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About Zion National Park
 What is special about Zion National Park?
Colorful sandstone canyons, hot rocky deserts, and cool forested
plateaus are all part of Zion National Park. Zion Canyon is the
largest and most visited canyon in the park. Here, the Virgin
river has carved a spectacular forge into the red and white sandstone.
The floor of the canyon is covered with trees, grasses and the
river. The canyon walls loom high above; in most places they are
2,000 to 3,000 feet high. East of the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel,
you can see fascinating shapes and patterns at the top of the
sandstone layers. The southern part of the park is a lower, desert
area. Here, colorful mesas are bordered by rocky canyons and washes.
The northern sections of the park are from volcanoes and petrified
wood from ancient forests. The northern sections of the park are
higher plateaus. The cool, green forests overlook broad panoramas
of rugged canyon country.
Elevation and Climate
Elevations in Zion range from about 3,800 feet to almost 9,000
feet. The climate varies greatly with the elevation (the higher
you go, the cooler it gets). In Zion Canyon, summers are hot with
temperatures often over 100 F during July and August. Afternoon
thunderstorms are common from mid-July through mid-September.
Winters are fairly mild, with average temperatures in the 20's
and 30's at night and in the 40's and 50's during the day. Winter
precipitation often comes as rain in the canyon and snow in the
plateaus. The total yearly precipitation averages about 15 inches.
How did the rocks of Zion form?
The rocks of Zion formed over millions of years, and erosion has
carved them into the formations we see today. Water is the single
most important factor in the geology of this area. Most of the
rock layers formed in oceans, lakes, or rivers. Water from springs,
streams, and rivers, has sculpted the rock formations into canyons,
mesas, and cliffs.
The geologic story of Zion has three main parts: deposition (sediments were deposited on layers and later cemented into rock),
uplift (the whole area rose high above the sea level) and erosion (water carved into the rock, forming canyons). The rocks of Zion
were laid down during Jurassic times, sometimes called the age
of dinosaurs. The lower layers of rocks are mostly mudstones,
seltstones, and some sandstone. These were deposited primarily
by slow moving streams and rivers. Navajo Sandstone, the thickest
layer in the park, was formed from wind deposited sand grains.
What we now see as sandstone was once a huge desert of blowing
sand dunes. Movements in the earth's crust caused the land to
sink below sea level. A shallow sea covered the dunes, and lime
(calcium carbonate) from the shells of sea animals, along with
other minerals, seeped into the sand and cemented the grains together,
thus forming sandstone. Later in time, more earth movements caused
the land to uplift. The sea drained away and the rivers and streams
began to carve, or erode the sandstone. Eventually, they formed
the deep canyons we see today.
 What kind of plants are found in Zion?
About 800 species of native (not brought by people) plants have
been found in Zion. Elevation, rainfall, sun/shade, and soil type
affect plant growth. Desert plants such as cactus, yucca, mesquite,
and sagebrush grow in hot, dry areas. Along rivers and streams
you will find trees including cottonwood, box elder, and velvet
ash. Dripping springs allow "hanging gardens" to form at places
such as Weeping Rock. Ferns, grasses, and wildflowers grow on
these wet trails. A forest of juniper and pinion pine covers the
sunny slopes. On the higher plateaus are ponderosa pine, firs,
and even aspen trees. Wildflowers bloom from spring through late
summer in various parts of the park. Some common flowers are columbine,
penstemon (wild snapdragon), Indian paintbrush, sacred datura,
and many types of sunflowers.
Related information about plants in Zion National Park can be
found at the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) page.
What animals live in the park?
Zion is home for a large variety of animals. Over 60 kinds of
mammals have been found in the park, including mice, rabbits,
coyotes, foxes, porcupines, skunks, ringtail cats, bobcats, mountain
lions, and bighorn sheep. Elk and black bears are occasionally
seen on the higher plateaus. Visitors commonly see mole deer,
squirrels, and a variety of bats. About 271 kinds of birds are
found in the park, ranging from hummingbirds to eagles. Canyon
Wrens, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Common Flickers are easily
found in Zion Canyon. During summer, almost every visitor sees
lizards; there are about 13 types in the park. Snakes are shyer
and harder to see. Of the 12 species, only the Western Rattlesnake
is poisonous.
Related information about animals in Zion National Park can be
found at the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) page.
What people have lived at Zion?
Long before Europeans came to the Southwest, there were Native
Americans who lived in what are now the states of Arizona, Colorado,
New Mexico, and Utah. We call some of these people the Anasazi.
Archeologists believe that Anasazi people first lived in Zion
about 1,500 years ago. The early Anasazi are known for their fine
basketry. Through the years the lifestyle of the Anasazi changed
several times; their houses and foods changed and they began to
make pottery instead of baskets. Eventually, the Anasazi lived
in rock dwellings under the cliffs. They grew and stored crops
developed fine painted pottery, and left several types of rock
art on the cliff faces. The Anasazi seem to have left the Zion
area about 800 years ago.
The next Native Americans who lived in Zion were the Southern
Paiutes. The Paiutes were nomadic, that is, they moved around
as the seasons changed. In summer, they grew corn and squash,
which they irrigated (watered) during dry periods. The Paiutes
also gathered the seeds, roots and leaves of native plants. Pinion
pine nuts were a favorite. They also hunted for mammals, birds,
insects and reptiles. Skilled weavers, the Paiutes made hunting
nets and baskets from plant fibers, and wove warm robes from straps
of rabbit pelt. Today, the Paiutes still live in southern Utah
and northern Arizona.
The first Europeans to explore the region were two Spanish priests
named Dominguez and Escalante. Their exploration party passed
near Zion in 1778. A fur trapper named Jedediah Smith also passed
nearby in 1826. Mormon pioneers began to settle in Southern Utah
in the 1850's, and sent a scout named Nephi Johnson into Zion
Canyon. These pioneers grew crops, planted fruit trees, and raised
livestock. They lived in dugouts and small log cabins. Issac Behunin,
a Mormon settler living in Zion Canyon in the 1860's, first used
the name "Zion" for the canyon. He seemed to think that Zion was
a "peaceful resting place" or "a heavenly place". Many people
today feel the same way.
When did Zion become a National Park?
The beauty of what is now Zion National Park was noted in a report
by Leo A. Snow of St. George, Utah, following his 1908 survey
of Zion Canyon for the U.S. Geological Survey. On July 31, 1909,
President Taft created the Mukuntuweap National Monument by Presidential
Proclamation. "Mukuntuweap" was a Paiute name for the canyon.
Local pioneers called the area "Zion" and asked the political
leaders to change the name in 1918, when the monument was enlarged.
By an act of Congress in 1919, it became Zion National Park. A
second Zion National Monument (now called the Kolob Canyons) was
established in 1937. In 1956, Kolob Canyons was added to Zion
National Park. Today Zion contains about 147,000 acres of land.
It is one of 358 National Park Service areas which cover nearly
80 million acres.
For More Information
- Contact
- Zion National Park
- Springdale, Utah 84767
- Telephone: 435-772-3256
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About Zion
