John told me he wanted to go camping and I nearly threw a fit. When Jack was small I felt that it was a good experience for him and it was. I went along, camping at National Parks, State Parks and a couple of RV parks when we briefly owned an RV, but that was a LONG time ago. My camping days are OVER. Camping is NOT a vacation for me. I have to do all the same things I do at home (cook, clean up and take a shower, for example) without the modern conveniences of electricity, running water or a gas line. And then there is sleeping in a tent…on the ground…with rocks digging into my flesh on a slowly deflating air mattress. Yeah, um, no thanks.

“This time it will be different,” he said. He had booked us into a cabin at Zion Mountain Ranch. “And,” he says, “there is a restaurant with what looks to be a very interesting menu with game meats.” We were really looking forward to a mixed grill for two that included rabbit and rattlesnake sausage, an elk chop and a bison filet mignon. A week before we went on our little trip, we called to make some changes to arrival and departure and were told that the resto had changed its menu and it was now “more accessible”. Great! Now it will be burgers and fries, we thought. My hopes for decent food – the main reason I was going – were dashed. In my head was a litany of meager offerings with no thought to how they were prepared because they knew they were the only game in town. Ok – so I will go. Hike Zion National Park during the day and enjoy this “cabin” at night, and grumble through the weekend. We packed snacks and of course beer.

Before checking into the Ranch, on our way into the park we stopped for pizza at a place called The Flying Monkey in Springdale. What a happy little accident THIS turned out to be! If you go there, have anything with the house made sausage – yes, it is that good. It was so good in fact, that we went back the next day and tried the sandwishes!* My hopes were raised a bit after that good lunch and I thought maybe everything would turn out ok.

But about Zion Mountain Ranch – it’s on the road outside the park on the way to Bryce Canyon and it is really lovely. There is a semi-wild herd of bison right there! They apparently have about 1000 acres to roam and when the fields are not in good shape the folks at the Lodge/Ranch feed them, so they were visiting every evening we were there. They are HUGE. The cabins were well appointed, the only downfall being there was no phone service AND crappy internet. I can do without one, but not without both when I have work I HAVE to do.

After hiking a bit during the day we were prepared to brave the resto with hopes that if it WAS just burgers and sandwishes, that at least they would be GOOD burgers and sandwishes. Hiking will raise your appetite in case you didn’t know and on the first night, the food tasted great, to the point that I was wondering if the food was THAT good or if I was really just that hungry. It was the food! We ate pretty much everything on the appetizer menu that night with a few beers to wash it all down – good beer, not crap beer – Hallelujah! Everything they serve is as locally sourced as possible, including, but not limited to produce and herbs grown in their greenhouse across the street! A locally made young cheddar was on the “Plank” (their charcuterie and cheese offering). Other than a slightly overcooked trout the second night, everything we had across the two days was fab! And our service from waiter Casey was equally wonderful. It was so good, that when I asked for a beverage not on the menu, it magically appeared by my elbow upon my return from the ladies’ room. The room itself was rustic as expected. If you have ever gone to Clint Eastwood’s Mission Ranch in Carmel, which is a converted dairy, you’ll get the idea of what the dining room looked like. All I can say is that I was pleasantly shocked and ever so grateful to be shocked.

So here’s the bottom line. If you are going to Zion and you don’t want to camp, this is the place to stay. The Lodge in the park is nice, but it is really geared for families and senior citizens and since we were neither on this trip, we didn’t want to stay there. Hey, while you are at it, get a National Park Membership so you can go to any National Park any time during the year. Teddy Roosevelt, John Muir, and I thank you!

While I would love to share images of the lovely food I ate while at Zion Mountain Ranch, the photos have magically disappeared from my camera. I am not amused! I must say, if this place wasn’t so far away, I would go back next week, take new pics and share them.

*not a misprint – I always say sandWISH