Travelers from around the world will have a new reason to make the trek to the vast sandstone monoliths of Zion National Park when the wilderness retreat, Spirit, debuts its first phase of accommodations next summer approximately one mile from the park. Developed, owned and managed by Zion Spirit Group, the new resort is designed to blend with the surroundings of Utah’s first and most-visited national park.
Situated on 1,100 acres, Spirit’s 40 individual suites and homesteads are located along the eastern slope of the Clear Creek Mountain range, offering views of prominent rock formations with Checkerboard Mesa, The East Temple and The West Temple to the south and Burger Peak to the west. Spirit will offer 36 one- and two-bedroom Leaf Suites ranging from 800 to 1,100 square feet, and four five-bedroom Homestead Retreats spanning over 6,000 square feet.
The Leaf Suites get their name from the structures’ leaf-shaped rooftops that feature solar panels and photovoltaic fabric technology designed to protect the viewshed created for Spirit by sustainability firm Pvilion. The suites offer a living room with a refreshment area; wraparound terraces and glass window walls; bedroom and bathroom including an oversized soaking tub; a “wellness studio” that can serve as a space for in-room spa treatments, exercise or meditation. Each suite has an adjoining “bicycle base station” that includes two electric bikes and gear for complimentary use throughout the stay.
Zion Spirit Group is also developing 35 miles of biking trails in partnership with Zion National Park Forever Project, local landowners, conservationists, the National Park Service and the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation.
Zion Spirit Group is founded by Elizabeth Rad and Kevin McLaws. McLaws and his family have owned land outside of Zion National Park for 23 years and currently own and operate the nearby Zion Mountain Ranch. It has long been McLaws’ mission to preserve and conserve the land on the east of Zion National Park and thus he and Rad assembled Spirit’s 1,100 acres over the course of the past decade.
Spirit will open in two phases starting summer 2022, with the first phase expected to include seven Leaf Suites, miles of biking and hiking trails, an employee housing village and the aquaponic greenhouse, which will serve as the resort’s temporary dining and gathering space. The property will open in its entirety in spring 2023.
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