White Bison Resort Tepee Glamping

White Bison Resort, roughly 30 minutes from Zion National Park in Utah, offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape in a unique glamping setting. Covered wagons surround a central pond with a few tepees and several other units. A wonderful surprise was that one tepee at White Bison Resort has been modified to be accessible; it’s also dog-friendly with some restrictions. Before arrival, an access code is provided to enter on the tepee’s keypad. Be sure to have this with you since the main office is not accessible. A single accessible parking space is located closest to the units. The pathway from the parking area to the tepee door is on a firm surface.

Patio

In front of the door is a large patio area overlooking an artificial pond. A hot tub sits adjacent to the partially covered outdoor kitchen and includes a microwave, mini-fridge, stove, dishwasher, and barbecue. Bar-style seating with removable chairs creates a corner along the kitchen. The hot tub doesn’t have a lift or hoist to assist guests needing accessibility. Across from the kitchen is a fire pit area with cemented seats along the wall and open spaces for wheelchairs. 

Bedroom

The entrance featured a wide doorway and inside the layout was spacious, allowing room to maneuver comfortably. The furniture was thoughtfully arranged, maintaining the rustic charm of the tepee. Upon entry, the coat rack was found at full height and inaccessible by a wheelchair. The heating and cooling controls couldn’t be reached, but luckily the controls can be portable. Call the front desk if assistance is needed to initially reach these controls. The extra low, king-sized bed is most easily accessible on one side. A small loft up a flight of stairs to the left of the bed may be used for an additional guest. Extra bedding pads are kept under the staircase, with space to store unused luggage.

Bathroom

The accessible bathroom is equipped with grab bars, a roll-in shower, and a space under the sink bowl that allows guests with wheelchairs to roll up. The hand towel rack, to the left of the sink, is inaccessible by wheelchair due to the non-barrier-free shower tile edge. A roll-up table at the bathroom door’s entry is a convenient space to place toiletries and such, and across from this are hooks set at high and low positions.  

Some wheelchairs, especially power wheelchairs, may find it difficult or possibly impossible to pass between the shower edge and the toilet to enter the shower. The shower has a hand-held nozzle and mounted shampoo soaps. Furthermore, even though the resort opened in 2021, the 2010 ADA Law to provide a mounted bench wasn’t followed, which begs the question, how did this room pass inspection? In the meantime, however, a basic portable shower chair with a back is provided for guests who ask.