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ZION. This is the place. Deep, spectacular canyons and lots of water. It's a good place to hide out when it's stinkin' hot. There are many dramatic and technical routes to challenge the veteran canyoneer, plus a wide selection of more moderate routes that offer more beauty than challenge. Zion is very civilized and accessible. Some official trails are paved, and facilities, rangers and tourists are ubiquitous.
South Fork of Oak Creek - Closed
All Forks of Oak Creek are on private land, and at the moment they are closed to public access. Click for More Information.
Low-Impact Notes
Please minimize your impacts in the canyons. Besides the usual obvious points, here are a couple of canyon-specific notes:
Mystery Canyon: in the upper canyon, stay IN THE WATERCOURSE as much as possible. Most of the short drops can be downclimbed fairly easily, or rappeled off available anchors. Cutting around the drops is making horrendous social trails in the soft, unstable soil.
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| Brain Cabe rappelling into a canyon, Kolob Terrace area. |
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Behunin Canyon: again stay in the watercourse. In the middle part of the canyon, social trails cutting around obstacles are creating some real messes. By staying in the watercourse, you can minimize your impact - and have a good time. This might mean swimming a pool, but packs can be zipped across, and anyway, you're canyoneering - you're supposed to get wet. Folks will find that by staying in the watercourse, the nasty, two-stage rappel is replaced by a very easy and pleasant two-stage rappel.
Spry Canyon: stay in the watercourse. There's a really neat pool that you get to swim. At the end, when hiking down, do NOT cut left to the sandpile. Instead, descend directly down the watercourse. When you get to the 90' cliff, either rappel (a nice one) or walk right to the edge of the sand pile, and find a trail down and back into the watercourse.
Local Ethics:
Zion's canyons have a lot of bolts already, and don't really need more. There are quite a few museum quality bolts out there, so please use caution. Other than maintenance of existing anchors, please do not add bolts to the canyons of Zion. The new ethic in Zion is to leave as little trace of your passage as possible.
A Special Place:
Permits are required for narrow canyon adventures using ropes, for the Narrows, and for all overnights in Zion. Permits allow the Park staff to make contact with visitors, steer you to the appropriate adventures for your skills and desires; and monitor usage in the backcountry canyons. The rangers in Zion are really helpful - be sure to use them as a source of information. They know the latest weather and information on your chosen route. A weather report is posted at the backcountry desk - use this plus common sense before adventuring in Zion.
Permits are obtained at the Visitor Center the day before or the morning of your departure. See below for the Backcountry Desk Schedules. Cost is on a sliding scale, but usually 10$ per permit. For those travelling from Salt Lake City, permits may be obtained at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center (435.586.9548) on the way down. Hours and quality of service varies - it is highly recommended that you call ahead if using the Kolob Visitor Center, so they will leave their computer on until closing. It can often be a hassle to get the permit, so plan ahead and get your permit early to avoid getting stuck in line.
Spring 2003:, the Park placed very strict Interim Use Limits on all canyons in the Park. For more on the issue of access, visit (and join) the Zion Canyoneering Coalition. The Narrows has a limit of 80 persons per day. The Subway, Pine Creek, Keyhole and Orderville Canyons have a limit of 50 persons per day. All other canyons have a limit of 12 persons per day. Reservations are taken (and recommended) for The Narrows, The Subway and Mystery Canyon. Check the Zion National Park Backcountry Homepage for the latest information, and to information for reserving your Subway or Mystery Permit. Some permits are held for walk-ins, and are available starting at 6:30 am the day before.
To avoid getting bumped by the canyon limits, plan your Subway, Mystery or Narrows trip for a day other than Friday or Saturday. The new permit system and unreasonably strict quotas are a major hassle. Please do not take your frustrations out on the people at the backcountry desk - they suffer through this system as much or more than we do. If you have things to say about the permit system, and especially if you are not allowed in your preferred canyon, please send a letter of complaint to:
Superintendant
Zion National Park
Springdale, UT 84767
| The Zion Canyoneering Coalition advocates for balanced access to the Zion backcountry for recreational canyoneers. The park is in the middle of the backcountry management planning process, and the future of canyoneering in Zion is at stake. Please visit the Zion Canyoneering Coalition Website to learn more about these issues and how you can participate in the planning process. |
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Zion has a wonderful shuttle bus system for the upper canyon, running from about April 1 to October 31. Cars are prohibited in the main canyon from Pine Creek Junction north, and buses run from the Visitor Center to the Temple of Sinawava on a closely-spaced schedule. The peace and quiet is fantastic, and the lack of parking hassles is great. The best place to park and pack for adventures starting in the main canyon is at the Park Museum (aka Old Visitor's Center). There are restrooms available, and you can park close to the shuttle stop. The shuttle is free with your entrance fee. In the summer, the last shuttle from the Temple of Sinawava is 11 PM. Past 11, you can walk to the lodge and someone there will usually give you a ride out.
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| Green Wall in Hidden Canyon |
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| Cam Brensinger rappeling in a Zion Canyon |
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RESOURCES
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Zion National Park Backcountry Homepage
has a lot of information on the permit system and the Interim Use Limits. Visit the website for Subway and Mystery reservations; or to find out the latest on other stuff. Visit the desk in the main canyon for current conditions, hike suggestions and to get your permit. The rangers are helpful, knowledgeable and cool. During summer months, the Backcountry Desk (435.772.0170) is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Spring, fall and winter hours are shorter. Call the 24 hour number for current updates at 435-772-3256.
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| Visitor Center Hours |
| Dates | Zion Canyon BC Desk | Kolob Canyons BC Desk |
| Jan 1 - April 18 2003 | 8 AM - 5 PM | 8 AM - 5 PM |
| April 19 - May 23 2003 | 6:30 AM - 6 PM | 7 AM - 6 PM |
| May 24 - Sept 7 2003 | 6:30 AM - 7 PM | 7 AM - 7 PM |
| Sept 8 - Oct 5 2003 | 6:30 AM - 6 PM | 7 AM - 6 PM |
| Oct 6 2003 - April 2004 | 8 AM - 5 PM | 8 AM - 5 PM |
| Zion Canyon Shuttle Schedule - "Summer Schedule" |
| First Bus from Visitor Center upcanyon: 5:45 AM |
| Last Bus from Temple of Sinawava: 11:00 PM |
| Click Here for Latest Shuttle Information |
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Camping (Casual)
is available south of Highway 9 between the towns of Virgin and Rockville at milepost 23.5. Often called Mosquito Cove, the place is a large and popular sandy area on the floodplain between the river and the highway. The locals are persistent - you've been warned. Please do your part to keep this area clean. No bathrooms, showers, or water is available here. |
Camping (Official)
Near the Park Entrance, South Campground is a first-come, first-served campground with sites crowded into a small forest. At 14$ per site per night, it is OK but expensive. With prior planning, reserved tent sites in the Watchman Campground offer a much more pleasant experience. Neither campground has showers. Click Here for Watchman Campground Reservations.
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 | The best Joe in town is at the Mean Bean Cafe, in the center of town. Across the alley, the breakfast burritos at Oscar's Cafe can't be beat.
For dinner and entertainment, the Bit & Spur offers ample portions of both (toward the south end of town). On more modest occasions, try the Pizza Noodle right in the center of town. |
| Gear, Information and Training
Several establishments in town offer information, training, guides and gear for rent or purchase, or perhaps a bike to rent for that rest day after Heaps: |
 | Zion Adventure Company
(36 Lion Blvd, about 470 Zion Park Blvd) offers a wide assortment of canyoneering gear for rent including shoes, packs and drysuits. ZAC offers a very informative introductory talk on the Zion Narrows, plus guided canyoneering and canyoneering courses just outside the Park. Shuttle Service. www.ZionAdventures.com 435-772-1001 |
 | Zion Rock and Mountain Guides
(1458 Zion Park Blvd) offers a full selection of rock climbing and canyoneering gear, as well as canyon shoes, wetsuits and dry suits for rental. They are the experts on rock climbing in Zion, and offer guided rock climbing and canyoneering outside the Park. Call or click for Shuttle Service and Rental Package combo deals. Shower facility available. www.ZionRockGuides.com 435-772-3303
| | | The Outdoor Center
(868 Zion Park Blvd, behind the Pizza Noodle) offers a wide selection of gear, including specialized canyoneering gear, for purchase and rental. 435-772-0990 Bicycle rentals available. |
 | Zion Cycle
(868 Zion Park Blvd, behind the Pizza Noodle) Springdale’s oldest bike shop. Fred, the owner, is one of, the best mechanics you’ll ever meet. He’ll fix anything, unless you break your frame or your body. Large rental fleet of road and mountain bikes. Large selection of gear. Nicest guy in town. Watch out for Pablo though. |
| Hiker Shuttle Service |
Zion Rock and Mountain Guides offers shuttles twice daily to Chamberlain's Ranch and other East Side trailheads (6:00am and 9:00am). Reservations required. Call about special Shuttle/Gear Rental Combo packages. They also offer shuttles to Lee Pass, Lava Point, Wildcat Canyon Trailhead and the East Rim Trailhead. Call 435-772-3303 |
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Zion Adventure Company Shuttle Service to Chamberlain's Ranch and other East Side trailheads departs from 36 Lion Blvd every day at 6:30am and 9:30am. Reservations required. Custom shuttles available upon request. Call 435-772-1001 |
| Motel and Town Services |
 | The El Rio Lodge is my favorite motel in Springdale. Conveniently located in the middle of town. (435) 772-3205 or toll free (888) 772-3205, Fax (435) 772-2455, E-mail: elrio@infowest.com. Ten-room, family-owned motel. Clean, quiet, friendly, convenient. No frills. Great views. Budget/Winter rates. $47-$52. |
 | Springdale Chamber of Commerce: links to many many Springdale Businesses, included motels, B&Bs, and just about everything else down to the local gas stations. |
 | The Wave- an hour east of Zion, The Wave is a very spectacular canyon in the Coyote Buttes Wilderness Area. Reservations are required to visit the area, and it generally gets booked up months in advance. Well worth a visit if you are in the area. |
 | USGS Streamflow: North Fork Virgin River near Springdale |
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