Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [455]
breaking, and eroding. The most important of Zion's nine rock layers in creating its colorful formations is Navajo sandstone, the thickest rock layer in the park at up to 2,200 feet.
Millions of years ago, a shallow sea covered the sand dunes here. It caused minerals, including lime from the shells of sea creatures, to glue sand particles together, forming sandstone. Later, movements in the earth's crust lifted the land, draining away the sea but leaving rivers that gradually carved the soft sandstone into the spectacular shapes we see today.
But where do the marvelous colors of the rocks come from? Essentially, from rust. Most of the rocks at Zion are colored by iron or hematite (iron oxide), either contained in the original stone or carried into the rocks by groundwater. Although iron often creates red and pink hues, seen in many of Zion's sandstone faces, it can also result in blacks,
browns, yellows, and even greens. Sometimes the iron seeps into the rock, coloring it through, but often it just stains the surface in vertical streaks. Rocks are also colored by bacteria that live on their surfaces. The bacteria ingest dust and expel iron, manganese, and other minerals, which stick to the rock and produce a shiny black, brown, or reddish surface called desert varnish.
Because of its extremes in elevation (3,666–8,726 ft.) and climate, Zion harbors a vast array of flora and fauna. Wildlife here includes pocket gophers, mountain lions, hundreds of birds (including golden eagles), and dozens of snakes. As for plants, about 800 native species have been found, including cactus, yucca, and mesquite in the hot, dry desert areas; ponderosa pine trees on the high plateaus; and cottonwoods and box elders along the rivers and streams. Watch for the red claret cup cactus, which has spectacular blooms in the spring, and for wildflowers such as manzanita, which has tiny pink blossoms, and the bright red hummingbird trumpet, sometimes called the "Zion Lily." And don't miss the hanging gardens of plant life clinging to the sides of the sandstone cliffs.
Avoiding the Crowds. Try to avoid the peak summer months of June, July, and August, when temperatures are hot and Zion receives almost half its annual visitors. The quietest months are December, January, and February, but of course it's cold and you may have to contend with some snow and ice. Good times to visit, if your schedule permits, are April, May, September, and October, when the weather is usually pleasant and the park is less crowded than in the summer.
Once in the park, the best way to avoid crowds is to walk away from them, either on the longer and more strenuous hiking trails or on treks into the backcountry. It's sad but true: Most visitors to Zion never bother to venture far from the main view points. Their loss can be your gain. You can also avoid the hordes by spending time in Kolob Canyons, in the far northwest section of the park; it's spectacular and receives surprisingly little use, at least in comparison to Zion Canyon.
Just the Facts
GETTING THERE & GATEWAYS
Zion National Park is in the southwestern corner of Utah, 83 miles southwest of Bryce Canyon National Park and 120 miles northwest of the north rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. It's 309 miles south of Salt Lake City, 42 miles northwest of Kanab, and 158 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. The park consists of two main parts: Zion Canyon, the main section, and the less visited Kolob Canyons, in the northwest corner. The closest towns with airport service are St. George (46 miles southwest of the park), and Cedar City (60 miles north).
The easiest way to get to the park is to approach from the west on I-15, which runs north to Salt Lake City and southwest through Arizona to Nevada. This route is more direct than the eastern approach, avoids possible delays at the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel, and delivers you to Springdale, just outside the park's south entrance, where most of the