Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort Celebrates 20 Years!

May 13, 2015

In the early 1990s, Zion Ponderosa was a dream just beginning to come to fruition. We opened in 1995…fast forward to 2015 and here we are, planning our 20th anniversary celebration!

20th Anniversary Celebration: May 23, 2015
We invite all of our guests to celebrate with us on Saturday, May 23 at Zion Ponderosa for a fun 20th anniversary bash at the recreation barn for cake, barn dancing and nighttime zip lining. We know how to throw a party at Zion Ponderosa!

Locals Day: May 25, 2015
We’d also like to invite local residents of Kanab, Orderville and the surrounding areas to celebrate with us at Zion Ponderosa on Memorial Day, May 25, 2015. We’ll be offering a discounted lunch buffet and dessert specials, $5 golfing and swimming, and great deals on all of the fun activities our ranch resort has to offer, like zip lining, bungee, climbing wall and more.

Zion National Park boundaries - Zion Ponderosa

Living the Dream
Ray Lewis had dreamed for years of owning a ranch on the edge of Zion National Park. When a property became available on the East Rim of Zion, he and his family jumped in the car and drove from L.A. to purchase the property. Just like it is for many of our guests, the property was love at first sight. Soon plans were born to create a ranch resort near Zion National Park where families gather and unite.

By the early 1990s, Lewis’ grandsons, brothers Dave and Steve Neeleman, began to realize their grandfather’s spirit of hospitality with the creation of Brushy Cove. The small campground on a remote section of the 8,000-acre property was complete with restrooms and showers, a large fire put and group camping sites. The Brushy Cove bed and breakfast came next but the brothers knew they wanted to create something bigger, better and even more special.

The dream of Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort began to take shape in 1994 with construction of the original 16 guest cabins, showers, a pole barn for dining and recreation, and a pool. Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort officially opened on Memorial Day 1995.

Entrance to Zion Ridge

The beautiful entrance to the gated community Zion Ridge

Zion Ponderosa continued to add facilities: additional guest cabins and camping sites; a staff lodge; a climbing wall; tennis, basketball and volleyball courts; and a nine-mile mountain biking course. In 1998, Zion Ponderosa offered an all-inclusive ranch resort experience, where guests could enjoy lodging, meals, and unlimited recreation.

Zion Ponderosa is continually evolving, changing and expanding. Today we have a great dining facility, and our three-story recreation barn houses climbing and rappelling equipment, ping pong and pool tables, 40-foot indoor/outdoor climbing walls and Ranger and Razor ATVs just outside. While the ranch resort experience is no longer all-inclusive, guests will find seemingly unlimited recreation and activities for all ages and abilities, including Kids Camp during the summer.

Big E on the Extreme Trampoline girls golfing

The past ten years have seen continued expansion, with the ongoing addition of luxury vacation homes built in the adjacent Zion Ridge section of the resort (perfect for family reunions). General Manager Michael Kane has overseen the addition of a beautiful new pool, buffet dining hall (Ray’s Restaurant, in honor of Ray Lewis), mini golf course and more. He recently said, “The first day the mini golf course was open, I saw a grandfather teaching his young grandson to play. My eyes teared up, because it was exactly what I envisioned: Zion Ponderosa as a place for families.”

Guests at Zion Park - Zion Ponderosa

Happy guests pose for a photo with our General Manager Michael Kane

We know you will appreciate and enjoy the family bonding time, the activities and recreation, and of course the breathtaking landscape surrounding Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. We are joyful to share this wonderful property with you, and look forward to celebrating with our guests and local residents over Memorial Day weekend!


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