Starting Friday, February 14th and running through the weekend, thousands of visitors are expected at Zion National Park. Due to the predicted influx of visitors, Zion National Park will resume weekend only (Saturday and Sunday), mandatory shuttle services throughout the park.
These weekend shuttles will start on Saturday February 15th and run through Sunday March 1, 2020. Busses will leave from the Zion Visitor’s Center starting at 7 a.m. with the last bus returning from the Temple of Sinawava (Shuttle stop 9) at 6:40 p.m. The in-town shuttle service in Springdale will not be operating during these weekend dates. Daily shuttle services within the park and Springdale will begin on March 7th and run through the late fall.
Visitors are asked to plan for potential crowding as some trail closures remain in place. The following areas remain closed within Zion:
- Lower Emerald Pools trail: closed due to trail construction
- Hidden Canyon, Weeping Rock & Observation Point via the canyon floor: closed due to a rockfall on the lower East Rim Trail.
Please be advised that construction continues along the Park’s South Entrance (in Springdale) and is being upgraded. Traffic lanes have been narrowed, so plan on wait times to enter the park to be longer than normal. Please drive slow and follow all directional signs. Pedestrians and bikers should enter through the river station entrance.
The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh stated, “Weather can be variable at this time of year. Your trip will be more successful if you plan ahead and prepare. Safety is your responsibility, so please avoid unsafe behaviors and risk-taking. With the increased visitation, please be patient with others that are also enjoying the park.”
