Zion National Park

Landslides triggered by 2023’s wet winter damaged the original bridge. The relocated bridge will better accommodate shifts in the Virgin River.

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.

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.

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.

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.

After a COVID-19 slump, Utah’s parks have seen record visitors, with spending to match, every year since 2021.

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.