Zion National Park

Why Zion National Park is special
Zion National Park in Utah in America has a dramatic landscape of towering cliffs and nature-sculpted canyons. They draw nearly 3 million visitors per year.

Zion National Park tips and insights
When to come
Be aware that temperatures on the main valley floor can exceed 38ºC (100ºF) in July and August.

The ideal visit time is from May to mid-June, before temperatures and tourist counts surge. The colorful and invigorating fall foliage period (mid-October) is also ideal.

The two most talked about attractions

• Zion Canyon
  Most Zion National Park tourists come only to see this 16-kilometer (10-mile) long gorge. Unfortunately, it can be jammed with visitors. To help alleviate that problem, private vehicles are now prohibited in Zion Canyon during the busy season. Free shuttle-bus service is provided. You can, however, drive your car in most other areas.
  
• Narrows Trail
  This is a conversation piece. Most of this 25-kilometer (15-mile) footpath is not on dry land. Hiking entails wading through a river squeezed between cliffs soaring as high as 600 meters (2,000 feet). At one point, the passageway is just 6 meters (20 feet) wide. During the thunderstorm season (early-July through mid-September), flash floods lurk.
  

Trails
They are many and widely touted by trekking aficionados. Trails range in skill level from inexperienced to experienced hiker. The well-known Narrows Trail belongs in the latter category, as does the climb to Angels Falls peak.

Accomodations
There are limited lodge and campground accommodations in the park. The best known inn is Zion Lodge. If everything is fully booked, you can seek availability in a nearby town such as Springdale.

Name
Zion National Park was given its first name by an early Mormon settler. He felt that the land was a place of refuge and sanctuary, so he chose a Hebrew word that describes such a setting.

Location in America