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Zion National Park
Zion National Park, a spectacular canyon with towering cliffs, amazing sandstone formations, small waterfalls and secluded pools, has become so popular over the past two decades that park officials have turned to shuttle buses to manage the crowds.
Zion National Park
Ray Grass, Deseret News |
Brave the winter and visit the southern Utah park, however, and you'll not only avoid the crowds, but you'll also miss the buses and be able to tour the park via private automobile. The only access to the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive during the warmer months is the shuttle buses. From November through March, however, the 6.2 mile road into the heart of the park reopens to automobile traffic — adding flexibility to an off-season visit.
Visitors from around the globe come to Zion National Park to see soaring sheer cliffs like The Great White Throne, Watchman, Grotto and Angels Landing. Wildlife is also plentiful in the park and it is not uncommon for visitors to see deer, foxes, porcupines and wild turkeys. On occasion, a mountain lion might also wander out into view.
Kolob Canyons, the northwest section of the park, is a collection of natural wonders. Its slot canyons, arches, mesas, mountain peaks with huge vertical drops and waterfalls provide spectacular views. It has Horse Ranch Mountain, at 8,742 feet the highest point in Zion Park, and it has Kolob Arch, with its 310-foot span one of the largest natural arches in the world.
The rugged and secluded country of Zion Park was designated a national park in 1919. About 3 million tourists visit the park annually, many of those coming from Europe and Asia.
Visitors can catch the canyon's magic simply by driving through it, when and where allowed, or by taking the park's shuttle buses. But there is no better way to experience the beauty of the park's nooks and crannies than getting off the road and onto the park's many hiking trails.
Winter in Zion Canyon can be a somber time, when the sheer sandstone walls disappear into clouds and mist fills the air. In winter you'll have the place practically to yourself. It is a time for reflection. A time to sooth your nerves rather than stimulate them. A time to listen to the sounds of nature rather than the cacophony of man.
Angel's Landing in Zion National Park.
Tom Smart, Deseret News |
Weather in the park generally remains mild during the winter. Day-time temperatures in January, for instance, average 51 degrees. Light snow might fall on occasion, but the park's campgrounds, roads and trails usually remain open year-round. Where securing a camping spot is a challenge in the summer, the spots are usually easy to get during the winter. The park's lodge also reduces rates for winter guests.
The park has two main entrances. The visitors center is located near the south entrance, about 33 miles east of I-15 near Springdale, a small town just past Hurricane. The east entrance is 12 miles west of U.S. 89 from Carmel Junction. The scenic road between the two entrances is U-9, which passes through a tunnel cut through a mountain and provides some incredible vistas of the park's geology. U-9 can only be traveled by paying the park entrance fee. The entrance to Kolob Canyons is about 18 miles south of Cedar City off of I-15.
More information is available by checking the park's Web site at www.nps.gov/zion/
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