Why do people come to Zion national Park?
Having been established in 1919, Zion National Park is Utah's oldest national park. The heavily used park attracts nearly 3 million visitors each year. Yet, the nearby town has a population of just over 500 people. So, why do people come to Zion National Park? The answer lies within the park's spectacular views, adventure-filled trails, once-in-a-lifetime camping spots, and beautiful canyons with gut-wrenching drops. All of which are a result of the forces of Earth at work!
The park is divided into four main sections: Zion Canyon, Kolob Canyons, Kolob Terrace, and Highway 9.
Zion Canyon
Zion Canyon is the main destination for most visitors to Zion National Park. This area is comprised of the large Zion canyon which, in some places, towers thousands of feet above the Virgin River below. A winding road travels through the canyon and a shuttle makes stops at all of the popular attractions. The attractions that can be accessed from the Zion Canyon section of the park include the Narrows, the Temple of Sinawava, the Weeping Rock, the Angels Landing, the Great White Throne, the Zion Lodge, the Emerald Pools, the Court of Patriarchs, the Zion Museum, and the Zion Visitor Center.
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Kolob Canyons
The Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park is not as large or as a popular as the Zion Canyon section, but is still a marvelous area that houses many famous and incredible physical features. The Kolob Canyons area is comprised of many deep finger canyons just waiting to be explored. The main attractions that are located in the Kolob Canyons area include the Timber Creek Trail, the Lee Pass Trail, Taylor Creek Trail, Kolob Arch, the scenic drive, the picnic grounds, and the Kolob Canyons Viewpoint.
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Kolob Terrace
The Kolob Terrace section of Zion National Park is one of the smaller sections of the park. It only includes a few features, but one of the features, the Subway Canyon, is a very well-known rock formation and attracts a fair amount of visitors. The complete list of attractions includes the famous Subway canyon, the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead, the Left Fork Trailhead, and other back-country trails.
Highway 9
The Highway 9 section of the Zion National Park is also, like the Kolob Terrace section, a small area of the park. This section is all of the physical features along Highway 9. The area includes the Checkerboard Mesa, the Canyon Overlook, and the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel.