Transformative Wilderness Retreat to Open in Zion, Utah

As travelers eagerly gear up for much-anticipated adventures in 2022, visitors from around the world will have an entirely new reason to make the trek to the vast sandstone monoliths of Zion National Park when the transformative wilderness retreat at Zion’s east boundary, ‘Spirit’, debuts its first phase of well-appointed accommodations next summer approximately one mile from the park.

Developed, owned and managed by Zion Spirit Group – a family owned and operated company dedicated to establishing intentional tourism experiences that promote principles of preservation and sustainability – Spirit is uniquely designed to evoke a connection to, and integrate seamlessly with, the natural beauty and wilderness of Utah’s first and most-visited national park.

Situated on 1,100 acres, Spirit’s 40 individual suites and homesteads are perfectly perched along the eastern slope of the Clear Creek Mountain range, offering exceptional views of some of Zion’s most prominent rock formations with Checkerboard Mesa, The East Temple and The West Temple to the south and Burger Peak to the west. Designed by the internationally-regarded Nomadic Resorts, known for their eco-resorts around the world, Spirit will offer 36 one- and two-bedroom Leaf Suites (800 to 1100 square feet) and four five-bedroom Homestead Retreats (6,000+ square feet). Nightly room rates are expected to begin at $3,000 per night.

Rooted in organic-style architecture and sustainable design, each suite is to significantly minimize the impact on the land and existing vegetation below. The Leaf Suites get their name from the structures’ leaf-shaped rooftops that feature 3.2-kWh of solar panels and photovoltaic fabric technology designed to protect the viewshed created exclusively for Spirit by the award-winning sustainability firm Pvilion. The suites’ expansive, wraparound terraces and oversized glass window walls offer panoramic views directly into the national park while also maintaining an air of intimate seclusion amongst the surrounding forestry.

Geared toward the modern explorer, guests of Spirit will find numerous distinct spaces throughout their suites that encourage connectivity to mind and spirit. The suites offer a separate living room with a refreshment area; lavish appointments throughout the bedroom and bathroom including an oversized soaking tub; a versatile “wellness studio” that can serve as a space for reflection, in-room spa treatments, exercise or simply meditation. Each suite has an adjoining “bicycle base station” that includes two electric bikes and gear for complimentary use throughout the guest’s stay.

Located at the heart of the property, an intimate lodge will celebrate and honor the spirit of community. The lodge is designed to create a premier journey immersed with luxury, nature and inspiration for guests. Whether it be through the culinary journey, aquaponic greenhouse, library, observatory, natural swimming pool or the Experience Lounge, every moment and interaction at the lodge will transcend and awaken the guest’s spirit of discovery, connection and community.

Zion Spirit Group, in collaboration with Zion National Park Forever Project, local landowners, conservationists, the National Park Service and the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, is currently underway with the development of 35 miles of biking trails, many of which traverse Spirit’s vast terrain, allowing guests immediate access to the area’s best mountain biking.

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’s 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 last decade. McLaws and Rad are driven by a shared vision to protect and promote purposeful tourism.

“Having grown up locally and witnessed firsthand how unbounded commercialization and land division can spoil the natural tapestry of a community, the concept of conservation and the importance of protecting the inherent integrity of our environment was introduced to me early on and has been the guiding vision for Spirit,” said Kevin McLaws, founder and partner of Zion Spirit Group. “We have a once in a lifetime opportunity with this property to set a new standard for gateway communities, one that inspires guests to not only be a part of the land’s continued story, but to become equal stewards of it. It has been so encouraging to see our neighbors band together behind Spirit’s ‘contributive mindset’ mission, which we know will ultimately preserve the Zion experience for generations to come.”

With construction now underway, 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.

To register to be among the first to receive information about the resort and when bookings begin, visit SpiritZion.com or follow Spirit on Instagram at @spiritatzion.