Zion National Park
Zion National Park, located in southwest Utah, is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, which include lush river valleys, dramatic canyons, expansive plains, and towering cliffs. As one of the most popular national parks in the United States, attracting between four and five million visitors annually, it offers a diverse range of outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, and canyoneering. The park is rich in biodiversity, hosting 291 bird species, 78 mammal species, and several unique plant species, including the rare Zion snail.
The area's geological history dates back around 240 million years, with the landscape shaped by ancient seas and the uplift of the Colorado Plateau, resulting in the iconic cliffs and canyons seen today. Human habitation in Zion spans thousands of years, with evidence of various cultural groups, including the Virgin Anasazi and the Paiutes, who adapted to the harsh desert environment. Established as a national park in 1919, Zion has a rich history intertwined with exploration and preservation, ensuring that its natural beauty remains a focal point for visitors. Iconic viewpoints like Angels Landing offer breathtaking vistas, while challenging trails cater to adventurous explorers. The park's commitment to conservation ensures that a significant portion remains untouched wilderness, providing a refuge for both wildlife and visitors seeking tranquility in nature.
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Zion National Park
Zion National Park is a US national park in southwest Utah. It encompasses a lush river valley, scenic canyons, expansive plains, and high cliffs. Between four and five million people visit the park each year, making it the third most popular national park in 2023.
The park is home to 291 bird species, 78 species of mammal, 30 reptile species, and 8 fish species. The high ranges are home to aspen, fir, and ponderosa pine, while the desert ranges boast an abundance of cliffrose, mesquite, and pinon. The rare Zion snail is found only in the hanging gardens of maidenhair ferns, golden columbine, and scarlet monkeyflower.
The region was first inhabited by humans nearly twelve thousand years ago. Early residents survived the desert environment primarily through hunting. As humans developed an agrarian society, the river in Zion provided irrigation. This feature attracted Mormon pioneers when they explored the region during the 1860s.
Background
About 240 million years ago, Zion was a flat basin near sea level. Streams carried sand and gravel down from the mountains nearby, depositing them in layers in the basin. The weight of the sediment caused the basin to sink. Over time the basin was, in various places, a shallow sea, coastal plain, and sandy desert, and the sediment layer was more than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) thick. Mineral water and pressure transformed the sediment into limestone, mudstone, shale, and sandstone.
Slow shifting in the earth's crust gradually pushed upward from Zion to the Rocky Mountains. From sea level, Zion rose up to 10,000 feet. This uplift formed cliffs, known as the Grand Staircase, that span from Bryce Canyon to the Grand Canyon. Zion is in this region, at the edge of the Colorado Plateau.
The uplift caused the mountain streams to flow with greater force. The water eroded thousands of feet of rock, carving out canyons. The Virgin River continues to eat away the sandstone today. The largely rock structure of Zion offers little in the way of soil to absorb rain, and flash flooding remains a frequent concern in the region.
Camels, giant sloths, and mammoths lived in the region about twelve thousand years ago. The first humans to live in the area hunted these creatures for about four thousand years. Overhunting and climate change likely caused the large animal population to die out, and the humans turned to smaller animals to sustain themselves.
Archaeologists divide human history in Zion into four cultural periods. Little evidence remains of the archaic period, which spanned from about 6,000 BCE to 500 CE, though experts have found flaked stone knives and other tools used by groups that moved through the area. Around 300 BCE, groups that did a little farming lived in the area. These groups have been called the basketmakers for the coiled and twined baskets found there. The formative period, spanning from 500 CE to 1300 CE, was characterized by farming and year-round habitation by the Virgin Anasazi and Parowan Fremont groups. These peoples used bows and arrows and traded goods across a wide region. The Anasazi moved southeast out of Zion around eight hundred years ago, likely due to drought and overfarming of the soil. Paiute peoples, who had experience living in desert regions, moved in next and easily adapted to conditions in the valley.
The period from the 1300s to the late 1700s is called the neo-archaic period. Groups living in Zion at this time grew corn, sunflowers, and squash, collected wild foods, and used nets, snares, and bows and arrows in hunting. The historic period began in the late 1700s with the arrival of settlers from the east. The Mormons arrived in Utah in 1847, settling in the Great Salt Lake valley.
Overview
John Wesley Powell led a scientific expedition to Zion during the 1860s. Several settlements struggled to survive in the area, mainly because of flash flooding and poor soil for growing crops. Eventually, the region became known for its natural beauty more than for its potential for habitation or agriculture.
A presidential executive order in 1909 designated Mukuntuweap (Zion) National Monument in Zion Canyon. This designation protected the area. Zion was inaccessible to most people, however, because the railroad was a hundred miles away and the roads were difficult to traverse. The Utah State Road Commission focused on building a state highway system that would also improve access in the southern area. The Union Pacific Railroad, at the prompting of Utah officials, began extending into the region. Cars were finally able to reach a tent camping resort, Wylie Camp, in Zion Canyon in 1917.
Congress designated Zion National Park in 1919. President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill on November 19, 1919, making Zion Utah's first national park. It encompasses 229 square miles (593 square kilometers). With the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad, visitor numbers increased. In short order, lodges and other accommodations were constructed, and a new Zion-Mt. Carmel highway was completed in 1930. The span, which tunnels 1.1 miles (1.7 kilometers) through sandstone cliffs in Zion, connects the park to the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon. Visitors soon poured in. In an effort to protect the park from further development, a 2009 designation ensured that 84 percent of Zion will remain wilderness.
Visitors to Zion are drawn to the natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities, including kayaking, canyoneering, camping, climbing, and hiking on more than 90 miles (145 kilometers) of trails. Visitors ride burros, horses, and mules on the trails, which offer breathtaking views and some challenging terrain. Hikers and photographers regard the vista from Angels Landing, 1,488 feet (453 meters) above the Virgin River, as one of the best. Rock climbers are drawn to the 2,000-foot (609-meter) sandstone cliffs.
Canyoneers seeking to test their route-finding skills may register for a day permit to navigate a slot canyon known as the Subway. This route traverses the Left Fork of North Creek. The 9-mile (14-kilometer) round-trip hike is unmarked. Hikers must navigate, cross creeks, and climb over boulders. If traveling from the top down, canyoneers should be prepared to rappel and, in several spots, swim through cold, deep pools. Park rangers strongly recommend visitors travel with an experienced guide if they plan to tackle the Subway.
Bibliography
"Geology." National Park Service, www.nps.gov/zion/learn/nature/geology.htm. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
Hinton, Wayne K. "The Development of Zion National Park." Utah Historical Quarterly, vol. 68, Fall 2000. Utah History to Go, historytogo.utah.gov/zion-national-park/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
"History & Culture." National Park Service, 5 Mar. 2024, www.nps.gov/zion/learn/historyculture/index.htm. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
"Nature & Science." National Park Service, 7 July 2024, www.zionnationalpark.com/explore/guidebook/plants-animals/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
"People." National Park Service, 7 Nov. 2022, www.nps.gov/zion/learn/historyculture/people.htm. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
"The Subway." National Park Service, 27 Oct. 2024, www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/thesubway.htm. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
"Utah's First National Park." National Park Service, 11 Sept. 2024, www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
Yogerst, Joe. "Everything to know about Zion National Park." National Geographic, 24 June 2024, www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/zion-national-park/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.