Zion National Park

Zion National Park

Towers of Virgin and West Temple in Zion National Park, Utah (Bob Stefko/Photodisc/Getty) (John Clet Jones, Greater West Images)

Zion National Park

Established: 1919
Acreage: 146,592
Average Yearly Visitors: 2,511,000
Location: Southwest Utah, south of Cedar City

Contact Details
Zion National Park
Springdale, UT 84767-1099
Phone: 435-772-3256

The immense Kolob Arch, one of the world’s largest, attracts hikers in the Kolob Canyons area. You can hike in from Lee Pass Trailhead, 14 miles round-trip, in a long day or a leisurely backpack.
Getting to Observation Point is exciting as you work your way up the walls of Zion Canyon to a plateau and a splendid panorama. It’s 2,148 feet up, reached in eight miles round-trip. Weeping Rock Trail in Zion Canyon climbs just 100 feet in a half-mile round-trip to a long series of cliffside springs.
The 6.2-mile Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is the highlight for cyclists, who have unobstructed views in this magical place. Most trailheads and picnic areas have bike racks.
Bikers who start at the park’s east entrance on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway will enjoy a descent of 1,700 feet over 11 miles. Cyclists may not ride in the 1.1-mile-long unlit tunnel on the highway, so if you don’t have a vehicle to shuttle your bicycle, contact the park in advance to arrange one.
The challenging Left Fork, also known as the Subway, is a strenuous nine-mile round-trip hike from the bottom of the canyon, requiring scrambling over often-slippery boulders.

By Travel Expert: Bill Weir

The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, also known as Zion Park Scenic Byway, is the stretch of road (UT 9) between Mount Carmel and the south entrance of Zion National Park. At the Canyon Overlook parking area there is trail access for a short one-mile jaunt to stretch your legs. Continue on the road and you'll pass through the narrow Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel and then close to the 400-foot Great Arch. Further on UT 9 you will reach the visitor center and the south entrance.
Tour operator Canyon Trail Rides is the only guided horseback riding option in Zion National Park. You can choose from the one hour Virgin River Ride or the half-day Sand Bench Trail Ride. Both rides will take you past the Court of the Patriarchs. There is a 220-pound weight limit for riders.
The Watchman Campground is open between mid-March and October. Reservations are available. There are sites near the river and some are equipped with electricity. Group campsites are available for up to 40 people. The campground's location above the North Fork Virgin River provides great views of the park.

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