Springdale

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.

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.

For gateway and resort communities it’s a tale as old as time: High costs of living make it hard to attract the labor that keeps the wheels turning.

The new public transit route connecting southwest Utah’s largest city and one of America’s most-visited national parks is expected to launch by late July. It could remove cars from congested roads and help tourism workers get to their jobs.

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.

In annual reports sent to Dark Sky International, Utah’s national and state parks list light pollution from development and tourism as the main threat to maintaining their certification.

The sweet, tart and mysterious desert has been attracting hungry travelers at the gateway to Zion National Park for nearly 60 years.

The new shuttles are part of Zion’s long-term plan to manage growing visitor numbers while preserving the park’s natural beauty.

The new bus route is scheduled to begin next summer between St. George and the town of Springdale at the west entrance of Zion National Park. It's meant to make life easier for both tourists and residents.