Zion National Park

Zion National Park
Zion Canyon from Angels Landing seen from
Coordinates: 37 ° 18 ′ 0 ″  N , 113 ° 3 ′ 0 ″  W.
Location:	Utah , United States
Next city:	Springdale, Utah
Surface:	595.87 km²
Founding:	November 19 , 1919
Visitors:	4,320,033 (2018)
Address:	Zion National Park SR 9 Springdale, UT 84767-1099 [phone]

The Zion National Park is located in southwestern Utah on the border with Arizona . It has an area of ​​579 km² and lies between 1128 m (Coalpits Wash) and 2660 m (Horse Ranch Mountain). In 1909 the area of ​​the canyon was designated a Mukuntuweap National Monument , and since 1919 it has had the status of a national park . The park was expanded to include the Kolob Canyons in 1937 .

Zion is an ancient Hebrew word meaning so much as a refuge or sanctuary , often by the Mormon was used settlers in Utah. Within the park there is a canyon rich landscape with canyons , of which the Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyon are the best known. The canyons are made of 170 million year old brown to orange-red sandstone from the Navajo Formation. The park is located on the border between the Colorado Plateau , the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert . Due to its special geographical location, the park has a large number of different habitats with many different plants and animals.

Some of the main attractions are:

• Virgin River Narrows
• Emerald Pools
• Angels Landing
• The Great White Throne
• The Three Patriarchs
• Kolob Arch
• Weeping rock
• Checkerboard Mesa

geography

The national park is located in southwest Utah in the counties of Washington , Iron and Kane . From a geomorphological point of view, the park consists of the Markagunt Plateau and the Kolob Plateau at the intersection of the Colorado Plateau , the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert . The northern portion of the park is known as the Kolob Canyons and is accessible from Interstate 15 at Exit 40. In the south, runs Utah State Route 9 , which at Carmel Junction Mt. in to Bryce Canyon National Park leading US Highway 89 leads. Many topographical names were taken from the Bible by the Mormon settlers.

The most important peaks in the national park from north to south:

• Horse Ranch Mountain , 2660 m, 37.478276, -113.159899. The highest point in the park (the lowest with 1117 m is Coal Pits Wash , which results in a relief of 1500 m height difference)
• Timber Top Mountain 2438 m, 37.423834, -113.179469
• Langston Mountain 2265 m
• Burnt Mountain 2341 m
• Northgate Peaks East 2180 m
• North Guardian Angel 2258 m
• Tabernacle Dome 1941 m
• South Guardian Angel 2176 m
• Greatheart Mesa 2257 m
• Mountain of Mystery 1994 m
• Cathedral Mountain 2108 m
• Cable Mountain 1969 m
• Ivins Mountain 2139 m
• Inclined Temple 2181 m
• The Bishopric West 2233 m
• Three Patriarchs (Abraham Peak 2100 m, Isaac Peak, Jacob Peak 2066 m)
• Cougar Mountain 1984 m
• The Great White Throne 2063 m
• Lady Mountain 2110 m
• Mountain of the Sun 2041 m
• Meridian Tower 2233 m
• The Sentinel 2148 m
• Bee Hive (Peak) (beehive) 2104 m
• Twin Brothers 2079 m
• Altar of Sacrifice 2132 m
• The West Temple 2375 m
• The East Temple 2350 m
• Mount Kinesava 2220 m
• The Watchman 1997 m
• Johnson Mountain 1875 m

Rivers in the park follow right-angled clefts in the rock. The Virgin River begins at the confluence of the East Fork and North Fork at an altitude of 1,147 m and flows 320 kilometers further southeast into the Colorado River , now in the Lake Mead reservoir , at an altitude of 367 m. Together with its source rivers, it runs through a gradient of almost 2400 meters. This makes it the highest gradient river in North America.

history

Early history

Finds show that as early as 6000 BC People settled in this area to collect plants and seeds and to hunt animals . The first corn plantings arose around the birth of Christ . Remains of pueblos indicate a settlement up to around the year 500 AD. Some finds of baskets, ropes and sandals made of yucca palm fibers date from this period . Also were knife blades and arrowheads found. The arrows were not used with a bow , but with a throwing device called the Atlatl . Some groups settled in the area of ​​today's park and developed into the Anasazi , also called basket makers . This happened around 30000. They stocked up and built some underground dwellings, but were still hunters and gatherers who expanded the food supply by means of agriculture .

Early Indian settlement

The Anasazi were so dependent on agriculture from around 500 AD that they built pueblo-like structures along the Virgin River . However, these only accommodated small groups and never grew into pueblo cities as we know them from the Mesa Verde National Park . The systems were located on terraces slightly above the river, from which one had a view of the fields on the banks of the river. The settled groups during this period are called Virgin Anasazi by archaeologists . They left numerous petroglyphs .

At the same time, the Fremont People appeared in the north of the park . The finds from that time show characteristic differences to those of the Anasazi. Only in the area of ​​the Kolob Canyon are finds of both cultures mixed. It is believed that the two peoples traded with each other here, but otherwise lived separately.

In both cultures, maize and pumpkin were mainly grown. Ceramic objects used for storage were found. Both the Anasazi and Fremont People left the area around 1300 for reasons unknown. Large droughts followed by brief but violent floods may have been a cause. The invasion of Ute and Paiute around 1100 and thus a competition would also be a possible reason for the disappearance.

Later Indian settlement

The Paiute Indians advanced to the Virgin River . In contrast to the displaced Anasazi , however, they migrated back and forth along the Virgin River , depending on the season , as they mainly covered their food by collecting seeds and nuts and only farmed and hunted for supplementary purposes. The Paiute had strong religious ties, particularly to the rocks, rivers, and springs in Zion Canyon, and believed that they were responsible for the area. Paiute Indians still come to the park today for religious reasons, but also to collect rare plants.

Discovery and exploration by whites

In the late 18th century, Utah was explored by the whites for settlement. The first historically documented exploration was undertaken by two Spanish Franciscan Fathers, Francisco Antanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante , in 1776. In 1826, the trapper and fur trader Jedediah Smith led an expedition into the area with the aim of finding a way to California . Further expeditions from New Mexico paved the way for the Old Spanish Trail , which was largely based on the Virgen River. The officer John C. Frémont wrote down his impressions of the area in 1844, whereupon further trails were established.

First white colonization

Crawford Ranch in Zion Canyon

Around 1850, the first Mormon farmers and cotton planters from Salt Lake City invaded the area around the Virgin River and began to settle there. The city of Cedar City was founded in 1851, the area of ​​today's Kolob Canyon served as a natural resource for wood, but also as grazing ground for cows, sheep and horses. Some rivers were diverted to prospect for minerals, but the mines were not very productive. Mormons named the area Kolob - for the Mormons the star that is closest to the whereabouts of God.

In 1858 the settlers advanced to Zion Canyon, 120 kilometers away, which had not been discovered by whites until then. Paiute Indians led Nephi Johnson into Zion Canyon. Johnson Mountain was later named after him. Johnson was impressed by the sparse Indian populations and in a report praised the canyon's agricultural opportunities. Joseph Black built the first farm in the canyon in 1861 , but it wasn't until Springdale was founded in 1862 that farmers became interested in the canyon. Until 1863, farmers settled the canyon, including Isaac Behunin , who gave the canyon its current name. Mainly sugar cane and tobacco were planted, but also fruits. However, a strong flood and the limited cultivation options in the canyon reduced the yields, and interest in the canyon for agricultural use died down again very quickly. The Paiute Indians lived in the canyon until they were settled, but were already severely decimated by previously unknown diseases and slavery. The intensive cultivation by the immigrants caused their living space to shrink quickly and eventually they emigrated completely. They did not repopulate the canyon either when a short time later many farmers left the area again until 1909, until no one was farming the land any more.

In 1869 John Wesley Powell explored the entire region coming from the Grand Canyon . Together with geologist Grove Karl Gilbert, he mapped Zion Canyon and named it Mukuntuweap because he thought this was the Paiute expression for the canyon.

Creation of the park

A flood of published expedition reports, drawings and photographs and, last but not least, a newspaper report in Scribner's Magazine led then-President William Howard Taft to declare the region around Zion Canyon a Mukuntuweap National Monument on July 31, 1909 . 1918 was the National Monument by the National Park Service in Zion National Park renamed. On November 19, 1919 the park was enlarged and got national park status. In 1937 the Kolob Canyons were added, in 1956 another expansion took place in the area of ​​the Kolob Canyons.

Coach buses in front of Canyon Lodge (1929)

Initially, tourism was very sparse due to a lack of infrastructure. Only the no longer used part of the Old Spanish Trail from Springdale along the Virgin River led into the park. In 1896, the farmer of Zion Ponderosa Ranch, John Winder, built a no longer used trail within the Long Valley, which was further expanded by the park administration and is now known as the East Rim Trail .

The Utah State Road Commission , which was founded in the year of the proclamation as a National Monument , planned a road in the south of the park, today's Highway 9 (Zion-Mount Carmel Highway) in the year of its establishment. The first paved road from Cedar City to Springdale was completed in 1913. The Union Pacific Railroad began building a railway line. After a road to Wylie Camp was completed , cars could drive right into Zion Canyon, and the Utah Parks Company , a division of the Union Pacific Railroad, offered combined ten-day train and bus trips to Zion Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park .

From 1920 to 1927 the Zion Canyon Lodge, planned by the architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, was built near Wylie Camp . The construction was financed by the Utah Parks Company . The hotel burned down a short time later, but was rebuilt immediately afterwards. Only the log cabins belonging to the hotel did not fall victim to the flames. They are now on the National Register of Historic Places .

The Zion – Mount Carmel Highway ( Utah State Route 9 ) was built from 1927 to 1930. With engineering structures that had not been considered possible until then, he also opened up the Zion Canyon from the east. This also enabled a direct connection to the nearby Bryce Canyon National Park and thus a round trip between them and the north rim of the Grand Canyon National Park . The highway is 40 km long and contains a nearly 2 km long tunnel. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark since 2012 .

geology

Sequence of rock layers

The nine visible rock layers in the park are part of a very large rock formation called The Grand Staircase . It stretches from Bryce Canyon to the Grand Canyon . The layers, whose sedimentation sequence can be read from bottom to top, go through 300 million years of geological history, with most of the deposits occurring in the Mesozoic . The oldest layers are cut in the Grand Canyon, the uppermost layers of the Grand Canyon are identical to the deepest in Zion Canyon. The uppermost and thus also the youngest rock layer continues in the lowest and therefore oldest layer in Bryce Canyon, which is the youngest of the three canyons. Four different climatic situations were the prerequisites for the formation of the various formations:

• a shallow, warm sea, which often retreated, formed the Kaibab and Moenkopi layers
• the Chinle , Moenave and Kayenta layers formed in streams, ponds and lakes
• The Navajo and Temple Cap layers were formed in vast deserts
• dry coastal landscapes left the Carmel - and Dakota arise layer

The uplift that led to the formation of the Colorado Plateau began about thirteen million years ago . The layers were last more than 3000 meters above their level of formation. This gave the forerunners of the Virgin River and other rivers an enormous gradient and high flow speeds with correspondingly strong erosion effects. Cracks and fissures formed during uplift became steep gorges due to river erosion in the Cenozoic . Zion Canyon was formed this way by the Virgin River , which eroded up to 3 million tons of rock per year. The tributaries that formed later had much less erosion, so that waterfalls and hanging gardens were often formed. Most waterfalls are only temporary and flow for a few days after thunderstorms, a little longer at the time of the snowmelt. The most famous are those of Emerald Pool , whose jet plunges far from the overhanging wall, and the Temple of Sinawava Waterfall , only accessible via a longer trail. One of the highest waterfalls, clearly visible from the Zion-Mount-Carmel-Highway, falls over the west face of the canyon between Sentinel Peak and Streaked Wall .

Dakota shift	The Dakota layer is the youngest layer of sediment visible in the park, it was formed in the Cretaceous period . The sandstone interspersed with basaltic material is only found at the top of the Horse Ranch Mountains . The layer is rich in fossils and is quickly eroded by wind and weather.
Carmel layer	A warm and shallow sea formed 150 million years ago, removing countless sand dunes. Calcareous mud sedimented together with the sand to form a 30 to 120 cm thick layer of rock in which fossils from the Triassic can be found. Small amounts of the calcareous mud penetrated under the sand layer of the eroded dunes and mixed there with the Navajo layer. The remaining mud layer petrified and, together with the sand sediments, forms today's Carmel layer, which is 60 to 90 meters thick. This layer is only visible in the Kolob Canyons and near the Mount Carmel Junction. In the sequence of layers, after the Carmel layer, there are indications of a further layer, presumably up to 850 meters thick, which was completely eroded by erosion .
Temple cap layer	In the early Jurassic period, water currents with a high concentration of iron oxide flooded the area, the sedimented iron oxide sludge forms today's Temple Cap layer. Silt and clay layers indicate the end of this sedimentation when the area briefly changed like a desert. The Temple Cap layer is best seen at East Temple and West Temple in Zion Canyon. Iron oxide washed out by rain forms characteristic red stripes that can be seen particularly well at the Altar of Scrifice . Penetrated iron oxide also colors the lower part of the Navajo layer orange to red.
Navajo shift	The Navajo stratum is the most important and largest formation. It stretches from Wyoming to southwest California . Wherever exposed to erosion , water erosion quickly forms canyons . In the Zion Canyon at the Temple of Sinawa , this layer has its greatest thickness of over 700 meters and is considered to be the world's thickest sediment layer. The Virgin River cut down to the Kayenta layer. The sandstone is extremely porous and can absorb large amounts of water that seeps into the stone. It comes to light at the border of the impermeable Kayenta layer, the so-called source line . The springs are the reason for the many hanging gardens in the park and, by loosening the binding components of the sandstone, they still form cliffs, arches and overhangs.
Kayenta shift	The 60 to 180 meter thick Kayenta layer was created from sand and silt in the early Jurassic by means of slowly flowing waters in a semi-arid to tropical environment. Footprints of some dinosaurs near Left Fork of North Creek were found in this layer . The Kayenta layer is red to purple and consists of sandstone , siltstone and slate . It is visible almost in the whole park.
Moenave shift	At the beginning of the Jurassic period , the Moenave layer was exposed by uplifting the area. It consists mainly of reddish siltstone interspersed with clay and sandstone. This 40 to 120 meter thick layer was created by rivers, ponds and larger lakes, which is why you can find many fossils of fish. Above this red layer there is another, brown layer, which is also counted as part of the Moenave formation. It is 20 to 50 meters thick and consists primarily of sandstone. It was deposited mainly from larger rivers with abundant water, which can be seen in the fossils found mainly from freshwater fish, e. B. the sturgeon can be read.
Chinle layer	The mineral-rich Chinleschicht, heavily interspersed with volcanic ash, contains petrified wood and fossils of amphibians , which suggests that it was formed in a swampy landscape. The color spectrum of this layer, caused by various embedded minerals, ranges from purple, pink, blue, white, yellow to red. The basic substance consists of slate, gypsum, limestone and quartz . The most common minerals are iron , manganese and copper compounds . The silica that contributed to fossilization probably came from volcanic ash, but silica dissolved in the groundwater is also responsible for the fossilization. It is the same layer that formed and preserved the fossils found in the Petrified Forest National Park .
Moenkopi layer	In the early Triassic , sediments formed in a shallow lagoon , made up of gypsum , clay , sandstone, limestone, and slate that were deposited in thousands of very thin layers. Overall, the Moenkopi layer is up to 550 meters thick. The coastline of the lagoon must have retreated several times during the sedimentation, as characteristic mud deposits of a river mouth can be seen.
Kaibab layer	In the Permian, there was a warm ocean at the site of today's park. Yellowish gray limestone sedimented over 260 million years ago as fossil-rich mud. The fossils found suggest a tropical climate prevailing at this time. Sponges proliferated during this time. Silicate minerals contained in their bodies formed silica and flint in this layer under the high pressure . The Kaibab layer can only be seen in the park on the Hurricane Cliffs above the Kolob Canyon Visitor Center .

Ecosystems

American great falcon

The Zion National Park is divided into three natural areas according to its surface area. The rock plateau is more than 2000 meters high in the subalpine zone, the canyons cut deep into the plateaus, in them foothills of the Mojave Desert extend into the park. These two natural spaces are separated by steep rock faces and small side canyons, which have completely different climatic conditions depending on their orientation.

fauna

The cottontail rabbits can be seen all over the park. The diverse bird world includes the American dipper , which has no white throat, as well as the great spotted falcon , and recently also the condor (again). Finches , including the evening grosbeak, can be seen in all areas of the park . Although rarely seen, there are significant numbers of pumas , primarily in the Kolob and Parunuweap canyon area. Pumas are the natural enemies of the mule deer , which can also be found in the park. Other hunters are the gray fox and the catfish . Normally these colonize the same habitat, have the same prey and displace one another. However, both species coexist in the park. While the gray fox hunts more on the ground, the Katzenfrette specializes in climbing. The bobcat can be seen in rocky and steep places . Some beavers have made their home along the Virgin River . Many rodents populate the park, which the coyotes prey on. Several species of squirrels also live in the park.

Chipmunk on Angels Landing

vegetation

Bottoms of the canyons

The bottoms of the main canyons pull into the park from the southeast. They are connected to the transition zone between the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin Desert. Typical animal and plant species of these two desert regions live in them. Agaves , cacti and various Helianthus species are common. There are also sagebrush , opuntia , thorn apples and several summer root plants .

There are four different habitats at Taylor Creek : desert , alluvial forests , forests and coniferous forests

The bottom of the large canyons, where the rivers and streams of the park provide sufficient moisture and nutrients, appears completely different. In the valley of the Virgin River in the main part of Zion National Park and of Taylor Creek in the Kolob Canyon, alluvial forests of ash-maple , cottonwood poplar , willow and ash grow .

Rock walls and side canyons

The slopes of the canyons are divided into very small parts. Depending on the nature of the soil and the orientation towards the sun, very different ecosystems are directly adjacent here. Very few species can survive on the bare rock of the steepest walls and on the slopes facing south. In one or the other crevice grow a few yuccas or a stunted juniper , which survive the scorching sun. Pines and occasionally oaks can survive here.

As soon as the rock face in the narrow side canyons turns to other directions, the picture changes: Shade reduces temperatures and evaporation. If there is enough water available, undemanding deciduous trees, oaks and some maple species grow here, in drier locations more pinyon pine ( Pinus cembroides ) and Utah juniper ( Juniperus osteosperma ). The cliff rose ( Purshia mexicana ) is also native there. Common Oregon grape ( Mahonia aquifolium ) often stands on the ground . Where in the side canyons Hang sources occur grow ferns , mosses and sorrel , isolated in the form of "Hanging Gardens", where erosion has washed away rock walls and washed out, and the plants in the form of vines and "beards" grow out of moss over the edge.

High plateau

The ecosystem on the rock plateau is characterized by its height. Conifer communities with the yellow pine as the main species grow here , mixed with the Colorado fir, the Douglas fir and the American aspen.

Conservation projects

Renaturation

Over 100 plant species have been introduced into the park since it was settled around 1850. The administration is currently removing the most aggressive species. Local plants are grown in special greenhouses and then released again. Colored circles on the floor point the visitor to newly exposed, but native plants. Furthermore, some rare plants are protected from game bites, but also from visitors, with wire cages.

Peregrine falcon

Birds of prey

After the peregrine falcon was no longer to be found, 15 pairs of the formerly native bird are now breeding in the park. Pesticides detectable in the park probably damaged the eggs to such an extent that the falcon almost died out in this area. However, the canyons offer excellent hunting and breeding grounds. In order to enable the falcon to brood undisturbed, there are year-round or seasonal climbing bans on the rock faces.

In June 2014, the first breeding of a California condor was confirmed in the park and thus in the state of Utah. The parent animals come from a release project in the Arizona Strip , the population there spreads after successful breeding and the Zion National Park is considered an excellent habitat.

Fire in the park

Fires are a necessary part of many American ecosystems. Initially, the park administration viewed the bush and forest fires as destructive and fought them. This changed the park's ecosystem, especially the pine forests, quite significantly. Since 1991, the fires most frequently caused by lightning strikes have only been observed and, if necessary, localized. Some of the fires are also started by the rangers to prevent large amounts of combustible material from accumulating, which can lead to major fires. Smaller fires are mostly survived without damage by healthy plants. The new practice has confirmed that the fires are natural occurrences in the national park.

Virgin River

When the upper reaches of the river were designated as a National Wild and Scenic River in 2009 , the national park had to adjust its management goals for the river. A report with possible management alternatives was presented in summer 2013, and at the beginning of 2014 the National Park Service decided to manage the catchment area of ​​the Virgin River in the park primarily from the point of view of the protection of natural resources and to only allow tourist uses where they are Do not endanger nature conservation.

climate

The spring climate is unpredictable. Stormy, rainy days alternate with warm, sunny days. The amount of precipitation reaches its maximum in March. Rainy days are usually clear and mild, the nights can still be very cold.

In summer , temperatures rise to 43 ° C, which cool down again to 21 ° C overnight. Afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon from mid-July to mid-September . These thunderstorms create short-lived waterfalls on steep slopes, and rivers can burst their banks with spring tides.

The discoloration of the leaves in autumn begins in September in the higher elevations and reaches its peak in mid-October.

The winters in Zion National Park are usually mild. Winter storms bring a lot of rain and very little snow into the canyon, and a lot of snow falls at higher altitudes. On clear days the temperature can rise up to 16 ° C during the day, the nights rarely drop below −7 ° C. The winter storms can last for several days. From November to March you should only drive through the park with winter-grade automobiles.

Average Monthly Temperatures and Rainfall for Zion National Park Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max. Temperature ( ° C ) 11 14th 17th 23 28 34 38 36 33 26th 17th 12 O 24.1 Min. Temperature (° C) −2 −1 2 6th 11 16 20th 19th 16 9 3 −1 O 8.2 Precipitation ( mm ) 41 41 43 33 19th 18th 20th 41 20th 25th 30th 38 Σ 369 Source:

Further temperature information

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum temperature - ° C	22nd	26th	30th	34	39	46	46	44	43	36	28	22nd
Minimum temperature - ° C	−19	−16	−11	−5	−6	4th	11	10	1	−5	−11	−12
Days over 32 ° C	0	0	0	1	8th	21st	30th	28	18th	3	0	0
Days below 32 ° C	19th	14th	10	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	9	18th

Further amounts of precipitation (in mm)

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Yearly
Maximum	190	170	180	111	76	101	91	122	170	84	81	109	1488
Maximum rainfall in 24 hours	40	33	23	30th	45	56	28	41	41	33	31	51	404
Maximum snowfall	660	457	355	84	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	25th	127	533	2235
Days with measurable precipitation	7th	7th	8th	6th	5	3	5	6th	4th	4th	5	6th	66
Average thunderstorm	0	0	0	1	4th	5	14th	15th	5	2	0	0	48

tourism

View into the Kolob Canyon

View along the Pa'rus Trail

Access to the national park is limited to three streets due to the poor infrastructure in this part of Utah. Access from the east is only possible through the Zion-Mount-Carmel tunnel. Vehicles that are wider than eight feet or taller than five feet must be escorted through the tunnel by rangers (for a fee of $ 15) as their size means that they cannot do with one lane. Vehicles over 3.98 m in height, over 12.19 m (40 ft.) Long, or over 22.6 t (50,000 lbs.) In weight are not permitted. Vehicles even higher can only reach the park via the northern entrance. The park is open year-round, but Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to public traffic from March to October. Only the (free) shuttles are allowed to drive this route, as well as the guests of the Hotel Zion Lodge in the canyon . Winter equipment is required from November to March. There are no paved roads between Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyon in the north. Within the canyon, temperature and humidity can take on extreme values as early as spring . You should therefore bring enough drinks with you on every hike.

Sports

hike

There are more than 240 km of hiking trails within the park. At the visitor center, guided hikes are offered by rangers, as are lectures on geology and biology. A popular but also strenuous hike leads through Zion Canyon, the Narrows to Chamberlain Ranch . Guided tours on horseback are also offered.

Climb

Zion National Park, along with Yosemite National Park, is one of the most famous climbing areas in North America with hundreds of climbing routes. In contrast to the granite of the Yosemite Valley , the sandstone of Zion National Park is very delicate. After rainfall, you should not climb because the damp rock loses its stability and grips and steps can break. This means that routes are damaged by climbers who do not adhere to the rules. The climbing equipment should also not hit the rock, even ropes rub the rock.

From short bouldering to multi-day tours through big walls , walls up to 1200 meters high, Zion offers a wide variety of possibilities, but only in the higher and highest levels of difficulty up to 5.12. The best time for climbing is March to May and September to November. In midsummer the temperatures rise extremely, especially in south walls, and the risk of thunderstorms is not small. A permit is required for routes that make a bivouac necessary or likely.

Canyoning

Canyoning (in the USA canyoneering ), i.e. the descent through water-bearing gorges, has established itself as a popular extreme sport since the 1990s . The gorges of Zion Canyon are suitable for this and offer canyoning tours of varying difficulty. Guided canyoning tours can be booked through the visitor center and mountain guide offices in the national park. The risks, for example from spring tides after thunderstorms, unpredictable currents and eddies and problems with abseiling should not be underestimated. The sport became known to a wider US audience in 1993 through the fatal accident of two youth group leaders and the subsequent lawsuit.

camping

There are three campsites in the park itself: South Campground and Watchman Campground with simple to medium facilities, and a very simple campground (Lava Point Campground) on Kolob Terrace Road. There is also a private campground with higher amenities near Glendale, halfway to Bryce Canyon National Park. For hikes lasting several days, which necessarily includes camping, a permit from the park administration is required.

Attractions

Angels Landing

Path to Angels Landing

Angels Landing is a 1763 m high rock formation, which can be reached via a strenuous and partly exposed 8 km long path over 450 meters of altitude difference. The path is sometimes extremely narrow, but secured with chains, and offers spectacular views.

and display information about the image

Panorama taken on Angels Landing

Emerald Pools

Emerald Pools Trail in winter

The Emerald Pools can be reached via the trail of the same name. This hiking trail, which leads through dense forests, is a popular day hike. The Emerald Pools are created by temporarily flowing rivers, the water of which seeps into the porous Navajo sandstone that can be found everywhere in the park, gathers again somewhere into small rivers and then emerges from the rock face. In the case of the Emerald Pools, this occurs in the form of small waterfalls. Their water flows into some round rock pools, the Emerald Pools. They got their name because of their emerald color.

The Narrows

The Narrows

The Narrows are at the end of Zion Canyon. From the last stop of the shuttle, Temple of Sinawava , a 30- to 40-minute walk leads to this narrow part of the Virgin River . You walk through the river itself here, as the steep walls do not allow a riverside path at this point. The water is more than waist-deep in places, so you have to swim in parts. The end of the narrowness is the Chamberlain Ranch . One to two days should be planned for the hike. The 25 km long way through the river is very strenuous as it is mostly in the river itself. The hike must be registered in the visitor center at the backcountry desk . No permit is granted in spring because of the melting snow and the associated water level. Flash floods can occur even in summer due to violent thunderstorms . The thunderstorms do not have to come down in the park itself; the water can also come from the Colorado Plateau.

Kolob Arch

Kolob Arch

Depending on the measurement, the Kolob Arch has to share the attribute “longest natural stone arch ” with the Landscape Arch in the Arches National Park . The mean value of the last measurements of the Kolob Arch is 89.6 m and thus exceeds the Landscape Arch by 1.2 m.

The Kolob Arch can only be reached via two hiking trails (22 km and 27 km in length). The arch itself is right in front of a large, sheer cliff, so its view isn't as spectacular as other, free-standing arches. A second natural rock arch is the Crawford Arch .

Checkerboard Mesa

Checkerboard Mesa in Zion National Park

At the east entrance of the park is the Checkerboard Mesa , a table mountain made of sandstone from the Navajo layer. Deep vertical grooves and chimneys and horizontal bands run through the slopes of the mountain. The bands are formed along the layer boundaries by weathering and erosion along different sedimentation layers. The vertical gullies can only be observed on the north side, as the snow melts more slowly here and they are widened by running water and frost erosion.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ National Park Service: Zion National Park - Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and Tunnel
2. ^ Zion National Park - Biologists Catch First Glimpse of Condor Chick, Utah , National Park Service, July 15, 2014
3. ↑ National Wild & Scenic River: Virgin River
4. ^ Zion National Park - Virgin River Comprehensive Management Plan / Environmental Assessment , National Park Service, July 2013
5. ^ Zion National Park - Finding of no Significant Impact , National Park Service, Jan. 8, 2014
6. ↑ National Park Service: Weather and Climate (official site; English)
7. ^ NPS: Climbing. In: NPS website. National Park Service, accessed April 17, 2020 . 
8. ↑ Christopher Smith and Ray Ring: Whose fault? A Utah canyon turns deadly, High Country News, Paonia, Colorado, August 22, 1994
9. ^ NPS: Campgrounds in Zion. In: Basic Information. National Park Service, accessed April 18, 2020 . 

literature

• Ann G. Harris, Esther Tuttle, Sherwood D. Tuttle: Geology of National Parks. 5th edition. Kendall, Dubuque 1997, ISBN 0-7872-1065-X .
• Lorraine Salem Tufts: Secrets in the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon National Parks. 3. Edition. National Photographic Collections, North Palm Beach, 1998, ISBN 0-9620255-3-4 .
• Nicky Leach: Zion National Park. Sanctuary in the Desert. Sierra, Mariposa 2000, ISBN 978-1-58071-020-6 .
• Stuart Schneider: Kolob Canyons Road Guide. Zion Natural History Association, 2001, ISBN 0-915630-28-1 .
• United States Department of the Interior (Ed.): The National Parks. Index 2001-2003. United States Government Printing, Washington 2001, ISBN 978-99927-1-052-4 .

Web links

Commons : Zion National Park  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Commons : Kolob Canyons  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Commons : Zion Narrows  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• National Park Service: Zion National Park (official site; English)
• Zion National Park
• American Park Network: Zion National Park (English)