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and the resultant problems of pollution, noise, and damage to the park. The shuttle system consists of two loops: one in the town of Springdale and the other along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The loops connect at the visitor center just inside the south park entrance. From April through October, access to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (above Utah 9) is limited to shuttle buses, hikers, and bikers. The only exceptions are overnight Zion Lodge guests and tour buses connected with the lodge—both have access as far as the lodge. Shuttle stops are at all the major-use areas in the park, and shuttles run frequently (about every 6 min. at peak times). In winter, when visitation is lowest, visitors are permitted to drive the full length of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in their own vehicles.

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The ride through Zion Canyon is impressive by any standards, with massive stone reaching straight up to the heavens, and the North Fork of the Virgin River threading its way through the maze of rocks. The views in every direction are awe-inspiring. Stops along the road provide access to viewpoints and hiking trails.

The first stop is across from the Court of the Patriarchs, where a short paved trail leads to an impressive viewpoint. The next stop is Zion Lodge. Across the road from the lodge is the trailhead for the Emerald Pools Trail system. The Grotto Picnic Area is about a half-mile beyond the lodge, accessible from the lodge on a trail that parallels Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Across from the Grotto Picnic Area parking lot is a footbridge that leads to the Emerald Pools, Angels Landing, and West Rim trails.

Continuing north into Zion Canyon, the road passes the Great White Throne on the right and then Angels Landing on the left before coming to the turnoff to the Weeping Rock Trailhead parking area. From here, the road closely traces the curves of the river, with a couple of stops to allow different views of the Organ, which to some resembles a huge pipe organ. The road ends at the Temple of Sinawava, where the paved Riverside Walk follows the Virgin River toward The Narrows, one of the most incredible sights in Zion.

Kolob Canyons Road. To escape the crowds of Zion Canyon, head to the northwest corner of the park. The Kolob Canyons Road runs 5 miles among spectacular red and orange rocks, ending at a high vista. Allow about 45 minutes round-trip, which includes time for stopping at the numbered view points. Be sure to get a copy of the Kolob Canyons Road Guide at the Kolob Visitor Center. Here's what you'll pass along the way:

Leaving Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, you'll drive along the Hurricane Fault to Hurricane Cliffs, a series of tall, gray limestone cliffs, and onward to Taylor Creek, where a pinyon-juniper forest clings to life on the rocky hillside, providing a home to bright-blue scrub jays. Your next stop is Horse Ranch Mountain, which, at 8,726 feet, is the national park's highest point. Passing a series of colorful rock layers, where you might be lucky enough to spot a golden eagle, your next stop is Box Canyon, along the South Fork of Taylor Creek, with sheer rock walls soaring more than 1,500 feet high. Along this stretch you'll see multicolored layers of rock, pushed upward by tremendous forces from within the earth, followed by a side canyon with large, arched alcoves boasting delicate curved ceilings. Head on to a view of Timber Top Mountain, which has a sagebrush-blanketed desert at its base and a stately fir and ponderosa pine forest at its peak. Watch for mule deer on the brushy hillsides, especially between October and March, when they might be spotted just after sunrise or just before sunset. From here, continue to Rockfall Overlook; a large scar on the mountainside marks the spot where a 1,000-foot chunk of stone crashed to the earth in July 1983, the victim of erosion. Finally, stop to see the canyon walls themselves, colored orange-red by iron oxide and striped black by mineral-laden water running down the cliff faces.

Ranger Programs

Park rangers present a variety