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Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort
A FamilyTravel.com Favorite
Pam Plesons
The Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort is an absolutely fabulous "all inclusive" resort for families! Our kids enjoyed the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort more than any other destination on our Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion road trip. They still talk about the people they met and experiences they had there. This resort is truly an exceptional family destination.
The Zion Ponderosa is an "all inclusive" adventure resort located on the East Rim of Zion National Park in Southern Utah. It shares seven miles of common fence and breathtaking scenery with the Park. We loved our cozy 2-room cabin with full wetbar and potbelly stove (logs provided). There are no TVs or phones in the cabins, but you can find them in the lodge and "game barn". The food was delicious and plentiful. Each night there was a choice of barbecued steak, marinated turkey breast, halibut, or Utah rainbow trout, along with daily dinner specials (alcoholic beverages were extra). Every afternoon our kids looked forward to the warm homebaked cookies that appeared in the lobby. The range of recreational activities kept everyone in the family busy all day long. The staff was knowledgeable, fun, and exceptionally friendly and accommodating.
At the Zion Ponderosa you can choose from a wide variety of recreational activities including horseback riding, mountain biking. rappelling, guided ATV tours, wagon rides, archery, a shooting range, paintball, trout ponds, field sports, horseshoe throwing, frisbee golf, astronomy tours, campfires, go carts for the kids, a thrilling high wire "zip line" and shuttles to and from Zion National Park trail heads for hiking. In addition, they have a swimming pool, hot tub, massage therapy, indoor and outdoor climbing and rappelling walls, basketball, tennis, sand volleyball and a fun "game barn" with a pool table, ping pong table and more for the whole family. The staff assists you in planning a daily personal event schedule that will help maximize your vacation experience. We had so much fun and so much to do we were always wishing for more hours in the day.
The resort also has a Kid's Camp where children ages 3-11years can enjoy crafts, nature hikes, games, and a horse basics course while parents explore the wonders of Zion. The Kid's Camp provides eight hours of supervision and lunch. We enjoyed all day most every day with our children, ages 7 and 9 years. The only time we needed a little extra supervision was when we wanted to take a guided ATV tour (kids are not allowed on the ATV tours). The staff was more than happy to supervise our children so that we could have an ATV adventure. The kids did archery, the "zip line", helped groom the horses and more. ALL of the activities are included in the great daily rate along with all of your meals, snacks, and lodging.
At the Zion Ponderosa you "rough it" in style. The resort has Log Cabin Suites each equipped with a full bathroom, private bedroom, wet bar, electric heating and front porch. The Log Cabin Suite was the perfect size for our family of four. The kids had a pull out couch in the main room and we had our private bedroom. We loved having a small fire each evening in the potbelly stove. The slightly more rustic Cowboy Cabins have comfortable queen size bunk beds and electric heating. They are located next to the brand new restroom facility with private showers, changing rooms, and laundry facilities. For larger families and groups there are Family Twin Cabins and Ranch Houses with full kitchens, master bedrooms, multiple bedrooms, family rooms, private laundry rooms, and fireplaces.
We highly recommend the Zion Ponderosa Resort to any family planning to visit Zion National Park. We especially enjoyed being there in the late spring before the busier summer season. The Zion Ponderosa staff made us feel right at home. We're already talking about the possibility of planning a family reunion at the resort. Yee-Hah!
Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort
P.O. Box 5547
Mount Carmel, Utah 84755
800-293-5444
www.zionponderosa.com |
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