National Park Service

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.

Utah’s national park lands see over 15 million visitors each year, and that number continues to grow. Zion National Park is the country’s third-most visited park.

A 3-2 vote on Thursday by Wyoming's top five elected officials ends decades of threats to sell the square-mile parcel to the highest-bidding private developer. The land has been a bone of contention between the state and federal officials for decades.

National Park Service officials say the 40-year-old man was rappelling through Heaps Canyon with three others on Saturday evening when he fell to his death. His identity has not been released.

Replacing Zion’s propane-powered buses is part of the park’s plan to manage booming visitor numbers while preserving its natural landscape and clean air.

The fall of the Toilet Bowl at Lake Powell is a sad reminder that the spectacular geological arches that dot southern Utah’s landscape aren’t guaranteed to be there forever.

The geological feature, also known as the “Double Arch” or the “Hole in the Roof,” collapsed on Aug. 8. National Park Service officials said no injuries were reported.

Capitol Reef National Park’s fruit orchards — planted by Mormon pioneers — are a big attraction. But as old trees die and heirloom varieties become harder to find, the park is racing to preserve a juicy piece of Utah history.

Tourists continue to flock to parks in Utah and other southwestern states during the hottest months of the year, even as officials caution that hiking in extreme heat poses serious health risks.

The National Park Service is rolling out a plan to reroute oversized vehicles off the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, citing safety and the road’s infrastructure.