Private Vacation Home
Zion National Park Skyline Views at the Smithsonian Retreat
Apple Valley, Utah, United States
An unbelievable launch pad or just-stay-around-home pad for your exploration of Southern Utah, Lake Powell, and the Grand Canyon. Amazing views of Zion National Park from the south, Smithsonian Butte and Gooseberry Mesa from the west. Take day trips to some of earth's most majestic sites or stay home and enjoy the giant playroom, private tennis court, or gorgeous views. There is easy access to vast federal lands from this unparalleled property.brOur Smithsonian Retreat has 4 smart TV's with high speed 1G fiber optic internet in the following locations:brbrLiving Room (Chromecast and Roku)brMaster Bedroom (Roku) brQueen Bedroom (Roku) brPlayroom carpet area (Roku) brbrbrAmenities and Food: Apple Valley boasts no supermarket, no red light and no business otherbrthan the Chevron. The café in the chevron is great for burgers, sandwiches, and pizza, but it is notbrthe place to stock up. Just ten miles west in Hurricane there is a Lin’s Marketplace on Highway 9.brFurther toward St. George on Highway 9 is a Walmart Superstore, close to the turn to Sand HollowbrState Park and Resort. I recommend stopping at these options before heading up the 2,000 inbrelevation to Apple Valley.brbrDining Out: Visit Hurricane for a vast selection of Mexican food and fast food, but not real big onbrdiversity. Springdale, the small tourist town at the gate of Zion has a lot of local and ethnic optionsbras well as fine food. St. George and Washington are full of the national chains, but also, as thebrlargest town in the region have ethnic and a variety of more local American options.brbrOffroad and ATV: While there are heaps of trails within 15 miles for ATVs, the Smithsonian ButtebrFederal preserve is just east of the home and offers great dirt road access to trails on federal land.brIf you have a 4WD vehicle, Main Street as it’s called which cuts from the highway through somebrfarmland to federal land is the most direct, most scenic and most entertaining route to Zion. Zionbris only about seven miles as the crow flies and less than 12 when you take Main Street. However,brthere are steep parts of this dirt road that make it unsuitable for your average sedan. Webrrecommend going back to HW 9 in Hurricane to access Zion in your average sedan. You arebrwelcome to bring your ATVs or Motorbikes, however, please do not ride around our property withbrthem. You may even park them under the carport, but please do not use the smaller third garage.brYou do however have access to the two primary garages.brYou will have the entire 2.5 acres, fenced and gated, to yourself during your stay. This includes the home, detached playroom, tennis courts, covered space and two car garage with a third detached garage for overflow. There is space to park a trailer, RV, or boat on the property as well.brbrApple Valley is a small town, a nice, safe and quiet town, and town ordinance requires that outdoor activity be quieted to talking voices after 10 PM in respect for the town and neighbors. The location of the home on a Cul-de-sac atop the town also make the home unsuitable for large events.brThe Smithsonian Retreat is owned by Timberroot, a small, family business that specializes in creating rustic spaces that allow you to relax, recharge, and reconnect with nature.brbrThis house is eccentric and absolutely remarkable, and the views are breathtaking! The red adobe style gives it the perfect desert feel, but the solid log beams, wood room and ceilings give it a warm and rustic feeling on the inside. With four bathrooms, four dedicated bedrooms, and one semi-bedroom with a pull-out sofa, you can bring a few families or just a large group of friends. And even though some of earth's most exotic geological features are a short drive away, you may not want to leave this memorable vista.brbrThe house offers a massive gameroom, complete with pool table, shuffleboard, foosball, and air hockey. Attached to this space is a carpeted TV room complete with a pull-out sofa for extra bedding. But that's just the start of what makes this home an ideal western retreat.brbrEnjoy the well-lit private tennis court just above the house looking right at Smithsonian Butte which also has a two hoop basketball court. Enjoy the mesa top breezes from the covered front porch or patio area just outside the front entrance on our comfortable outdoor gathering furniture. Also, take the group or family out for a round of beach volleyball on the regulation size sand court.brbrWe have made some significant enhancements this past year starting with the addition of a massive front Trex deck off the front porch. We just had Fiber Optic brought to the house for wifi speeds of over 100M up and down constantly covering the house with a (Hidden by Airbnb) Mesh wifi system. Stream your favorite Netflix shows or watch Live TV (50 Live Channels) with HULU. The kitchen has also seen some new additions such as a crock pot and blender.brbrBut the location and the views may be the stand-out feature. From the front, you are looking at the south of Zion and the entrance to Zion Canyon, arguably the prettiest place on earth. Straight ahead is the majestic Smithsonian Butte, across a bit of ranch land and virtually unlimited federal land, dirt roads, campsites and trails. As the home sits on a rock mesa in the middle of the small community of Apple Valley, you can walk to any edge and see the valley and town below.brbrIt's hard to imagine a more ideal hub for your exploration of southern Utah and northern Arizona, including a short jaunt to Zion National Park, and within 2 hours of the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Anetlope Canyon, Bryce Canyon and just a bit further to Capital Reef National Park. Jacob's lake, just above Grand Canyon's North Rim is under an hour away, while the exotic waves of Snow Canyon Park is roughly a thirty minute drive. Pine Valley, Brian Head, and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument are just east of Kanab, an easy hour's drive. Hurricane and St. George are your closest full-service towns. This house is a real western retreat, comfortable yet rustic, with panoramic views and a central location to natural wonders.
Read More