Bryce Canyon National Park

All but one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks had an increase in visitors from the previous year. At the same time, concerns linger about how federal job cuts might impact park crowds.

An estimated 1,000 National Park Service employees have been fired so far. That includes at least 20 rangers, by one unofficial count, from Utah’s popular and busy national parks.

The February mass firing of National Park Service employees has hit parks in southern Utah, including Zion and Bryce Canyon. That’s spurring worries about long lines and crowds as the parks’ busy season ramps up.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the nationwide Christmas Bird Count. The data volunteers gather in Utah helps scientists understand how climate change and other factors threaten bird habitats.

Since 1906, all but three presidents have used the Antiquities Act to protect unique landscapes and cultural resources. Biden has signed off on six monuments and either restored or enlarged boundaries for a handful of others during his term.

The project in Zion National Park to rebuild the Kolob Canyons Road illustrates the challenges of maintaining infrastructure across southern Utah, where constant erosion is part of life.

The state has previously stepped in to fund park operations, something Gov. Spencer Cox said is critical for rural communities.

Bryce Canyon National Park Superintendent Jim Ireland said the park — one of the smallest in the country — is at the edge of what staff can manage with the current visitorship.

Bryce Canyon National Park is 100 years old, but the geology of the park has been forming for millions of years. Climate change and rising visitation could change what happens next.

They signed onto a letter that calls on the National Park Service to extend reservation windows up to a year out.

Fires are monitored after they’re contained, but hot spots can spread when there’s high wind and temperatures, as well as low humidity.

National Park Service officials in Utah don’t expect a catastrophic flood, but they are preparing for other calamities.