. Here’s a brief history and some details about it: Watchman Campground was established in 1955. It was part of the National Park Service's efforts to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to Zion National Park, which had been growing in popularity since the early 20th century. The campground is named after the Watchman, a prominent sandstone peak that towers over the area and offers stunning views, especially at sunset. Over the years, the campground has been developed and improved to better serve visitors. This includes the addition of modern amenities such as restrooms, potable water, and picnic areas. Features and Facilities. Situated near the park's south entrance and the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, Watchman Campground is conveniently located for access to the park's main attractions. The campground has over 180 campsites, including tent and RV sites. Some sites offer electrical hookups. It also provides spectacular views of the surrounding cliffs and peaks, including the Watchman. It is open year-round, but reservations are highly recommended, especially during the peak season from March through November. The location is ideal for hiking, wildlife viewing, and exploring the scenic beauty of Zion Canyon. There are several trails accessible directly from the campground.

Preservation and Conservation Sustainability: Efforts have been made to maintain the natural environment and minimize the ecological footprint of the campground. This includes proper waste management and encouraging visitors to practice Leave No Trace principles. Periodic upgrades and maintenance ensure that the campground meets modern standards while preserving its historical and natural significance. Watchman Campground remains a beloved spot for visitors to Zion National Park, providing a comfortable and scenic base for exploring one of America’s most iconic...

Watchman Campground is fantastic base camp for that is open year round for enjoying Zion National Park. It is nearby the Visitor Center making jumping on and off the shuttle to the interior of the park really quick and easy. I had campsite D014 which was closer than I normally like to the restroom, but it folks were really respectful about not cutting through my campsite.

The restrooms had running water and flush style. They were well cleaned / stocked each day by the Park Ranger staff. There are no showers in this campsite.

There is a day use parking lot that buffers the campground from the noise and traffic during the day. There is a bridge that one can cross to get to convenience store, brewery, and outfitters and I believe showers too. Just remember during the day to bring your National Park Adventure Pass or receipt for entry as the Rangers will charge you to enter again otherwise.

It is quite dog friendly and connected to Pa'rus Trail a paved trail that takes up to Canyon Junction that allows dog. The Watchman Trail is also near the campground but doesn't allow dogs.

There are no bear boxes for the non hike in campsites, so be aware. Also most of the water spigots are by the bathrooms. This campsite is nestled inside the park and has wonderful views. Most sites don't have much shade so be aware in warmer months.

Around Thanksgiving it dip into the teens a few nights but generally during the day rose to around 60 degrees.

One of my favorite National Campgrounds, I definitely make a return visit to do Angel's Landing and the Narrows again! A lot of mule deer and other wildlife that visits...

This is the perfect camping location for those visiting Zion National Park. The sites are standard as with most other National Parks, fire pit with a grill grate and basic picnic table, although everyone but us was living in the lap of luxury — This is definitely the campground for DIY glamping! We saw fancy tents, full couches, living room furniture, Christmas lights strung up everywhere, decked out RVs, grommet meals and much more. Needless to say our simple setup looked downright homely by comparison. Set among large trees with the Virgin River on one side and the imposing Watchman mountain on the other, it is a short walk across the river into the incredibly touristy town of Springdale with its many restaurants, shops and bars. More importantly however, you can leave your car parked at the campsite because is also a short walk to the Zion National Park visitor center and the free-trams that bring you into the park itself. Light sleepers should know that this is a bit more of a “lively” crowd than other National Park campsites I have visited in the past (at least on the nights I was there) but it was all in good fun and nothing crossed the line. Something like that can easily be overlooked when you consider the amazing natural setting and wildlife with zero fear of humans freely roaming the campgrounds. The bathrooms were clean the staff very helpful. I would definitely recommend for those camping or...