Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park offers some of America's most beautiful and adventure inspiring landscapes. Day and overnight visitors to the Utah playground are greeted with endless desert trails, precipitous canyon walls, magnificent wildflowers, and breathtakingly open skies. A dream destination for summer or winter outdoor enthusiasts, this southwestern park will please both those who want to sightsee and soak up the fascinating Native American history, and those who want to run, bike, hike, and swim their way into the "red earth" sunset.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Jock WhitworthPhone Number: 435-772-3256
Entrance Fees: Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $12 per person (pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle) not to exceed $25 per family; Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $25; Commercial Tour Fees: $35-$190 (varies depending on seating capacity)
Sights: The Watchman; West Temple; Great White Throne; Angels Landing; Weeping Rock; Observation Point; Riverside Walk; Virgin River; Kolob Canyon; Double Arch Alcove; Kolob Arch; Checkerboard Mesa
Endangered Species: Mexican Spotted Owl; Shivwits Milkvetch; Southwest Willow Flycatcher; Desert Tortoise; Zion Snail; Virgin Spinedace; Peregrine Falcon (threatened)
Important Dates
Established as Park: July 31, 1919By The Numbers
Acres: 146,598.00Highest Point: Horse Ranch Mountain (8726 feet)
Annual Visitation: 2,567,350 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :37.304290 / -113.006070 (map it)
State: UT
Nearby Big City: Springdale, UT
Gateway Communities: Springdale, UT; Rockville, UT; Kanarraville, UT; New Harmony, UT; Virgin, UT; Mount Carmel, UT; Orderville, UT; Toquerville, UT; Leeds, UT; La Verkin, UT; Cedar City, UT; Glendale, UT; Hurricane, UT; Kanab, UT; Saint George, UT
Nearby Airports: McCarran International Airport (LAS); St. George Municipal Airport (SGU)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : Yes
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Angels Landing
Geir Olav Lyngfjell
Canyon Landscape
Eugene Buchko
Couple Hiking Parus
Thomas & Amelia Takacs
View More Zion Photos
In Detail
5 Things to do Near Zion St. George—just 90 minutes north of Las Vegas on I-15—is the perfect destination for all kinds of outdoor activities: golf, hiking, biking, photography, shopping, dining or just plain rel ... read more.
Activities in Zion Zion National Park open year round. In the springtime, temperatures are comfortable and precipitation is light. Streams from melting winter snows plunge down many sheer sandstone walls. Grasses and w ... read more.
Flora & Fauna Alert, watchful and keen for the scent, the cougar moves resolutely over intimate ground. Nearly invisible in the blackness, she takes the lead in a nightly drama that ensures the park's ecological b ... read more.
Getting To Zion By Air: Delta Connection® Carriers and other airlines serve Cedar City, St. George and Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as Las Vegas, Nevada. By Bus: Greyhound/Trailways serves St. George and Cedar ... read more.
History of Zion "Zion: a place regarded as devoted to God: a sacred city." — Webster's Dictionary Geologic History How were Zion's massive stone formations created? To answer that question, we must consider ... read more.
Sights To See Rain, wind, the pull of gravity and the small, seemingly peaceful Virgin River are master sculptors chiseling out Zion Canyon and its massive stone formations. Like inspired artists, these sculptors ... read more.
Visitor Services Zion may be reached from the west on I-15 and then heading east on Route 9. From the east on U.S. 89, take Route 9 heading west to the park. Park Fees: Entrance to Zion is $25 per car and $12 per p ... read more.
Recent News
- EPA's Pollution Plan Slammed July 3, 2008, 10:35 am
- Zion, Other National Parks Ask Visitors to Reduce 'Carbon Footprint' June 18, 2008, 12:11 pm
- Zion National Park Leads the Way in 'Green' Life June 11, 2008, 4:20 pm
- National Parks land grab April 25, 2008, 6:18 pm
- Why national parks, coal-fired power plants may be neighbors April 23, 2008, 2:23 pm
Zion In Depth
News from the Parks
Alexander Backs New Source of Funding for National Parks
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
EPA's Pollution Plan Slammed
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
Dinosaur Fossils In Utah Inspire 'Jr. Paleontologists'
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
A Paiute Take On Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
Can The Everglades Be Saved?
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
