Zion National Park

Massive canyon walls ascend toward a brilliant blue sky. To experience Zion, you need to walk among the towering cliffs, or challenge your courage in a small narrow canyon. These unique sandstone cliffs range in color from cream, to pink, to red. They could be described as sand castles crowning desert canyons.

Located in Washington, Iron and Kane Counties in Southwestern Utah, Zion National Park encompasses some of the most scenic canyon country in the United States. The park is characterized by high plateaus, a maze of narrow, deep sandstone canyons and striking rock towers and mesas.

Zion National Park is a showcase of geology. Geologic processes have played an important role in shaping Zion. The arid climate and sparse vegetation allow the exposure of large expanses of bare rock and reveal the park’s geologic history.

• Natural Features:

• Immutable yet ever changing, the cliffs of Zion stand resolute, a glowing presence in late day, a wild calm. Melodies of waters soothe desert-parched ears, streams twinkle over stone, wren song cascades from red rock cliffs, cottonwood leaves jitter on the breeze. But when lightning flashes water falls erupt from dry cliffs, and floods flash down waterless canyons exploding log jams, hurling boulders, croaking wild joyousness, and dancing stone and water and time. Zion is alive with movement, a river of life always here and always changing.

• Everything in Zion takes life from the Virgin River's scarce desert waters. Water flows, and solid rock melts into cliffs and towers. Landscape changes as canyons deepen to create forested highlands and lowland deserts. A ribbon of green marks the river's course as diverse plants and animals take shelter and thrive in this canyon oasis. From the beginning people sought this place, this sanctuary in the desert's dry reaches. The very name Zion, a Hebrew word for refuge, evokes its significance.

• Animals:

• Contained within the park are:
  900+ species of flora (richest diversity of plants in Utah)
  78 species of mammals
  291 species of birds
  44 species of reptiles and amphibians
  8 species of fish

• Threatened and endangered species found within the park include:
  Shivwits Milkvetch
  Mexican Spotted Owl
  Southwest Willow Flycatcher
  Desert Tortoise

• Rare/Special concern species within the park:
  Zion Snail
  Virgin Spinedace
  Peregrine Falcon

• Plants:

• Located on the Colorado Plateau, but bordering the Basin and Range Province, Zion is home to plants from both regions. Sedimentation, uplift, and erosion have resulted in elevations ranging from 3600 to 8700 feet. The unique geology of massive cliff walls has created such diverse environments as: deserts, canyons, slickrock, hanging gardens, riparian, and high plateaus.

This truly is a remarkable place...experience it with an America Outdoors outfitter who provide moutain biking, hiking and camping trips.