Fort Zion – Dont miss this Quirky Western Trading post
Fort Zion is one of those quirky and bizarre little trading posts that you need to visit on your way into Zion national park! It’s located in the town Virgin 15 minutes before you reach Zion National Park.
It is a very quick and fun pitstop on your way into the National Park and I highly recommend you visit the town of virgin because it has some quaint remnants from the past.
Zion is actually a petting zoo come bizarre outdoor old western building but itās definitely worth a visit because it literally only cost $2 per person and itās kind of hilarious. Well worth a quick pit stop before you enter Zion.
If you’re doing a Utah Road Trip, make sure you know all the awesome spots to visit, one of my favourites that are nearby include:
- The Best Hikes in Zion National Park
- Hiking the Zion Narrows
- Bryce National Park
- The Bentonite Hills and Dead Horse Point.
Quick Mini Guide To Fort Zion
Don’t have a lot of time? Here’s a quick mini guide to Fort Zion.
Where to stay in Zion
- The Cliffrose Springdale Hotel by Hilton or
- Zion Glamping adventures
- I also have a list of luxury Glamping in Zion
Price
$2 per person! Entering the shop is free.
Best time to go
It’s best to go in Spring or Autumn. The summer becomes very hot. But it is manageable in summer!
Car rental
Public transport is limited so car rental is your best option.
– Car rentals from Vegas
– Car rentals from Salt Lake City
Stay connected
Purchase an eSim with Airalo on your phone – Use discount code A&M3 for $3 off your first purchase.
Fort Zion
Even if you only have 10 minutes to browse around Fort Zion, you must stop and give this funky little spot some of your time. Whether you’re visiting as a family with small kids or a couple of adults, it’s really interesting for everyone!
Think old style western saloons and funny little colonial buildings.
But Fort Zion is more than just the funky buildings outside. This is a great rest stop – Fort Zion itself has a huge shop with a ton of different souvenirs, bracelets, jewellery, and Native American artwork.
And of course, the petting zoo!
They also have a restaurant on site which has fairly reasonably priced food. It cost around $6 to $8 per person for meals on the menu which to be honest Iām mostly burgers and fries but if youāre looking for a quick pick me up then this is great.
Itās ideal for a quick and affordable meal!
Petting zoo and the old West Village
The main attraction is the Minnie petting zoo and the old West village which you can see from the road as youāre driving towards Zion National Park.
The old West Village is definitely the highlight for me.
It features these hilariously small buildings that belong in a game with bizarre old western facades which include a bank, jail, a hotel, a trading post, a house, a creepy shed with 100s of tools and even an undertaker shop.
You can actually walk in the building themselves, which is quite fun and get pictures on the inside although bear in mind they are pretty small.
They also have a colonial style wagon, which is actually a nice place to sit for a few minutes in the respite of the Sun because especially in the summer itās pretty hot.
Fort Zion Entry Fee – updated prices
The entry fee is $2 per person into the petting zoo & Western Trading Post.
You can buy two carrots if youāre keen on feeding the animals in the petting zoo for an extra $1.
The animals include a donkey, llamas, deer and a pony that kicks the fence for carrots-I didnāt actually feed the pony but we were told about this by some of the other visitors to the farm. Which is slightly amusing but be aware if you have small children!
Opening Hours
Fort Zion opening hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 10 AMā6:30 PM
- Sunday: 10 AMā5:40 PM
Ice cream and patio
Before you leave, make sure you stop for some ice cream. They have home-made ice cream with crunchy waffle cones from the gift shop and trust me after being in the Utah, especially if youāre visiting in spring, summer or autumn youāre going to want an ice cold treat.
My favourite is mint chocolate chip (as always) but there are a ton of different flavours to choose from, Mike always goes for chocolate or dark chocolate if they have it.
Out by the front is a few seating areas where you can sit and enjoy your ice creams. Some of it is under the shade which is really necessary to be honest.
Fort Zion Location
Fort Zion is located on the main road in virgin Utah which is 15 minutes before you reach Zion National Park.
It is on Highway nine.
Address: 1000 W. Hwy 9, Virgin, UT 84779
Fort Zion Map
Save this to your google maps so you know where to stop – we actually nearly missed it!
Itās a great little pitstop to see the giant old-fashioned forts a gift and passing zoo.
Weather in Utah
Be wary of the weather in Utah, it’s so diverse! In the winter, it is literally freezing.
In the summer it is literally boiling, and it can actually be difficult to be out in the middle of the day. Whatever the time of year you visit, be prepared, whether that’s water bottles, or extra layers to keep warm.
Utah Weather in January
- Average temperature: -1Ā°C (30Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 5
- Average daylight hours: 10
- Average sunrise time: 7:45 AM
- Average sunset time: 5:30 PM
Utah Weather in February
- Average temperature: 2Ā°C (35Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 5
- Average daylight hours: 11
- Average sunrise time: 7:30 AM
- Average sunset time: 6:00 PM
Utah Weather in March
- Average temperature: 7Ā°C (45Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 6
- Average daylight hours: 12
- Average sunrise time: 7:00 AM
- Average sunset time: 6:30 PM
Utah Weather in April
- Average temperature: 11Ā°C (52Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 6
- Average daylight hours: 13
- Average sunrise time: 6:30 AM
- Average sunset time: 7:30 PM
Utah Weather in May
- Average temperature: 16Ā°C (61Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 5
- Average daylight hours: 14
- Average sunrise time: 6:00 AM
- Average sunset time: 8:00 PM
Utah Weather in June
- Average temperature: 21Ā°C (70Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 3
- Average daylight hours: 15
- Average sunrise time: 5:45 AM
- Average sunset time: 8:45 PM
Utah Weather in July
- Average temperature: 26Ā°C (79Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 4
- Average daylight hours: 15
- Average sunrise time: 6:00 AM
- Average sunset time: 8:45 PM
Utah Weather in August
- Average temperature: 24Ā°C (75Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 4
- Average daylight hours: 14
- Average sunrise time: 6:30 AM
- Average sunset time: 8:30 PM
Utah Weather in September
- Average temperature: 19Ā°C (66Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 4
- Average daylight hours: 12
- Average sunrise time: 7:00 AM
- Average sunset time: 7:30 PM
Utah Weather in October
- Average temperature: 12Ā°C (54Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 4
- Average daylight hours: 11
- Average sunrise time: 7:30 AM
- Average sunset time: 6:30 PM
Utah Weather in November
- Average temperature: 5Ā°C (41Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 4
- Average daylight hours: 10
- Average sunrise time: 7:00 AM
- Average sunset time: 5:00 PM
Utah Weather in December
- Average temperature: -1Ā°C (30Ā°F)
- Average rainy days: 5
- Average daylight hours: 9
- Average sunrise time: 7:30 AM
- Average sunset time: 5:00 PM
Certainly a bucket list Utah Road Trip. Have a look at my other USA articles that you might find interesting:
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