Itineraries
Itineraries
Itineraries
The Long Weekend - 3 Days, 2 Nights
Three days is an easy introduction to Zion's wilder side. Spend your first evening on the wagon, feeding the bison as the sun goes down. Spend the next day on the rim, looking down into Zion National Park's Angels Landing from Observation Point and into a slot canyon from Canyon Overlook. Then saddle up for a horseback ride before you head home.
In between, there's time for the parts you don't plan: a long dinner at Cordwood, a slow afternoon on the porch, and a sky full of stars from the fire pit. It's the best of Zion and the ranch in one easy trip, with plenty of room to breathe.
Day 1: Arrive and Settle In
Check in, settle into your cabin, and meet the herd before dinner. Your first night is about slowing down: golden light on the bison, a long meal at Cordwood, and more stars than you can count.
Afternoon: Check In
Drop your bags, open the windows, and take a walk along the bison preserve fence line. Grab a drink or a snack if you need one. There's nothing you have to do yet, and that's the point.
Check-in is at 4:00 pm.
Sunset: Bison Feeding
Climb onto the wagon and help feed the herd as the light turns gold. The bison come close enough to hear them breathe while a ranch hand shares their story and answers every question the kids (and adults) can think of. It's the moment guests talk about long after they leave.
The ride is 30 to 45 minutes long. We recommend making a reservation in advance, but tours can be booked on-site if space allows. Check in at the front desk.
Evening: Dinner at Cordwood
Settle in for dinner at Cordwood, where the menu is simple yet elevated. The menu rotates seasonally and features ranch favorites. Take your time. Nobody here is in a hurry.
Reservations recommended but not required.
Night: Stars from the Porch
Step outside after dinner and look up. With almost no light for miles, the sky over the ranch fills with more stars than you've seen in years. Pull a chair up to the fire pit or stay on your porch and let the night take its time.
Arriving Early?
Driving in from Salt Lake City or St. George? You'll come through Zion National Park on your way, with lovely lookouts and hikes along the route. Take your time. We'll be here.
Day 2: Zion's East Side
Two rim-top views of Zion, with a slow afternoon in between.
Morning: Hike Observation Point via the East Mesa Trail
Start early and walk through ponderosa pine across the East Mesa to a rim that looks straight down on Angels Landing and the Three Patriarchs. It's one of the most famous views in Zion, and from this side you'll share it with far fewer people. The trail is mostly gentle, so you can save your energy for the view.
About 7 miles round trip, which takes 3 to 4 hours. Make sure to pack enough water, food, and layers. The road to the trailhead is a dirt road.
Midday: Back to the Ranch
Take a moment to relax back at the ranch. A nap or a book on the porch is a nice way to unwind and take in the open spaces.
Afternoon: Canyon Overlook Trail
Drive five minutes to the East Entrance, then a few more to the trailhead. A short, rocky trail follows the edge of a slot canyon to a wide overlook with a view straight down Zion Canyon, best as the afternoon light warms the cliffs. Keep an eye out for bighorn sheep on the slickrock.
About 1 mile round trip, which takes 30 minutes to 1 hour. Parking is tight, so be patient. National park entrance fee applies.
Evening: Dinner
Head back to Cordwood for a second night, or keep it simple at your cabin. Some of the best evenings here are the quiet ones: dinner on the porch, the day's photos, and nowhere else to be.
Reservations recommended but not required.
Day 3: One Last Ride
One last ride before the road.
Morning: Horseback Ride
Saddle up for a two-hour guided ride along canyon rim trails with a wrangler who knows every switchback. You'll ride through pinyon and juniper with wide views at an easy pace that works for first-timers and experienced riders alike. It's the best way to say goodbye to this place.
All skill levels. Book the first ride of the day so you are back before checkout.
11:00 am: Check Out
Pack up and check out by 11:00 am. We'd be happy to hold your bags at the front desk so you're free to enjoy lunch and one last walk around the ranch before the drive.
Lunch: Cordwood
Grab one more meal at Cordwood before you hit the road. We recommend the bison burger. It's a fitting last taste of the ranch.
Afternoon: Leave Through the Park
Heading toward Salt Lake City or St. George? Take the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway past Checkerboard Mesa and through the historic tunnel for one last look at Zion on your way out.
Make the Ranch Your Basecamp
From cabins for two to lodges that sleep sixteen, every stay comes with space, privacy, and a porch to end the day on. Pick your place, then pick your pace.
Pick a Different Pace
National Park Basecamp
Explore multiple national parks from a single place. Zion Mountain Ranch becomes your basecamp for exploring the iconic canyon of Zion National Park and the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, along with full days at the ranch in between to slow down.
A Week in the West
Immerse yourself in the wild frontier of Southern Utah. A week is enough time to visit Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon's North Rim, saddle up for horseback rides, jeep tours, and canyoneering, and still slow down with long evenings under some of the darkest skies left in the West.
