|
Introduction
The Zions National Park of Utah is a destination, often visited by the travel enthusiasts round the world. This national park in U.S lies in the southwestern part of United States, near Springdale, in Utah. A most important attribute to the USA national park is the Zion Canyon, after which the park has been named. The Canyon is 24 kilometers long and 800 meter deep. It is cut across the Navajo sandstone by the Virgin River and bears a reddish, tawny tint. The U.S nation park displays a diversified geographical variety and various animal and plant life. There are about 289 species of birds and 75 mammal species. Different forms of willows, Cottonwood, Cactus, Datura, Juniper, and Pine, Box elder, Sagebrush and yucca form the common plant species. The prominent animals include mountain lions, mule deer and Golden Eagles, Condors and Big Horn Sheep.
Visiting Zion National Park
The most important part of the visit to the Zions National Park is exploring the entire region to ones heart content. Take the Mt. Carmel Highway and have a scenic drive to the Zion Canyon. The shuttle service running during the months starting from the later part of March to November is the best mode of transportation to enjoy the surrounding nature of the place to the fullest. If you have a couple of days in hand then indulge in some classic walking tour along the trails in and around the Zion Canyon. Walking tour of the Kolob Canyons is also a nice idea during the late afternoon.
Camping: There are two campsites in the heart of the Zions Park. They are the Watchman Campground and the South Campground. The Watchman Campground is open throughout the year. The campgrounds offer facilities such as, restrooms, picnic tables, RV dump, drinking water and sinks serving various utilities. There are six primitive sites at the Lava point in the Kolab Terrace section of Zion Park and they remain open from the month of June till November. Water is not available in these campsites.
Guided Tours: Guided tours of Zions National Park are generally provided by the private companies. They mainly offer transportation from the adjacent areas. Travel by bus is provided by some from nearby towns while others start it from Zion.
Some of the tours are brief with small stops, and others take you on a hike, and
offer all the meals. Guided tours involve overnight hiking, rafting,
backpacking, and adventure tours to Zion.
Opening Hours
Zion Canyon Visitor Center:
Open daily, during spring, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. During summer, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. During fall, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. and in winter, from 8:00 am. to 5:00 pm. Closed on December 25.
Backcountry Desk Hours:
April 26-May 21: 7 am to 6 pm.
May 22-September 7: 7 am to 8 pm.
September 8-October 12: 7 am to 6 pm.
October 12-Next Spring: 8 am to 4:30 pm.
Zion Human History Museum:
Open daily, during spring, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. During summer, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. During fall, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. and in winter, from 10:00 am. to 5:00 pm. Closed on December 25.
Kolob Canyon Visitor Center:
Open daily, during spring, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. During summer, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. During fall, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. and in winter, from 8:00 am. to 4:30 pm. Closed on December 25.
How to Reach
Air: The closest big city to Zions is St. George. A big airport is in the making in this city but for the time being, the St. George Municipal Airport serves the park well. This airport is about 46 miles away from the park. The McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas lies at a distance of 150 kilometers from the entrance of the Zion National Park and can be reached by taking the Interstate 15. Sky West is the carrier, having flight to the St. George airport from Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake City is an approximate four hour drive to the park.
Road: The SR-9 is the road route offering easy access to the Zions Park from both east and west.
|
