We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joe & Hannah French. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joe & Hannah below.

Joe & Hannah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

We both grew up camping and we loved it! It was a chance to get away from the craziness of everyday life, spend time being in nature and connect with our families. We started camping together early on in our relationship and realized that it was important to both of us. One thing that we noticed is that tent camping seemed to be gradually reducing because of RVs, tiny homes, cabins and hotels. While those options can be great, there’s no better way to unplug and be immersed in nature than to go camping and to sleep outside. We’ve made it our mission to keep that art alive and thriving.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

There are people from all over the world that come to visit the Zion area. We decided that we want them to be able to enjoy camping as much as we do. It’s sometimes hard to travel with all the equipment needed to successfully carry out a real camping experience in a tent! Or, some people don’t even have the equipment or know what equipment is needed. We put together packages of camping gear that help make tent camping trips possible for everyone and anyone! We use tried and true equipment to help keep everyone comfortable, even if it is their first time camping. One of our favorite options is our camp kitchen package. It includes a stove with propane, a cooler, and all the cookware and dish ware needed to cook and eat delicious meals right at a campsite. We’ve been known to make some of the best lasagna, fried falafel, chicken tikka masala and lots of other cuisines and we encourage our guests to give it a try!

Have you ever had to pivot?

Initially when we started the business we decided that we were going to do a full service camping and our focus was to actually physically set up the camping equipment at campsites for our guests. It was a great idea and it is still a package option that we offer. However, we soon realized that the rules and permits in the national park would not allow us to enter the park to do business. After some brainstorming we were able to quickly adapt and create a “to go package”. This allowed us to still rent equipment to people who preferred to stay within the national park boundaries without breaking the rules and going into the park ourselves. So, when someone chooses our setup package we set up all the equipment at their booked campsite so that it is ready for them to start camping as soon as they arrive (the campsite must be booked separately at a non-national park local campground). If our guests choose to book our to-go package then they pick it up and take it with them during their travels in Zion and the surrounding area. Lastly, we added a backpacker package for those that want to get a permit and backpack in the wilderness!

How’d you meet your business partner?

Joe grew up in Minnesota and life brought him to Southern Utah in the 1990’s. Most of all he wanted to climb! Hannah grew up in Maryland and life brought her to Southern Utah in the early 2000’s. She had previously visited friends in the area and just loved it! Soon after meeting Joe asked Hannah to go rock climbing and they have been adventuring together ever since, including the adventure of starting a business together!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zioncampingrental.com
• Instagram: @zioncampingrental
• Facebook: Zion Camping Rental LLC

Image Credits

Joe French
Hannah French