Watchman Campground

We stayed here in mid-February for a week. When we got here, there was snow still around in the campground but a lot of it turned into red mud. Bring an outdoor rug to attempt to reduce the amount you bring inside your camper!

Sites were $30/day without any extra taxes or daily use fees, etc. Note we did use our annual Americas pass to get into the park (which you'd need).

Our site had groups of mule deer practically every night. They are not afraid of campers and will walk up to you if you let them (don't). There's a short walk to the beach behind where we stayed which was beautiful and an easy walk to the visitor center.

There were 2 dump stations and no issues there.

The biggest advantage (beyond having electricity in freezing temps) was that you did not have to go through the entrance to get to hikes in the morning. That meant less waiting between getting in your car and getting out at the trailhead.

There are $20/night no electric options but you need to be 19 feet or less. Too tiny for our truck camper!

We absolutely loved our campsite at Watchman. The view was spectacular, site was essentially level, and bathrooms were easily accessible and clean. Each campsite had an asphalt pad with good separation from other sites.

The bathroom building closest to us had a men’s room, ladies’ room, locking single-occupancy bathroom (wheelchair accessible), utility sink for dish washing, and a fresh water spout. It was chilly in the evenings while we were there (lows in the low to mid 30s on Thanksgiving week) but they still had the water running to the outdoor spouts. Our only wish is that there were an option in the park for a shower (all showers are in town). There’s a dumpster next to the bathroom building and recycling near the campground exit. We didn’t use the dump station. It’s located near the campground exit, along with a fresh water connection.

There was a warning sign at the utility sink about aggressive deer, and we could absolutely see that — we surprised a few deer while walking our dog around the campground.

Loop A of the campground is an easy walk to the Visitor Center / shuttle boarding, and to the pedestrian entrance to Springdale. Springdale is easily walkable and bikeable. There’s an outfitter quite close where you can buy shower tokens (shower operates during business hours only) and rent equipment for The Narrows. We accidentally missed the lottery for Angels Landing, which is our only regret from our time at Zion.

We did have a little bit of a wait getting into the Springdale entrance of the park since they have a few lanes closed for construction. But the park staff was helpful and got us through as quickly as they could.

Great stay, and we would definitely return!

Extraordinary NP Campground... could not get a single spot for multiple nights that fit our rig (41') but wanted to experience Zion camping inside the park. Grabbed A12 (great spot) for one night after using Sand Hollow State Park as a base for Zion for the week prior. We will be coming back with the intent to stay in Watchman and specifically in loop A for a week or more. Extraordinary experience. The crowds thin out in the evening and the park feels more intimate. Additionally, you can get a jump start in the morning in front of the crowds for the more popular trails.

I stayed March 28 thru 31, 2022. I tried to make reservations in January for late April but none available. I kept checking, expanding my search. One Loop A site came up for 3 days in late March and I jumped on it. I don't think it was available when I first started looking. It was weird in that the recreation dot gov web site listed it in a "list" format but not on the map. It was A 31 and very close to the Visitor Center parking lot, one of the Loop A restrooms and the check-in area. I was suspicious if it was even a real site. Decided not to worry about it and glad I did. While it was close to the areas I mentioned, it turned out to be a benefit. I walked to water fill easily, carrying a 3 gallon jug and walked to the visitor's center, a couple of trails and the shuttle with ease. The ranger station for Springdale access was also easy access and shopping for a few groceries and walking back (well, a little difficult because I bought too much). I had the The Watchman view from the back of my site. Actually an absolutely gorgeous view from the front, as well. The weather was 60's in the day and not cold at night in late March. I was afraid to travel Rt 9 into the park but did great and glad I did. Stunning. My RV is advertised to be 7'10" or I've seen 7'11" wide which is the advertised limit for not paying the $15 but the rangers seem to just let one-way groups of vehicles thru at a time and allowed me thru after checking without issue and no fee. I had decent service at the campsite. There were crowds but not awful and no wait at the shuttles.