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Zion Canyon, Utah – A Desert Oasis

Designated a federal park in 1919, Zion National Park is located in south-central Utah, 160 miles east of Las Vegas, and just north of the Utah-Arizona border. For at least 8,000 years, various human groups have inhabited, migrated through, foraged in, and cultivated the area. Dinosaur prints found in the park confirm the existence of an ancient lake, and life forms no human eye has seen. There is a profound timelessness here, even as one travels toward the canyon, through a landscape dotted with sage and cactus, and a dramatic skyline of jutting red rock cliffs and high mesas.

Zion – Hebrew for refuge – is a protected home to some 800 species of plants, over 200 bird communities, dozens of kinds of reptiles, amphibians and fish, and 67 species of mammals. It also hosts more than 2.5 million human visitors per year. Ecosystems within the park include forested highlands, lowland deserts, and lush pools. Some 85% of all species found in Utah live here.

The secret to the presence of desert lizards and aquatic frogs, cactus and columbine within one 229-square-mile park is the small but remarkable river that courses through its canyon walls and ravines. Called Pa'rus (“whirling water”) by the Southern Paiute Indians, the Virgin River got its European name in 1776, from Spanish priests in the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition. The Virgin River creates a sanctuary for the diverse life in the park. The Virgin is the sculptor of rock and painter of its three-dimensional canvas. Working in mineral, compressed sandstone, and flora, the Virgin causes the rocks to weep and yield to natural hanging gardens, and gently planes the canyon into a deep furrow.

While Zion is located in a mostly sun-drenched area of Utah, spring weather can be unpredictable anywhere, and so it was during our visit. The mists gave an ethereal and mystical feel to an already other-worldly place.

Undeterred by snow flurries that gradually turned to drizzle, my travel partner and I embarked along a paved trail near the Zion Lodge, a short distance from the east entrance of the park. A small group of grazing mule deer peered out from a thicket, and then darted away. The rain stopped; we trekked leisurely to Lower Emerald Pools, named for their deep-green algae.

As we wandered along the muddy trail, birds peeped and chirped as if to remind us to enjoy the journey. “What's the hurry?” and “Look over here!” they seemed to be saying. We found ourselves yielding the path to numerous chattering groups of fellow visitors who came from behind us. Hedged by walls of sandstone formations and tall pines on one side, and a deep gully on the other, we strained through our binoculars to catch a glimpse of our avian guides – but it was clear who was watching whom.

The cove of Emerald Pools is a wonder of elements. Fierce rushes of water cascade from the overlook above the trail to the rocks below. The trail meanders behind the waterfall, and continues on the other side to a craggy hillside with an amazing view of the pools.

The scent of cedar filled the air as we wandered along the banks of the river. One minute we admired a clump of yucca, or prickly pear cactus, and then suddenly we'd notice a riot of purple wildflowers nearby. Moss-covered rocks huddled under tall pines, while sunny areas waited for deciduous trees to notice the arrival of spring.

The mile-long Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel was a 10-year project completed in 1930. The first of its kind at the time, it created direct access to Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon from Zion National Park.

Research in advance of the trip indicated that petroglyphs (images carved in rock) exist in the park, but the rangers, fearing vandalism, won’t tell visitors where they are. But the switchback road and tunnel offer exhilarating, dizzying vistas. Pull-off areas lead to dirt trails where birds of prey can be seen soaring through the canyon.

Time Stands Still

It was at a switchback in the east end of the park that we saw the bighorn sheep. Watching their babies scamper up the sheer rock face of the hillside with such ease and grace took my breath away. Even more so because they went extinct here 50 years ago. Their decline began almost immediately when the Mormon Pioneers began to settle the area in 1863. While hunting was part of their decline, it was the introduction of animal agribusiness and its attendant diseases that killed off most. According to information published by the National Park Service, nine federal and state agencies introduced desert bighorn sheep (a subspecies of Rocky Mountain bighorns) to Zion beginning in 1977.

Claire Crow, in the park's wildlife office, says animals in the park are largely left to their own devices. “Sometimes we manage the habitat,” says Crow, “mainly by removing non-native plants.”

As for the animals: “We manage them by managing the behavior of the people who visit the park. As the animals become accustomed to people and cars, we may have to put up additional signs and monitor things more closely.”

Thus, while it's nice for visitors to see animals such as bighorn sheep, habituation to human presence could become a danger to the animals as well as to visitors.

The park is closed to hunting, although a recent federal law has allowed firearms in national parks. An employee at the Kolob Canyon station indicated to us that we were not alone in our concern with the new gun law, and in our hopes it will be repealed.

We were struck by the beauty of canyon’s night. The moonlight cast a silhouette of the canyon rim and mesas against a backdrop of deep purple sky. Glistening stars, larger than life at the high mountain elevation, winked and welcomed our gaze. Time stands still in such places; yet four days and nights passed by all too quickly. I left home a digital media addict, but after the first day in the canyon, easily resisted checking for e-mail messages.

The Greenest Park in the Desert

Zion has earned praise for working within its natural ecology to power, heat and cool its buildings. The innovative use of solar panels and overall design of the visitor center and emergency operations center have cut energy use for these buildings by 70%. Two remote ranger cabins rely entirely on solar energy.

As reported by Green Lodging News, resource-saving measures at the park’s Zion Lodge spare 2.5 million gallons of water annually in comparison with the previous system. The park, which receives millions of visitors a year, uses shuttles to reduce traffic and emissions in the canyon.

Most accommodations near the park are small bed-and-breakfasts, though there are numerous hotels, motels, and recreational vehicle parks as well. We stayed at the cozy Bunkhouse at Zion in Rockville. Homemade organic jams and nuts from the trees in the backyard orchard added a unique touch; Megan was happy to prepare a hot, vegan breakfast daily. I enjoyed getting to know our hosts’ two dachshunds and a cat who, despite being called Grumpy Cat, is very sweet. The Bunkhouse is committed to ecologically responsible energy use, cleaning products and housekeeping.

Interstate 15, the route down to Zion from Salt Lake City, is not-so-lovingly known as the Avenue of Orange Barrels. The ransacking of the environment by strip-mining, petroleum refineries, endless road construction, and urban sprawl are evident everywhere. Approaching the park, though, takes one into a slow, gentle two-lane byway. The economies of Zion’s surrounding communities, Springdale and Rockville, rely on tourists who appreciate nature, and both cities resist the advancement of shopping malls and chains. They are quiet havens of art galleries and homespun dining, where solar panels on buildings are common. At a time when parks are under threat of budget cuts, it is vital that we treasure and support such places. Perhaps the roadway of culture should become a slower, more graceful route, to the places that heal the spirit.

Nearby Places of Interest

Zion Park is a convenient destination from Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It is a suitable vacation for campers, hikers, walkers, and nature admirers — no matter what age. If time allows, you might also visit:

• Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. On the gorgeous drive to Kanab from Zion Park, this large refuge for dogs, cats, parrots, horses and mules, pigs, and other domesticated animals also includes wildlife rehabilitation. The public is welcome and the cafeteria offers vegetarian lunch with vegan offerings (free if you volunteer at the sanctuary).

• Zion Mountain Lodge. This conservation project, in partnership with the Virgin River Land Preservation Association, includes 1,500 acres of habitat for free-roaming bison. ( An estimated 30 to 75 million buffalo once roamed these areas.)

• Northern Zion Park, Kolob Canyon. The five-mile scenic drive is well worth taking, especially if you've already paid the park entrance fee. See the Zion National Park web site for more information: www.nps.gov/zion