zion love

Zion and Springdale used to be a lesser known region in the desert southwest. In the 1980's, 90's and early 2000's, park visitation was much less than the Grand Canyon or even nearby Bryce. As the campaign for the Big 5 Parks in Utah became more and more successful, Zion found itself on the map, becoming a must see destination for many more tourists than it had hosted in the past. Suddenly the area was known for long lines, people were illegally parking on delicate terrain, and reservations for rooms became harder to get and more expensive. In 2020, everything changed forever and afterward, Zion's trails like Angels Landing and The Narrows went viral as 'bucket list' hikes. Social media has changed this landscape, brining more visitors than any other time in history. 

Join us in protecting Zion as responsible guests.

To be a good steward and help protect myself and Zion Nat'l Park, I pledge to:

• Plan ahead and prepare by reading and following the information in the Zion Nat'l park newspaper.
• Keep personal food away from all wildlife, and never approach or touch a wild animal.
• Protect the canyon walls, rocks, and trees from graffiti and vandalism.
• Preserve the park scenery by not collecting wildflowers, rocks, or plants.
• Never enter a narrow canyon when there is a potential for flash flooding.
• Be ready to pack out human waste, toilet paper, and diapers from trails and river corridors.
• Stay on established trails to protect vegetation and fragile cryptobiotic soils.
• Leave rocks as I find them and not stack rock cairns or build river dams.
• Protect the natural sounds of the canyon by talking softly and using headphones for music.
• Recycle what I can and dispose of my trash and food appropriately.
• Park in designated areas and avoid blocking traffic.
• Share what I’ve learned about stewardship by nicely asking people to follow the Zion Pledge if they are not.

This is an obvious example of what not to do but you'd be surprised how much of this type of vandalism can be found in natural places. Perhaps being human makes us want to leave our mark in a lasting way, but how will future generations view people like Kolby? 

While visiting Zion, it's important to take only photographs and leave only footprints. Pack out any trash you find, the animals thank you. Loving Zion means leaving it better than we found it.