Protected within Zion National Park's 229 square miles is a spectacular cliff-and-canyon landscape with a wilderness that's full of the unexpected. Here you'll find the world's largest arch, Kolob Arch, which has a span that measures 310 feet. Wildlife such as mule deer, golden eagles, and mountain lions inhabit the park. Originally established in 1909 as Mukuntuweap National Monument, the area was expanded in 1919 into Zion National Park. Established to preserve and protect the scenic beauty, unique geologic features, and unusual assemblage of plants and animals.

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General Information

Location

Situated in southwest Utah, on the edge of the Colorado Plateau.

Address

Superintendent
Zion National Park
Springdale, UT 84767

Telephone

(435) 772-3256. This line offers 24-hour recorded information.

Operating Hours & Seasons

During summer months, the visitor centers are open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Spring, fall and winter hours are shortened. Some visitor centers are closed on federal holidays. Call the 24-hour number for current updates at 435-772-3256.

Directions

The visitor center at the Kolob Canyons entrance is accessible via exit 40 from Interstate 15. I-15 passes west of the park and connects with Utah Route 9 and 17 to the park. U.S. 89 passes east and connects with UT-9 to the park. The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is a short distance from the park's south entrance adjacent to Springdale.

Transportation

The closest airport is in St. George, Utah, 46 miles away.

Fees & Costs

As part of the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program instituted by Congress in 1996, entrance fees are collected year-round. Eighty percent of all fees collected now stay in the park. In Zion these new fees will allow campgrounds site to be increased, improve accessibility at park facilities, and improve park wayside exhibits, trail maintenance, and re-vegetation efforts.

Entry Fees

$5 single person: Entry into Zion National Park by foot, bicycle, or motorcycle for seven days.

$10 single vehicle: Valid at Zion National Park for seven days.

$20 Zion National Park pass: Valid at Zion National Park for one year from month of purchase.

$10 Golden Age Passport: Lifetime pass, available to U.S. residents 62 years old and over, valid at all federal fee areas.

$50 Golden Eagle Passport: Valid at all federal entrance fee parks or areas for one year from month of purchase.

Commercial Tour Vehicle: Operators should contact the park at 435-772-3256 for specific information on rates. Commercial tour operators fee is based on bus capacity and ranges from $25 to $100.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50% discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50% discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

Handicap Accessibility

Both visitor centers and Zion Lodge are fully accessible to those with special needs. Several campsites in the South Campground are reserved for people with disabilities and three trails are accessible. Many interpretive talks are accessible. The 1-mile Riverside Walk, which begins at the north end of Zion Canyon Drive, is paved and accessible with assistance. Also accessible with assistance are the 2-mile Pa'rus Trail, which opened in 1995, and the lower Emerald Pools.

Visitation

Highest in summer; lowest in winter.

Regulations & Safety

Hospital & Medical

For 24-hour emergency response, call 772-3322 or 911. First aid is available in the park. A physician's assistant in Springdale is available full-time in the summer and part-time in the winter. A physician is in Hurricane, 24 miles away. Hospitals are in St. George, 45 miles away; Cedar City, 60 miles away; and Kanab 42 miles away.

Fires

Fires are permitted only in the fire pits provided at campgrounds and some picnic areas. Bring or purchase your firewood; collecting wood is not permitted. Firewood is available for purchase outside the park. Keep fires small and under control. Make sure fires are dead out and never leave a fire unattended. Fires are not permitted in the backcountry at any time; use a stove to cook.

Tunnel

There are size restrictions on vehicles traveling through the 1.1-mile tunnel on the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. The tunnel height at its east entrance is 11 feet 4 inches. A $10 fee may be required for escort service for large vehicles through the narrow tunnel. Parking of large vehicles is regulated in various locations throughout the park during the summer.

Weather & Climate

Be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions. Temperatures vary with changes in elevation and seasons. Day to night temperatures may differ by more than 30¼F.

Spring weather is very unpredictable. Stormy, wet days are common, but warm, sunny weather may occur too. Precipitation peaks in March and September. Spring wildflowers bloom from April through June, peaking in May.

Summer days are hot (95 to 110¼F), but overnight lows are usually comfortable (65 to 70¼F). Afternoon thunderstorms are common from mid-July through mid-September. Storms may produce waterfalls as well as flash floods.

Fall days are usually clear and mild; nights are often cool. Autumn color displays begin in September in the high country and in Zion Canyon in early November.

Winters in Zion Canyon are fairly mild. Winter storms bring rain or light snow to Zion Canyon, but heavier snow to the higher elevations. Clear days may become quite warm, reaching 60¼F; nights are often in the 20s and 30s. Winter storms can last several days and cause roads to be icy, especially on the East Side of Zion. Roads are plowed, except the Kolob Terrace Road, which is closed in winter. Be prepared for winter driving conditions from November through March.

Park Profile

Size: 229 square miles.

Elevation:

Lowest -- 3,666 ft at Coalpits Wash in the southwest corner.
Highest -- 8,726 ft at Horse Ranch Mountain in the Kolob Canyons section.

Precipitation

Annual average is 15 inches.

Name

Zion, a Hebrew word referring to a place of safety or refuge. This was what the Mormon pioneers in the 1860s called this canyon.

Geology

Composed of sedimentary rock, mostly sandstone, with some limestone, shale, mudstone and conglomerate. Primarily from the Triassic through Jurassic (250 million to 150 million years ago) periods. Some recent volcanic activity in the form of cinder cones and lava flows.

Plant Life

The park has the richest diversity of plants in Utah - almost 800 native species. Differences in elevation, sunlight, water, and temperature create "microenvironments," like hanging gardens, forested side canyons, and isolated mesas that lend to this diversity.

Animal life

There are 75 species of mammals, 271 birds, eight fish, and 32 reptiles and amphibians. Commonly seen animals include mule deer, rock squirrels, lizards, and many species of songbirds. Rare or endangered species include peregrine falcons, Mexican spotted owls, spinedice (a fish), and some species, such as the Zion snail, are found nowhere else on earth.

Human History

Evidence of ancestral Puebloans, formerly known as the Anasazi, date from about 2,000 years ago; Paiutes from about 800 years ago. Mormon settlers arrived in the 1860s.

Park Visitation

In 1920 it was 3,692 people; in 1996 it reached 2.6 million people.

Facilities & Opportunities

Backpacking

Permits are required for all backcountry camping. The cost is $5 per person, per night. Maximum group size is 12 people, including all leaders. Permits and hiking information are available at both visitor centers.

Bicycling

Bicycles are permitted only on established roads and the Pa'rus Trail. Cyclists must obey traffic laws. Bicycles are not allowed on hiking trails or off-trail. Ride defensively; automobile traffic is often heavy and drivers may be distracted by the scenery. Riding through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel is prohibited. Bicycles must be transported through by motor vehicle.

Camping

Watchman and South Campgrounds are near the south entrance to the park. Individual campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis for $10 per night or $5 for holders of Golden Age/Access cards. Sites with electrical hook-ups are $14 per night. Arrival before noon generally ensures a campsite. You may self-register at the campground. Group campsites are available by reservation only to organized groups of nine to 40 people for $2 per person plus $2.50 per campsite. Call 800-365-2267 for details.

Facilities include restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, fire grates, RV dump stations, and utility sinks. Stays are limited to 14 days.

Lava Point A6-site is a primitive campground, with no water and no fee. Maximum vehicle size is 19 feet. It's open June to November. Other private campgrounds with showers and hookups are available in communities adjacent to the park.

Canyoneering

Permits are required for all through hikes of the Narrows and its tributaries, the Left Fork of North Creek (the Subway), Kolob Creek, and all canyons requiring the use of aid. The Subway is limited to 50 people per day and reservations are taken between from 1-5 p.m. the day prior to the hike. Other hiking permits are available at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center beginning at 8:30 a.m., the day before your hike. The cost is $5 per person; $3 ages 4 to 16. The maximum group size is 12, including all leaders.

Climbing

Climbing on Zion's sandstone requires appropriate hardware and techniques. Information on climbing is available at visitor centers. Climbing and rappelling is prohibited on the cliffs above Middle and Lower Emerald Pools and Weeping Rock. Some routes may be closed to climbing when peregrine falcons are nesting. A permit is required for overnight climbs. Visit the Backcountry Permit Desk for additional climbing routes and information.

Food & Supplies

Zion Lodge has a snack bar and dining room. Dinner reservations are advised from spring through fall. Call 435-772-3213 for information.

Restaurants, full-service grocery stores, and convenience stores are located in Springdale, Mt. Carmel Junction, Kanab, Virgin, Hurricane, LaVerkin, and St. George.

Hiking

Be aware of desert hiking conditions. All hikers should carry sufficient water for their projected hike. The maximum group size for backcountry hiking is 12 people of the same affiliation, on the same trail, or in the same drainage on the same day. This includes all group leaders. This is to reduce the impacts of large groups on the resource and on the experience of other hikers. For your safety, all hikers should take precautions. Obtain detailed information from a park ranger before attempting backcountry trails. Do not hike alone. Stay on established trails. Stay out of drainage areas during thunderstorms. Be alert for rock falls and landslides. You must take responsibility for your own actions and safety.

Horseback Riding

Guided trips are available March through October. Reservations are advised. Call 435-772-3810, or inquire in person at Zion Lodge. For private stock use, contact the visitor centers.

Shuttle Service

Zion Lodge provides tram tours of upper Zion Canyon. Drivers of oversize vehicles may wish to consider this option. A hiker shuttle is also available for transportation to backcountry trailheads. Call 435-772-3213 for prices and details.

Note: By May of the year 2000, a mandatory shuttle bus system will be operating in Zion. Visitors wishing to visit the last 6.5 miles of the upper Zion Canyon will leave their vehicles at the new Visitor Center and ride the shuttle buses.

Swimming, Tubing, Wading, and Boating

Be aware of swift currents, cold water, flash floods, slippery rocks, deep holes, and submerged logs and boulders. Wear shoes to protect your feet. Swimming and wading are not permitted in the Emerald Pools. Tubing is only permitted on the Virgin River from the river access in the Watchman Campground; parking is available in the amphitheater lot. Tubes and shuttle services are available outside the south entrance.

Lodging

AmFac operates Zion Lodge. Reservations for cabin and motel accommodations are available by calling 303-297-2757. Other lodging is available in Springdale, Mt. Carmel Junction, Kanab, and other nearby communities. Call Travel Services Utah at 800-259-3843 for reservations or visit the Zion Canyon Chamber of Commerce website at http://www.zionpark.com.

Recommended Activities & Park Use

Overlooks and trails abound along scenic drives through Zion, and there are ranger programs at most developed areas during the busy summer months.

Bicycling

The Pa'rus Trail offers a paved, car-free alternative for bicyclists, pedestrians, and people with strollers or wheelchairs to visit lower Zion Canyon and access to Scenic Drive.

Birdwatching

Zion is home to 271 species of birds. A bird checklist can be obtained at visitor centers.

Hiking

Zion offers many trails ranging from short "leg-stretcher" walks to the strenuous adventures.

Photography

Zion offers the photographer many opportunities to explore color, texture, and light.

Ranger-led Activities

Join a park ranger to learn more about Zion National Park. Topics include geology, plants, animals, human history, and other features. Programs include guided walks, short talks at the visitor centers, and evening programs at the campground amphitheaters and Zion Lodge. All programs are free. Check the weekly schedules posted at visitor centers and bulletin boards throughout the park for times, locations and subjects.

Wildflowers & Fall Colors

The variety of mountain and canyon environments makes Zion an excellent location for wildflower walks in the spring and summer and brilliant leaf color in the autumn.

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History

The earliest evidence of people living in what is now Zion National Park dates back to the archaic period, about 7,000 to 2,500 years ago. Prehistoric people of the Virgin Anasazi Pueblo culture next inhabited the area, until about A.D. 1150. Archeologists believe that groups of Southern Paiutes were the last Native Americans to live in Zion, from approximately A.D. 1100 until the time of European pioneer settlements.

Remnants of each of these settlement periods have been found throughout the park. With your help, these resources will remain intact and available for future generations to enjoy and learn from.

The Paleoindians

No one knows for certain when people first came to North America, but most scholars agree that bands of people were well established throughout the Americas and in our region about 11,000 years ago. These people, known as Paleoindians, were nomadic or seminomadic hunters and gatherers. At first, they hunted large animals referred to as megafauna (wooly mammoths, camels, elk, etc.). Many of the animals that these people once hunted are extinct today due to the dramatic climate changes taking place through the ages. As the megafauna changed, these people began to hunt smaller game and gather wild plant foods.

There is little knowledge about the Paleoindians intellectual or spiritual life, but their material culture was very basic. These people lived fairly comfortably in this harsh environment for several thousand years. They were probably the first visitors to Zion.

The Anasazi

About 2,000 years ago on the Colorado Plateau, from Zion to the Four Corners region, the Archaic life began to change and develop dramatically, giving rise to the Anasazi culture. This culture was comprised of many people who, though they may have spoken different languages, otherwise followed a common life. Though the Anasazi continued to rely heavily on wild foods, they were the first in this region to experiment with agriculture, eventually growing large, irrigated crops of corn, squash and beans. The introduction of agriculture led to many other changes in their lives.

No longer bound to a migratory life in search of wild foods, the Anasazi began to build more permanent housing. Over the years, their architecture became increasingly complex, from small villages of circular, one-room "pit houses" to large communities of above-ground, multistoried, stone and masonry complexes. These include many of the "cliff dwellings" known throughout the Four Corners region today.

Their material life changed in other ways, too. Their possessions were no longer limited to what they could carry from place to place. The Anasazi became excellent potters and makers of fine baskets. Art and religion reached new levels, as agriculture supported not only larger populations and the division of labor, but also provided more free time to pursue such creative endeavors.

The area that is now Zion National Park is on the extreme west-northwestern fringes of Anasazi territory. Living in an outlying area away from the major trade and cultural centers of their time, the Anasazi of Zion did not leave behind evidence of extravagant communities, great kivas (religious structures), or large-scale agriculture, at least compared to the Anasazi of the central Four Corners region. Nevertheless, evidence of their time here can be seen in housing structures, food storage cysts and granaries, rock art, and the tools, pottery, basketry and clothing that have been found in and around Zion.

The Anasazi left Zion around the year AD 1200, and were completely gone from the entire Four Corners region by a century later. Many theories exist as to their fate, but it is most likely a combination of environmental and social factors that influenced their move out of the area.

Drought, soil loss, overpopulation, the over-harvest of wild game and plant resources (including timber, which they used for housing construction and fuel), and perhaps competition from or aggression by neighbors could all have contributed to the Anasazi departure. In any case, it is generally accepted that the Anasazi dispersed southward to the mountainous areas of what are now central Arizona and New Mexico. Today they are considered part of the ancestral heritage of the Hopi, Zuni, and other Pueblo cultures of the upper Rio Grande.

The Southern Paiutes

As the Anasazi departed, archeological evidence indicates the Southern Paiutes moved into this area at about the same time. The Southern Paiute peoples consisted of a dozen or so distinct and separate bands, each of which had a territory or area in which they camped, hunted, and gathered seeds. These territories extended from the deserts of California and southern Nevada across Utah and northern Arizona to Colorado. The group most associated with the Zion vicinity is the Kaibab band, whose headquarters today are across the street from nearby Pipe Spring National Monument.

The Paiutes traditional way of life was a semi-nomadic one in which wild plants provided the principal sources of food. They also did some hunting of wild animals - deer, antelope, elk, bighorn sheep, and rabbits - and grew a few modest crops of corn, squash, and amaranth. The Paiutes spent the winters and springs in the lower elevations, where the weather was milder. The wild seeds and fruit first ripened here each year. In summer and fall, they moved to the higher elevations, where it was cooler and where they could harvest one of the chief staples of their diet, the pinyon nut.

Unlike the rest of the year, winter meant less work for the Paiutes since there was little in the way of wild food available. They subsisted largely on what they had gathered and stored earlier in the year.

Material possessions were few by our standards, and what the Paiutes did possess was usually portable or temporary in nature. The Paiutes are famous, however, for their fine basketry, for the hunting nets they used to trap rabbits and other small animals, and for the robes they wove from the pelts of these animals.

Euro-Americans

The Southern Paiutes of the Zion vicinity maintained their traditional way of life for many centuries. They were one of the last native groups to be seriously threatened by the arrival of European peoples to this continent. The reason for this is simple geography: the rugged canyon terrain of this area protected the Paiutes for a long time from the westward expansion of the United States.

In the late 1840s, the California gold rush and the arrival of Brigham Young and his Mormon followers brought about rapid change. More than a dozen Anglo settlements had been established in this area by the 1860s. With the Euro-Americans came cattle, devastating diseases, and an attitude of "manifest destiny," which resulted in the monopolization of scarce water and land resources.

Within a single generation, the abundant game became scarce because of over-hunting. The native grasses and flowering plants, once so abundant in this area, were destroyed by overgrazing. Paiute populations suffered from newly introduced diseases such as measles, mumps, malaria, cholera, smallpox, and tuberculosis. Some communities lost an estimated 75 percent of their populations to starvation and disease during this time of drastic change. Their traditional culture was further altered by outside attempts to convert the Paiute to new religious beliefs.

Forced to adopt a new lifestyle as a matter of survival, the Southern Paiutes remained in the area and worked as ranch hands and mine workers, and did domestic chores in Anglo households. In the early 1900s, some Paiute reservations and colonies were established and, with the return of some of the area's natural resources to them, the road back to independence and self-sufficiency began. The Southern Paiutes persevered, and today have a culture that has mixed old ways with new. They are a vital cultural element of this area today.

Preserving the Past

Zion and many other areas of the west have been set aside primarily for their magnificent natural and scenic features. With the establishment of Zion National Park, many clues to Americas cultural heritage have been preserved. From these clues, everyone can learn more about past human activities and their effects on the land and other life. The continued preservation of these resources is vital to the full appreciation of America's past and the challenges of the future.

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Reservation Information

Permits are required for all overnight stays in the park, hiking in the Narrows, backcountry camping, and rock climbing. Fees are charged.

Reservations are accepted for group camping. Fees are charged.

Call 435-772-3256 for more information.

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