Geo Factsheet

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www.curriculum-press.co.uk # 424

Zion National Park, USA

Introduction
Zion National Park, founded in 1919, is an American National
Park. It is located in south-western Utah. Zion National Park is
becoming increasingly popular, and in 2019, it attracted 4.49
million visitors. This makes it the 4th most visited National Park
in the USA, after Great Smoky, Grand Canyon and the Rocky
Mountain National Parks.
Zion National Park is 590 km2, yet despite this size, much of the
tourist activity and indeed focus for this Factsheet, concentrates
on Zion Canyon (See Figure 2). Zion Canyon is located close to
the town of Springdale and is an impressive geological feature.
The purpose of this Factsheet is to discuss the formation of Zion
National Park, and specifically Zion Canyon, as well as examining
the various management issues that are present in this unique
location. There is a need to balance tourism as a source of
income and employment, but also environmental conservation
and protection for such a unique ecosystem. It is worth noting
that you may also wish to consider reading GeoFactsheet 103:
‘Managing US National Parks: new thinking for tourist honeypots’
as a background to some of the issues presented here.
Figure 1 Location of Zion National Park
North
0 10
Comparison of UK and USA National Parks
The UK and the USA both have National Parks. There are some
stark differences between how these parks operate and exist in
both places. It is important to understand these differences so that
the information on Zion National Park can be placed in context. The
most fundamental difference is the ownership of land. In America,
National Park land is owned and managed by the government
(through the National Park Service). This means that the government
has huge influence on how the parks operate and what sorts of
activities can take place there. In the UK, the vast majority of land
inside National Parks is owned by private individuals. This means
that UK authorities have to work with private landowners and other
organisations, e.g. the National Trust, to manage such places. In
many instances, the UK National Park Authorities act as a planning
manager trying to ensure that any new development does not
damage the park in any way. As a result of this variation in land
ownership, in the UK, there are often many activities that take place
in parks, e.g. forestry, mining and farming. In the USA, this is much
less common and generally all land in National Parks is set aside
for conservation and protection. This also means that access is
generally much more restricted with entrance fees and controls on
where people can and cannot go. In the UK, ‘right to roam’ is a
common expression and people can move around National Parks
on a vast network of footpaths and bridleways. In the USA, there is
much less freedom inside the parks and exploring away from well-
marked trails is not common with permits for Wilderness Areas.
To Salt
Lake City
Panguitch
143 12
12
Bryce 63
50 Kilometers 56 Cedar Cedar Canyon
City Breaks National
15 NM Park
NEVADA

0 10 50 Miles
18 KOLOB Grand Staircase-
UTAH

14 Long Valley
CANYONS Escalante
Junction
Time Zones National Monument
Zion National Park ZION 89
Nevada is on CANYON
U TA H Pacific Time. Snow Canyon
La Verkin 9 Mt. Carmel Glen Canyon
Zion State Park Junction National
Utah is on Recreation Area
Mountain Time. 9 Hurricane
Arizona is on St. Coral Pink 89 Lake Powell
Kanab
Mountain Time George 59 Sand Dunes
(Daylight Saving UTAH State Park
Time not observed). ARIZONA Fredonia
er Vermilion Page
Riv 389 ALT Cliffs
Mesquite Pipe Spring 89 National
r gin National Jacob Monument
Vi Lake
168 Monument
ALT
Dirt roads may 89
93 Road
be impassable
169 when wet Kaibab closed
in winter
ARIZONA

National
NEVADA

Valley Forest
of Fire
169 State
67
Park 89
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon-Parashant
Tuweep National Park
National
95 Monument
Las Vegas M e ad
La k e er NORT
H RI M
Ri v
515 Lake Mead do
ra Desert View
Henderson National lo
Co Grand Canyon
Recreation Area Village Cameron
Lake Mead 64
15 Tusayan
National
Recreation Area Kaibab
95 National
180 Forest
To Los Angeles 93
and San Diego

© Curriculum Press 2021 Geo Factsheets, 2020/21 Series, Issue 2 of 3, January 2021. ISSN: 1351-5136 1
Geo Factsheet 424 – Zion National Park, USA

Figure 2 Zion Canyon map

The Narrows
Temple of Sinawava
1 South Campground Weeping Rock 1

2 Watchman Campground Big Bend 2

1 Castle Dome Cafeteria

3

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6 Angels Landing Trail 8
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7 Hidden Canyon Trail 9
Viewpoint
8

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Kayenta Trail
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9 Cable Mountain Trail

DEEP
10 Deeptrap Mountain Trail
THREE PATRIARCHS 10
11 Sand Bench Trail

TRAP
12 Pa’rus Trail Court of the Patriarchs
13 Watchmman Trail

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Zion Human History Museum

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Bumbleberry 13
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ash

Zion Park Inn Zion

National
Driftwood Park
Silver Bear

Majestic View

1 km
SR-9
(to St. George & Las Vegas)

Formation and Overview of Zion National Park Zion now has a cold desert climate classification. This means
that there are hot summers, cold winters and a low amount
240 million years ago, Zion National Park was a relatively flat of precipitation year-round. Temperatures in the summer are
basin. Local mountains were eroded by river action and carried generally between 35°C and 43°C, compared to wintertime where
a variety of sediments into this basin. These were deposited in daytime temperatures are generally around 16°C and at night
layers in the classic formation of sedimentary rock. Through this down to as low as –7°C. This diurnal temperature fluctuation,
process over 10,000 feet of sediment accumulated, but as a result combined with some precipitation in winter periods, provides
of the weight of the sediment the basin was pushed downwards ideal conditions for freeze thaw weathering to occur.
such that only the top layers were at sea level. Eventually, this
area of sedimentary rock was acted upon by tectonic forces Zion National Park has many tourist attractions and unique
and a process of uplift began. This is a process similar to the features for people to explore. These include hiking, climbing on
way in which fold mountains are produced in other parts of the sandstone walls, canyoneering, horseback riding as well as bird
world. Uplift continues to this day and in fact the area remains watching and stargazing.
tectonically very active. In 1992, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake Such activities have had impacts on the area and management
occurred in Springdale. As a result of this uplift, streams have has been needed to control some of these impacts.
more gravitational potential energy in which to cut down through
the rock. The varying resistance of the sedimentary rock allowed
the rivers to differentially erode canyons in places where the
Issues in Zion National Park
rock was comparatively weaker. The Virgin river has been able One of the main issues in Zion National Park is footpath erosion
to flow through Zion Canyon producing some unique features. and overcrowding on hiking trails. There are many hiking trails
Many of these features have become tourist honeypots and will throughout the park, although the reality is that most visitors
be discussed below. focus on key routes in Zion Canyon.

© Curriculum Press 2021 Geo Factsheets, 2020/21 Series, Issue 2 of 3, January 2021. ISSN: 1351-5136 2
Geo Factsheet
Principally, these are the routes through the Virgin river known
as ‘The Narrows’ (Figure 3) and ‘Angels Landing’ (Figure 4).
Specifically, in the Narrows, there is a problem with human waste
as people struggle to complete the long hike away from restroom
facilities. Much of the hiking in Zion is on sandstone rock. This
is easily eroded by humans, as can be seen in Figure 5 where
humans have worn steps into the rock on the path leading to
Angels landing. Due to the narrow nature of the Angels Landing
hike, there are often problems with over-crowding and there have
been a number of accidents. Of course, as more people crowd
popular trails, people are more likely to step off the established
path and carve their own route. This increases erosion further
and also damages the unique desert vegetation. This problem
is so severe that National Park Rangers estimate that around 30
miles of new trails have been carved by visitors since the park
opened.
Figure 3 Hikers in the narrows
Figure 4 Angels Landing Hike, Zion Canyon
© Curriculum Press 2021 Geo Factsheets, 2020/21 Series, Issue 2 of 3, January 2021. ISSN: 1351-5136
424 – Zion National Park, USA
Figure 5 Footpath erosion on Angels landing
As the popularity of Zion grows there is an expansion of tourist
infrastructure on the edge of the park in the town of Springdale.
Springdale will be discussed in more depth below. Furthermore,
this has caused an increase in pollution, both of noise and air.
This has damaged the tranquil conditions that were once found
inside the park. Zion is famous for its clear night skies and boasts
one of the best locations in the world for star gazing. However,
authorities are concerned that with growing urbanisation outside
of the park, these clear skies are under threat. Some also claim
that growing light pollution has changed the behaviours of some
nocturnal wildlife.
Management of issues in Zion National Park
Management in Zion National Park is quite unique and certainly
very different from management schemes that are in force in UK
settings. Firstly, within Zion Canyon, almost no infrastructure
is allowed. This means that there are no real private dwellings
or tourist attractions. The only hotel inside Zion Canyon is
Zion Lodge. This historic hotel is also the only dining option
within the canyon. Zion lodge operates a number of ranger-led
activities including talks and guided walks. These help visitors
to understand the local area better, but also, ensure that tourists
operate in the most sustainable manner when exploring the park.
Zion Lodge has taken steps to reduce the light pollution that it
emits in order to minimise the impact upon wildlife as well as
viewing of the night sky. Specifically, the lodge has re-designed
the lighting layout and in doing so reduced the number of outdoor
lights. Furthermore, the outdoor lights have been provided with
shields so that no light shines up to the sky. Finally, these lights
are ‘warm white’ LED lamps which are less blinding and so easier
for wildlife to cope with.
In addition to the lack of tourist infrastructure inside the canyon,
Zion National Park service has taken the step of banning private
vehicles inside the canyon in all months aside from the winter.
The only exception to this is for guests staying at Zion Lodge who
must display a permit. Instead of driving, visitors are encouraged
to use the Zion shuttle bus service. This free service operates
two routes. One in Springdale bringing tourists to the visitor
centre at the park entrance and a second shuttle operating within
the canyon itself. Of course, this has meant that there is little
need for car parking inside the canyon as well as reducing vehicle
pollutants. At peak times the shuttle runs every 15 minutes. This
has the effect of staggering visitors at popular shuttle spots and
does help to alleviate some problems of overcrowding.
3
Geo Factsheet 424 – Zion National Park, USA

As the park has become more popular, parking lots in Springdale Figure 6 Hikers on ‘the cables’ on Half Dome in Yosemite
have become much busier – much to the annoyance of local National Park
people who may find their own cars blocked in by tourists. The
authorities are trying to reduce such pressures in Springdale, but
to limited effect. Authorities suggest visitors return when the area
is less busy – however, this is not a realistic strategy since the
remoteness of the park means that many people have already
travelled extensive distances to visit and are therefore unlikely
to head home again simply to return another day. It should be
noted that the buses that operate the shuttle service currently
run on propane, however, there are plans in place to convert the
fleet of vehicles to electric motors to further reduce energy use
and pollution.
Many of the management approaches inside the park are funded
by the entrance fee. In 2020, the fee for a single vehicle was $35
per week. This pass allows visitors to enter and leave the park
as many times as they like during their visit. This approach is
common in many of the larger US National Parks. Around 80% of
the income generated from visitor entrance fees is used to fund
management in Zion. However, the remaining 20% is gifted to
other National Parks across the country where an entrance fee
is not charged. A further strand to the management approach
focuses on education.
Many parks have large visitor centres where tourists can gain
more information on the history of the park and specific fauna
and flora to be found there. Rangers are also on hand to offer
advice to tourists about how to minimise their environmental
impact during any visit. Specifically, all 4th Grade (UK year 5)
pupils in America are eligible to apply for a special pass which
allows them and their families to visit all National Parks in the
country for free during the course of a year. The thinking is that
this will aid the long-term protection of such unique locations.
Despite these approaches, tourist pressure in Zion, and
particularly, Zion Canyon remains immense. Some groups have
suggested that a reservation system needs to be introduced.
This would involve visitors booking slots to visit certain features
within the park. It is hoped that such a system would reduce
over-crowding, pollution, and environmental damage. Such an
approach is used elsewhere in the US. For example, in Yosemite
National Park, hikers need a special permit in order to climb to the
top of Half Dome via the most popular route. Such an approach
does of course have the effect of limiting visitor numbers and
the associated economic benefits. In the case of the Half Dome
permit, many people apply each year and do not secure a permit.
Further Work
This may leave people disappointed and thus perhaps less likely
to book a visit in the future. Zion National Park is certainly unique in terms of its features and
formation. However, many of the issues relating to tourism are
Conclusion not new. US National Parks, as well as some locations in the UK,
experience similar problems. Perhaps what is unique about Zion
In conclusion, it seems sensible to suggest that Zion National is the manner in which infrastructure and development has been
Park will continue to be one of the most popular National Parks limited within honeypot areas. This is not something that will be
in the US. This means that management will need to continue to possible in the UK due to land ownership predominately being
try to keep pace with such visitor numbers. However, worryingly, in the hands of private individuals. For further work, you could
at the time of writing, President Trump has discussed cutting compare Zion National Park to other parks in the USA. It would
the National Park Service budget by 13%. Many commentators be wise to compare Zion to Bryce Canyon and Yosemite. Bryce
fear that this would mean an already stretched management Canyon is geographically quite close (around 70 miles between
operation would struggle to reduce the environmental impacts Zion and Bryce) and Yosemite receives a similar number of
from tourists. Aside from budget cuts, there are also fears that annual visitors. Produce a table that examines the similarities
Trump would like to open National Parks up to more commercial and differences between Zion, Bryce and Yosemite in terms of
interests, e.g. hotels and resorts. In turn, this would attract further issues and management. You can then use this table to answer
visitors and thus pressure on the landscape. the examination question below.

© Curriculum Press 2021 Geo Factsheets, 2020/21 Series, Issue 2 of 3, January 2021. ISSN: 1351-5136 4
Geo Factsheet 424 – Zion National Park, USA

Examination Question If such a line of argument is followed, it would be wise to conclude

It is hard to examine such issues without discussing the concept
of sustainability. National Parks want to practice sustainable
management approaches that ensure the National Park will be
preserved for future generations, but at the same time, allowing
development to take place that meets the needs of the people
who live near such places at the moment. We must remember that
in order for management to be truly sustainable it must include
elements of environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Commonly, this is presented in the form of a Venn diagram
which you may be familiar with. For further information on this,
you could examine GeoFactsheet 387: ‘The Lake District – The
Sustainable Management of Tourism’ which discusses these
issues in a UK context.
that National Parks can be sustainable to some degree, provided
that visitors comply with management initiatives and such
initiatives are well planned and implemented. Of course, there
will always be a balance to be struck in such situations, but it
is worth remembering that without visitors, many National Parks
and other such areas would not be able to generate sufficient
income to fund conservation schemes.
Further Reading and Research
• GeoFactsheet 103: Managing US National Parks: new
thinking for tourist honeypots
• https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Given the material presented in this GeoFactsheet, consider the

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_National_Park
following examination question: • https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/visitation-numbers.htm
‘National Parks can never be fully sustainable’. To what extent do • https://www.zionnationalpark.com/explore/guidebook/
you agree with this view? geology/
• https://e360.yale.edu/features/greenlock-a-visitor-crush-is-
Guidelines for Examination Answer overwhelming-americas-national-parks
This examination question should be answered in the form of an • http://zion-gardner-bosch.weebly.com/the-future.html
essay. The essay should contain two parts. Firstly, considering
the argument in the question, that national parks can never be • https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2016/01/state-park-
fully sustainable, before examining the opposing viewpoint. zion-national-park-facing-some-serious-issues
Naturally, the answer should also include a suitable introduction • https://www.zionlodge.com/activities/experience-the-night-
and conclusion. sky-of-zion/
Considering the argument in the question, it would be possible to • https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/fees.htm
include points that discuss that unless National Parks completely
close to visitors there will always be some environmental damage.
However, in such a situation, this would not ensure social or
economic sustainability. The argument could then focus on how
with suitable management schemes, environmental damage can
be limited to acceptable levels. Of course, the idea of ‘acceptable’
is open to interpretation. However, it would seem sensible to
assume that in such a situation any damage is not long lasting
and the ecosystem is able to recover quickly. Furthermore, by
allowing use in such a way, jobs are provided and this helps to
promote social and economic sustainability.

Acknowledgements: This Geography Factsheet was researched and written by Tom Howell, Head of Geography at
St John’s School, Leatherhead and published in January 2021 by Curriculum Press. Geo Factsheets may be copied
free of charge by teaching staff or students, provided that their school is a registered subscriber. No part of these
Factsheets may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any other form or by any other means,
without the prior permission of the publisher.

© Curriculum Press 2021 Geo Factsheets, 2020/21 Series, Issue 2 of 3, January 2021. ISSN: 1351-5136 5