Escape to East Zion Resort in Orderville, Utah
Find some serenity in southern Utah with a visit to Orderville, Utah and a stay at East Zion Resort. The quaint town is set against a backdrop of red rock cliffs, canyons, and mesas, so it’s a simply stunning place to spend some tranquil time in the desert.
Why Visit Orderville, Utah
Orderville is a tiny town that is absolutely perfect for travelers looking for a peaceful escape in Southern Utah. Since it’s located smack dab between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, Orderville makes a great basecamp if you want to visit both parks.
Where to Stay in Orderville: East Zion Resort
East Zion Resort is THE place to stay in Orderville. Honestly, this might have the best view of any place we have stayed at in southern Utah…and we’ve stayed in a lot of places! East Zion Resort has several options, including tiny homes, yurts, and glamping tents, but we chose to stay in one of the treetop cabins, and this really showcased the stunning views.
The cabin has big windows throughout, so you can take in the view from just about anywhere in the place.
The treetop cabin also has a tiny kitchen, which is important because the dining options in Orderville are quite limited. I was able to make a simple dinner one night in our cabin, and there’s a grill available to use outside on the deck.
You can also enjoy the heated pool and two hot tubs on the property, and believe me, we did! There are picnic tables and firepits, too, so you have plenty of places to relax outside here before you cozy up in your cabin for the night.
East Zion Resort is a special place, and I highly recommend you experience staying here when you’re visiting southern Utah.
Things to Do in Orderville
While the nearby national parks of Zion and Bryce are obviously the biggest attractions in Orderville, the town has some fun places to check out and explore, too. Here’s what’s on my recommended itinerary when you’re in Orderville:
Red Canyon
Located right in town, this little hike to a slot canyon is a must-do! You walk through deep sand for much of this short hike before you arrive at a slot canyon. The slot canyon has beautiful light, and it's really fun to explore even though it’s short. Red Canyon is a perfect quick and easy adventure with kids at less than a mile round trip.
If your kids aren’t into hiking, you can also take a horseback ride to Red Canyon with East Zion Adventures. My kiddos and I have done this tour, and although it’s a short ride, it’s a fun experience to horseback ride through the canyon.
NOTE: I was so bummed to see so much writing and carving on the walls of the canyon on our recent visit. I don't remember it being like this a year ago when we hiked Red Canyon, and it was honestly heartbreaking. Please always follow the Leave No Trace principles when exploring in these amazing places and NEVER draw or carve anything on rocks or other natural elements.
Rock Shops in Orderville
Orderville has a couple great rock shops that are really fun to browse. Kids and kids at heart will love looking at all the cool unique rocks.
The Rock Stop has an awesome assortment of rocks and gifts. Plus, they sell coffee and espresso along with soft-serve ice cream if you need a little pick-me-up or sugar rush. We got a cone, and it was yummy!
Orderville Mine Rock shop also has a wide assortment of neat rocks. In fact, I just might have bought myself a beautiful rock to take home. :-)
Maynard Dixon Legacy Museum
This living history museum was such a treat, and I highly recommend a visit…even with kids. A self-guided property tour ($20/person, free for kids 12 & under) lets you walk through the home of artist Maynard Dixon. The buildings, which include the main home, bunk house, and studio, are so well-preserved that you’ll feel like you stepped back in time. It’s seriously magical!
The tour begins at The Thunderbird Gallery, which has wonderful artwork on display in a beautiful old home. There, you’ll watch a video about Maynard Dixon’s life, which was really interesting and provided good background info, before you head out to explore the property.
You’ll see reproductions of Dixon’s art throughout the buildings on the tour, and his work is just incredible…I’m a huge fan!
The Shop Coffee Co in Orderville, Ut
I just love this coffee shop in Orderville! I make it a point to come here every time I’m in the area. The coffee is so good, and everything we have tried on the menu has been excellent. We usually get a panini and smoothie (I especially love the watermelon one!), and they have amazing pastries as well.
The Shop Coffee Company also has a wide assortment of gifts, jewelry, and artwork from local artists, so you can pick up some great souvenirs here.
Other Dining Options in Orderville, Utah
Orderville is tiny and only has a few restaurants, usually with very limited hours. Be prepared to cook your own meals at least some of the time (so make sure the place you stay has some sort of kitchen), but also know that the very small grocery store in town, Terry's Food & Drug, isn't open on Sunday.
Here are the restaurant options in Orderville:
The Shop Coffee Co (which I mentioned above) is awesome, but closes at 5pm every day and isn’t open on Mondays.
Soup Town Cafe offers really good sandwiches and soup, but has very limited hours and isn’t open every day.
Archie's Food to Die For is a food truck with burgers and more that also has limited hours, and it wasn’t open when we visited.
The closest place for dinner is Thunderbird Cafe. It is 10 minutes away in Mt Carmel Junction. We ate there for dinner one night, and it was pretty run-of-the-mill diner food.
Orderville Utah is such a great place to stay if you are visiting Zion National Park, Kanab, North Rim of the Grand Canyon and/or Bryce Canyon on your Southern Utah travels. And for the best place to stay in Orderville, check out East Zion Resort. Such a great place to stay with a family or even a romantic couples weekend.
Happy Adventuring,
Arika
