Orderville, UT
Zion Backcountry Glamping
A small yurt-based glamping stay in Orderville, convenient to Zion's east entrance and an easy hop from Bryce Canyon. The round canvas yurts sit in a quiet, secluded…
Zion / Springdale · Utah
Private campsites & glamping in Orderville, UT
Orderville is a blink-and-miss-it town on US-89 between Zion and Bryce — and that in-betweenness is the whole pitch. Zion's east entrance is about 15–20 minutes west, Bryce Canyon is under an hour north, and the town itself is quiet ranch country in Long Valley, far from the Springdale crush. If you want both parks in one trip without changing bases, Orderville is the geographic cheat code.
The stays lean toward the east-side experience. Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort is a 4,000-acre spread on the plateau above Zion's east side at 6,500 feet among the ponderosas — Conestoga wagons, glamping tents, cowboy cabins, RV sites, tiered pools with a waterslide, a canyon shuttle into Zion, and on-site adventures from zip lines to canyoneering. Zion Backcountry Glamping keeps it smaller: private luxury yurts in a quiet, secluded setting, convenient to the east entrance and an easy hop to Bryce, with dark-sky stargazing as the evening program. Practical notes: the east entrance road (UT-9 through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel) can close or restrict oversized vehicles — check current conditions, and note that the tunnel requires an escort fee for large RVs. Winter can bring snow to the plateau; the ranch sits 2,500 feet above Springdale, so conditions differ from the canyon floor.
Advertisement
2 stays in Orderville
Orderville, UT
Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort
A sprawling 4,000-acre ranch resort on the plateau above Zion's east side, at 6,500 feet among ponderosa pines. Sleep in a covered wagon, glamping tent, cowboy cabin or…
Questions, answered
Camping in Orderville: FAQs
How far is Orderville from Zion's east entrance?
About 15–20 minutes via UT-9. From the east entrance it's another 20–25 minutes through the park to the main canyon and Springdale — the drive through the tunnel and switchbacks is part of the experience.
Can I visit both Zion and Bryce from Orderville?
That's the pitch, and it works: Bryce is under an hour north via US-89, Zion's east side is 20 minutes. Two to three days covers both parks' highlights from a single base.
What's the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel situation?
The tunnel on UT-9 has size restrictions — oversized vehicles need a ranger escort (for a fee) and may face delays. Standard cars and trucks pass freely, but check nps.gov for current restrictions before towing anything large.
When is the best season?
April through June and September through October. Summer is busy everywhere in the parks; winter is quiet but the plateau gets snow and some east-side services close. Spring brings wildflowers to the lower elevations.
Is Orderville itself worth a stop?
As a base, yes; as a destination, it's quiet — a couple of restaurants, a general store, big skies. The value is the location: dark skies, no crowds, and two national parks within an hour.