By Michele Stueven
Copyright laweekly
As you wind your way through Virgin, Utah on approach to the entrance of Zion National Park, it feels less like earth and more like another planet. Gazing up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a crisp blue sky, the path where people have walked for thousands of years leads to a secret hidden enclave far from the madding crowd.
Under Canvas Zion is a one-of-a-kind glamping resort, one of the world’s first DarkSky resorts, where you can sleep in comfort under endless star-filled skies in the Stargazer Tent, enjoy celestial-themed culinary offerings, and attend star parties.
The canvas tents come with bathrooms and showers, making them perfect for families. The Suite sleeps up to four people. The Angels Landing Suite has two bathrooms and sleeps up to six with a king-sized bed. The Stargazer is a romantic escape for two, and all rooms are stocked with organic bath products and luxurious, soft linens. During the colder months, it gets even cozier, and firewood is stocked for the wood-burning stoves.
The desert views of red canyon walls, whether from the private deck of a guest tent or from the main tent and restaurant, are stunning and therapeutic.
There’s onsite dining in a welcoming common area, with an emphasis on seasonality and local produce, as well as nightly fires and complimentary s’mores at the fire pit with live music. There’s morning yoga and plenty of kid activities and hypnotic hiking trails all within a stone’s throw of Zion National Park’s 146,597 acres of the most scenic canyon country in the world.
But it’s most spectacular when the sun goes down, when millions of stars, star clusters, and constellations are so bright you feel as though you can touch them with and without telescopes during guided stargazing and starbathing meditation by experienced coordinators.
The Under Canvas Grand Circle camps in Utah and Arizona have recently been recognized as the world’s first Dark Sky-certified resorts, due to their exceptional sky quality and commitment to protecting and preserving the nighttime environment.
A food tip before you go off the grid: Fill up at the nearby Stage Coach Grille, an old-school road stop steakhouse in LaVerkin, Utah, for burgers, salads, and a full bar.
Other Under Canvas locations include Bryce Canyon, the Columbia River Gorge in Washington State, the Grand Canyon, the Great Smoky Mountains, Yosemite, Moab, Yellowstone, and Mt. Rushmore.
Under Canvas Grand Canyon is the ultimate basecamp in the fall for hikers, with cool mornings and open trails. It’s the best time to tackle Bright Angel and South Kaibab. Set on 160 acres of secluded piñon and juniper forest, The Grand Canyon glamping location is 25 minutes from the South Rim entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.
