By Lyman Hafen It wasn’t until the late 1850s that Anglo explorers and mapmakers finally ventured into Zion Canyon and discovered the beauty and majesty long known to the native Southern Paiute people. In the early 1860s, several small settlements began cropping up along the upper Virgin River reaching to the mouth of Zion Canyon, …
What it Means for Utah’s National Parks and Why They Still Need You The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act is monumental for all public lands, but for parks like Zion National Park, this new funding will begin to pave the way for clearing critical portions of the park’s over $70 million in back-logged …
Are We Related? The blistering sun in the desert of Zion National Park can be unforgiving. Hiking into a shaded and high walled canyon, like Refrigerator Canyon along the trail to Angel’s Landing, offers immediate relief from the scorching overhead heat. Temperatures drop by fifteen degrees and flowing air cools the skin, but for park …
Protecting Pristine Habitats Surrounding Zion National Park This month the protected lands of the Greater Zion Landscape grew significantly in size. In an effort championed by The Nature Conservancy, a circle of motivated partners and supporters, was able to secure and protect 419 acres of land adjacent to the Virgin River near the borders of …
A Penstemon by Any Other Name Mutation or hybrid? The answer to this question requires a closer look into the world of plant biology. Zion Forever Project supporters played a critical role in providing plant scientists the tools and equipment they needed to answer one of the canyon’s best-kept secrets. In our 2019 Field Guide, …
Tracking Soundscape Monitoring in the Canyon Stop and listen to the sounds around you. What do you hear? Now, imagine yourself standing deep inside the canyon of Zion National Park. Listen to the sounds echoing off the red-stained sandstone walls. The river flowing endlessly in the background, the rusting of leaves in the predictably constant …
Zion Forever Project Announces Modified Approach to Celebration of Art The Zion Forever Project, in partnership with Zion National Park, has announced a modified celebration of art in the park during the fall of 2020. This year, due to the uncertainty generated by the COVID-19 crisis, the event will consist solely of a virtual art …
With Gates Closed, Zion Had a Unique Moment to Breathe While we’ve all been preoccupied with lockdown and staying safe, as we should have been, an interesting phenomenon has occurred on our public lands. Actually, on the entire planet as a whole. We are being told the global pandemic has changed our society, possibly forever. …
New Park Film in Honor of National Park Week (4/18-4/26) “We The Keepers” – a story of Zion told by its keepers, stewards, and guests SPRINGDALE, Utah – April 17, 2020. With Zion National Park temporarily closed in response to COVID-19, the Zion Forever Project and Zion National Park have a deep desire to find …
April 3, 2020 Springdale, UT – The National Park Service (NPS) received a letter today from the Executive Director for the Utah Department of Health recommending the full closure of Zion National Park. Upon receiving this request from the state health department, Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh, with the support of the NPS Deputy Director, Operations, David …