HURRICANE — One thing Roy Smith wants to make clear: Don’t call him Ranger Smith.

It seems like an obvious nickname for Smith, who manages Yogi Bear’s Zion Utah Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Hurricane. The “smarter-than-the-average” bear who calls Jellystone Park home is known to rake the nerves of Forest Ranger Smith in the Hanna-Barbera animated shorts, series and movies. 

But Roy Smith has a more laidback demeanor that seems more at home in Hurricane, where he also lives, than at a ranger station. 

Smith oversees daily operations at Yogi Bear’s Zion Utah Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, or Zion Utah Jellystone Park for short, which opened its gates for the first time on May 26. The resort includes a water park, amusement zone, recreational vehicle park and glampers resort. 

The park initially looks like a place for tourists with its recreational vehicle pads and travel accommodations. 

But Smith says area residents will be surprised how much has been created with locals in mind.

“We want to take care of our locals, man,” Smith said. “That’s important to us.”

When Zion Utah Jellystone Park was first announced as starting construction back in 2021, its creator, Scott Nielson, described it as a campground where people could also bring their kids. But this wouldn’t be your ordinary campground, as it would also feature a water park, rides, mini golf, restaurants and other attractions for the locals. 

The completed area is considered phase one. Phase two is under construction on the east side of the park, with additional RV pads and cabins for out-of-towners and an indoor Adventure Center for locals, with laser tag, an indoor mini-golf course and an arcade. 

Also under construction on the northeast side of the park is a zipline and ropes course that will have a separate admission. Called “The Ropes of Southern Utah,” it is expected to be ready in the fall. 

With a $27.50-day pass, locals can partake in the water park – which is called the “Water Zone” at the park – with three large water slides that climb 45 feet in the air and a lazy river — as well as other attractions like a kids playground, sports courts, gem mining and jump pad. The waterslides were designed by Splashtacular of Paola, Kansas, which is best known for building the popular Muskoka Plunge at Toronto’s Canada’s Wonderland, the largest theme park north of the border. 

Zion Utah Jellystone Park represents the first true theme park in Southern Utah after decades of dreams and misfires. It is by no means as extensive or close to being as large as Splash Summit or Cowabunga Bay in northern Utah or Wet‘n’Wild or Cowabunga Vegas in Nevada. And there aren’t roller coasters like Lagoon, Circus Circus or Disneyland. 

But unlike those other places, its location is convenient for area residents. There’s no need for a long ride up or down Interstate 15. 

First announced in late 2021 with the goal to open by late 2022, delays in getting some materials stretched the process, but Nielson, who sold off Nielson RV in 2021 to concentrate on his dream resort, insisted that the funding was there and Jellystone would eventually open. And now it has.

Nielson said his wife Kristin and his seven children have been heavily involved in the resort’s design and the naming of attractions, buildings and streets. Initially envisioned as “Glampers Inn,” Nielson struck up a partnership with Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts, which has franchised its family-friendly campground concept to 75 sites nationwide. 

“Being a dad, I fell in love with the Jellystone Park concept after visiting locations around the country with my family,” Nielson said. 

Rob Schutter, the president of Camp Jellystone LLC, said in a statement that he has been impressed with Nielson’s version of Jellystone Park.

“He is building a spectacular resort which families are going to love,” Schutter said.

Amid the Yogi Bear-themed resort, there is also a lot of the Nielsons’ personal touch. Nielson and his sons built the large rock water feature just past the Yogi Bear sculpture at the park’s parking entrance with their own hands, and the Nielson name is on everything from bridges to snack bars.  

A big attraction for the resort — especially for out-of-town visitors — is its close proximity to Sand Hollow State Park and its sand dunes. Zion Utah Jellystone Park offers all-terrain vehicle rentals for a fee and allows out-of-town visitors to bring their own utility terrain vehicles. 

Smith said each RV pad is 45-80 feet long and 40 feet wide. Driving around in the RV area, Smith pointed out a 40-foot bus with a trailer fitting behind it with space to spare. 

“You can easily install a big rig in there and have enough room to park the truck and a side-by-side,” Smith said. 

For an additional $15 per day, travelers can bring along their all-terrain vehicles, such as side-by-sides, utility task vehicles and even golf carts, and take them to nearby Sand Canyon State Park while their RV stays behind. 

The original intention was to name the resort “Sand Hollow Jellystone Park,” though later, park officials shifted to highlighting its proximity to Zion National Park. The home of Angels Landing may be some 30 miles away, but it has much more nationwide recognition than Sand Hollow does, park officials said. 

Recycling water

Something the public won’t see that might be one of the more unique aspects of Zion Utah Jellystone Park is the plumbing.

Far below the splashing and jumping of visitors is much of Zion Utah Jellystone Park’s water. A 450-foot deep well draws water from the Navajo sandstone aquifer below.

“We own the water rights,” Smith said. 

Originally, the goal was for the well water to supply all of the water at the resort. However, park, city and county officials confirmed that the Washington County Water Conservancy District would not permit the park to use well water for the pools, drinking or water features and rides, saying it did not meet the water quality standards for those uses.

“The well water fills the man-made lake with the ninja floating obstacle course. It also irrigates most of the resort including the trees and vegetation and grass,” Nielson said. “The water conservancy district forced us to use culinary water and take it from our communal neighbors. This was not our choice nor desire.”

That said, there is a water recirculating and filtering system that park officials say ensures sanitation.

St. George News got an exclusive look into the water recirculation room, and through the loud noise of the circulating pumps, Smith explained how they work.

“What happens is the water comes in, goes into our first tank. Once it goes into our first tank, it comes back and recirculates into our filter,” Smith said. “All of the water is reused.”

Below the main tanks of the water circulation system is a network and maze of water pipes. Next to them are several digital and analog control panels, including one with a red button that, in an emergency, can stop all of the waterslides.

According to Hurricane City records, the amount of water being used between the Water Zone, the lake and other uses is 5 acre-feet of water at any given time, which is equivalent to 325,851 gallons, according to the Water Education Foundation.

According to the foundation, that’s the equivalent of the annual water usage of 15 households or 81 residential swimming pools. According to Hurricane records, one of the many farms in the area uses that amount of water per year for every 3.5 acres of farmland, and most of the farms in Hurricane average around 100 acres. 

Jellystone officials said because of their water recycling system, it isn’t like they will be using 5 acre-feet of water each year. Smith said Jellystone intends to continually recycle its own 5 acre-feet for the foreseeable future.

Read on for a complete guide to ticket prices for locals and long-term visitors, attractions and other tips to enjoy Southern Utah’s first amusement resort. 

Park hours

For those staying at the resort in either a cabin or an RV, quiet hours between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. are enforced, and there is a curfew between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., during which a child under 18 must be accompanied by an adult if they leave their site. 

Water Zone hours:  Seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ranger Station hours: Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

How to get there

Zion Utah Jellystone Park is located at 505 S. Sand Hollow Road, Hurricane, 84737. 

Tickets for locals

Locals not looking to bring an RV or spend more than a day have several options, such as buying a season pass. But to allow more room for out-of-towners, season passes are usually limited to weekdays. (On July 17, Zion Utah Jellystone Park announced that pass holders would be admitted on weekend days for a limited time.) 

Tickets must be purchased on-site at the Ranger Station, located at the park’s entrance. There is no advance or online purchase. And be forewarned: The park can sell out at any time, so people coming later on a busy day may be out of luck. 

Kids ages 3 and under are free, with lifevests for the Water Zone provided. 

Locals can also stay in their own cabin with air conditioning and a place to rest. 

Water Zone day pass: $29.99.  

Water Zone season pass: $150, valid Mondays through Thursdays until Sept. 30. 

Water Zone cabana or island canopy: $75 for four hours.  

Along with shade and privacy, cabanas include an icebox and USB plug-ins for devices, along with loungers. 

Wibit day pass: $20, $8 after 5 p.m.

Wibit season pass: $100, valid Mondays through Thursdays until Sept. 30. 

Combined Water Zone/Wibit day pass: $40.

Boo Boo Cabin Daycation: $149 with three Water Zone passes included.

The smallest cabins are for locals only looking for interior space with air conditioning for the day until closing.

They include a couch with foldaway bed, TV, Wi-Fi, climate control, and microwave and fridge with a dining area. 

Tickets/prices for long-term guests

Guests staying in cabins or RV pads get free Wi-Fi and passes to the Water Zone for $10 per person. 

When first envisioned as a “Glampers Inn,” the resort was meant to be a family-friendly place for outdoor adventurers to park their RVs or stay in cabins as part of their Southern Utah adventure. That concept lives on with about 42 cabins and several more large RV pads.

Unlike the local day passes, long-term stays can be booked in advance online and range from two-bedroom “Yogi Bear” cabins with sky decks to one-bedroom “Cindy Bear” cabins. Depending on the day and availability, the prices range between $250 a night and $399 per night. 

RV pads are 45 to 75 feet long and priced from $70 to $135 per night. They include electrical hook-ups, water and sewer connections, barbeques and fire pits. Nearby comfort stations have showers and laundry facilities.  

Water Zone attractions

The Water Zone consists of a main waterslide structure with three rides that can be expanded with at least one additional slide. There is also a lazy river, two heated spas, a deeper adults’ pool, a smaller splash pad and a kids’ pool for younger visitors.

Plunge Bowl: What starts out as a normal, curving waterslide has an unexpected finish – a circular ride in a large bowl where the rider orbits a central hole before plunging into a pool below. Smith said while some adults have compared it to a human going down the drain in a giant sink, younger visitors have jokingly compared it to “going down into a giant toilet.”

Speeder Slides: The fastest slide, twin slides alongside each other, sends guests hurdling down nearly 50 feet at an almost vertical path before turning horizontal and being slowed by a line of water. 

Sidewinder: The most basic and longest of the three slides, the Sidewinder sends riders down a nearly 400-foot curvy path in an enclosed tube. 

Lazy River: Stretching 700 linear feet and around 3 feet deep, Jellystone’s lazy river allows people using sit-down inflatables to go around, around and around as long as they want to. 

And lazy river floaters can expect some surprises along the way, such as a large desert snake that makes threatening sounds and a seemingly dilapidated bridge noting the Nelson Mining Company. 

Like Disneyland has references to Walt Disney, Zion Utah Jellystone Park has several Easter eggs referencing Scott Nielson and his family.  

Kids Splash Pad: This area is mostly designated for those under the age of 12. It includes mini versions of the larger waterslides nearby – just 5 feet in height as opposed to 45. The splash pad also has water guns kids can fire at friends and unsuspecting passersby, as well as a bucket that intermittently dumps 200 gallons of water on those same kids.

Cabanas: Cabanas can be rented for $75 for four hours.

Other attractions

Lake with Wibit Obstacle Course: A seasonal attraction only available from March to September, the best way to describe the Wibit is a “Ninja Warrior” obstacle course on water. 

For both locals and those staying, an additional $20 fee gives unlimited use of the course for a day. An unlimited Monday to Thursday season pass is also available. 

Those under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

The 17-foot-deep lake is surrounded by a sandy beach worthy of castles and laying out for sunbathing. 

Gem mining: At the gem mining attraction, kids can become rockhounds or imitate the pioneers who panned for gold, searching for hidden treasures.

Jump Pad: As the name implies, it’s a large 88-by-33-foot pad for kids to jump on. Manufactured by Original Jumping Pillows of Knoxville, Tennessee, it is made of a proprietary, long-lasting fabric at ground level above a cushion of air, creating a trampoline effect but having a similar feel for kids as a giant bounce house. 

Gaga ball: Gaga ball may immediately provoke the question, “What is gaga ball?” But it wasn’t more than a decade ago that most people locally were asking, “What is pickleball?”

Think of a more confined dodgeball within a 10-sided polygon. It originated in Israel and has spread mostly to American summer camps in the last two decades. 

There are at least two gaga ball courts in the RV area, so these are mainly for travelers and a little out of the way for locals. It’s also not in the brochure or on the park map, so one may need to ask around to find them.

Character visits: Yogi Bear occasionally comes out of a bear cave right next to the Water Zone and Ranger Station. Also around and about are visits from Cindy Bear, Boo Boo and the actual Ranger Smith.

Flag-raising ceremony: It’s something borrowed from Disneyland. Just as they have a daily flag-raising ceremony, so does Zion Utah Jellystone Park. 

At 9:45 a.m. each day, Yogi Bear comes out and leads a flag-raising ceremony at the flag pole right next to the Water Zone, and all guests are invited. 

Sports courts: There are basketball, beach volleyball and pickleball courts, and the equipment for each can be rented at the Ranger Station. 

Dining

Outside food and drink are not allowed inside. 

Plans are in place for more dining options inside Zion Utah Jellystone Park. For now, there are two food trucks: Wicked Scone, which serves baked treats and Navajo tacos and Zeppe’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard.

Inside the Ranger Station, you can purchase pizza and other convenience store food and drink items similar to those at a Maverik or 7-Eleven.

For the pets

Not only are certain bears allowed at Zion Utah Jellystone Park, but so are dogs. However, bringing the four-legged family members is more for those making a multi-day stay than for locals coming for the day.

The park has two fenced-in dog parks, or “Bark Parks,” that include dog agility courses as well as water and cleaning stations.

But park rules prohibit pets from the Water Zone, playgrounds or inside non-cabin buildings, so it might be better to leave the dogs at home if the stay is for less than a day.

Extra insider tips

1. Need some extra shade on a hot day at the Water Zone? There are benches and a large shaded area under the funnel of the Plunge Slide, which is accessible to everyone, but few may know it’s there. 
2. Be prepared for additional fees beyond just admission and/or rentals. 
3. For locals, weekdays might be the best days as out-of-town travelers are likely to fill up the park on weekends and holidays. The park can reach capacity at any time, and once it does, more won’t be allowed in. 
4. Take advantage of the rewards program: Both locals and travelers can sign up for a rewards program known as “Club Yogi,” which earns points for every dollar spent at any of the Jellystone Park resorts around the country. Points can then be used for free campsites, cabin rentals and merchandise at the store. 
5. There are several grassy areas with shade throughout the park as well as around the Water Zone. One in particular, on the north side of the Water Zone, has a picturesque view of the mountains of Zion National Park in the distance.

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