Hotels

$50-100

The least expensive lodgings in Springdale [1] are the motel rooms at Zion Park Motel (865 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3251, www.zionparkmotel.com [2], $79 and up), a well-kept older motel with a small pool, located about a mile from the park entrance.

The Canyon Ranch Motel (668 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3357 or 866/946-6276, www.canyonranchmotel.com [3], $84 and up) is another good value, with small units—some with kitchenettes—scattered around a grassy, shaded lawn.

The hosts at the Bunkhouse at Zion B&B (149 E. Main St., Rockville, 435/772-3393, www.bunkhouseatzion.com [4], $61-89) are dedicated to living sustainably, and they bring this ethic into their two-room B&B. The views are remarkable from this quiet spot in Rockville.

$100-150

Flanigan's Inn (428 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3244 or 800/765-7787, www.flanigans.com [5], $119 and up) is a quiet and convenient place to stay. Rooms are set back off the main drag and face onto a pretty courtyard. Up on the hill behind the inn, a labyrinth provides an opportunity to take a meditative walk in a stunning setting. An excellent restaurant, a pool, and spa services make this an inviting place to spend several days.

The recently renovated Driftwood Lodge (1515 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3262 or 800/801-8811, www.driftwoodlodge.net [6], $119 and up) has a pool and spa on its spacious grounds, pet-friendly rooms, and a seriously good restaurant on site. It's a big step up from the area's budget motels.

Another attractive motel, and a good value for Springdale, is Best Western Zion Park Inn (1215 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3200 or 800/934-7275, www.zionparkinn.com [7], $110 and up), part of a complex with a restaurant, a swimming pool, a gift shop, and some of the nicest rooms in Springdale. In addition to regular rooms, there are also various suites and kitchen units available.

In Springdale, Under the Eaves B&B (980 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3457, www.under-the-eaves.com [8], $95 and up) features homey guest rooms in a vintage home. It's also possible to pay a bit more for a gorgeous kitchenette suite. Children over seven are welcome, and all guests get free breakfast at nearby Oscar's Cafe.

For another place with a bit of personality (or perhaps more accurately, with multiple personalities), try the Novel House Inn at Zion (73 Paradise Rd., 435/772-3650 or 800/711-8400, www.novelhouse.com [9], $139-149), a B&B with 10 guest rooms, each decorated with a literary theme and named after an author (including Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, and Louis L'Amour). All rooms have private baths and great views, and the B&B is tucked off the main drag.

Red Rock Inn (998 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3139, www.redrockinn.com [10], $122 and up) offers accommodations in newly constructed individual cabins, all with canyon views. Full-breakfast baskets are delivered to your door.

Down the road in Rockville, Rockville Rose Inn (125 E. Main St., Rockville, 435/772-0800, www.rockvillerose.com [11], $90-110) has rooms in a large Victorian set back from the road.

Over $150

Probably the most elegant place to stay in Springdale is the Desert Pearl Inn (707 Zion Park Blvd., 888/828-0898 or 435/772-8888, www.desertpearl.com [12], $148 and up), a very handsome lodgelike hotel perched above the Virgin River. (Some rooms have views of the river; others face the pool.) Much of the wood used for the beams and the finish moldings was salvaged from a railroad trestle made of century-old Oregon fir and redwood that once spanned the north end of Great Salt Lake. The rooms are all large and beautifully furnished, with a modern look.

The closest lodging to the park is at Cable Mountain Lodge (147 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3366 or 877/712-3366, www.cablemountainlodge.com [13], $149 and up), in the same complex as the big-screen theater. Along with being extremely convenient, it's very nicely fitted out, with a pool, rooms with microwaves and fridges or small kitchens, and appealing architecture and decor to go along with the spectacular views.

Just outside the south gates to Zion, the Cliffrose Lodge (281 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3234 or 800/243-8824, www.cliffroselodge.com [14], $149 and up) sits in five acres of lovely, well-landscaped gardens with riverfront access. The rooms are equally nice, especially the riverside rooms, and there's a pool and a laundry room. The Cliffrose is favored by many longtime Zion fans.

Campgrounds

If you aren't able to camp in Zion National Park [15], the Zion Canyon Campground (479 Zion Park Blvd., 435/772-3237) is a short walk from the park entrance. Along with tent ($30, no dogs allowed) and RV sites ($35), there are motel rooms. Though the sites are crammed pretty close together, a few are situated right on the bank of the Virgin River. Facilities include a store, pizza parlor, game room, laundry room, and showers.