Zion National Park Facts
Zion National Park Facts
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| Interesting Zion National Park Facts: |
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| Zion is a Hebrew word that means ‘a place of peace and relaxation.' This was the name given to the canyon in the 1860s by Mormon pioneers. |
| The name change that took place was partly due to the fact that it was difficult to pronounce and the National Park Service was worried that if people couldn't pronounce the name then they wouldn't visit the park. |
| Approximately 2.5 million people visit the park each year. In 1920 only 3,692 people visited the park. |
| The first Europeans to explore the region did so in 1776. |
| The Virgin River area was settled in 1847, by Mormon farmers of European descent. |
| The park contains the about 800 native plant species, having the richest plant diversity in all of Utah. |
| The highest elevation in the park is at Kolob Canyon at 8,726 feet and the lowest is 3,666 feet, at Coal Pits Wash. |
| There are 79 different species of mammals in the park. |
| There are 289 bird species, 8 fish species and 32 species of reptiles and amphibians in Zion NP. |
| The California Condor, a bird considered one of the most endangered species, can be found in the park. |
| Predators in the park include cougars, gray fox, ring-tail cats and coyotes. |
| One of the largest mammals in the region is the mule deer. |
| The Olympic Torch passed through the park in 2002 while on its way to Salt Lake City. |
| Humans have been living in Zion Canyon for at least 8,000 years. |
| There is a natural underground spring in the park. The water from the spring takes 1,000 years to make its way through the rock surfaces and can be seen by visitors to the area. |
| Because of traffic issues in the canyon, a propane-powered shuttle-bus service was created in 2000. |
| There are four life zones in the park including: desert, Coniferous forest, woodland and riparian. |
| Zion Canyon is the park's main attraction. Other popular attractions in the park include the Great White Throne, Angel's Landing and the Watchman. |
| Zion Canyon encompasses 15 miles of Zion National Park's area. The canyon is approximately 800 meters deep. |
| The park usually receives the most rain in March. It is common for thunderstorms to occur from the middle of July to the middle of September. |
| The lowest recorded temperature in the park was -20 degrees Fahrenheit in 1989, and the highest recorded temperature was 104 degrees Fahrenheit in 1985. |
| There are abandoned cliff houses and rock art in the park that were left behind by the Anasazi people 800 to 1,500 years ago. |
| In 1904, there were paintings of Zion Canyon exhibited at the St. Louis World's Fair. The artist was Frederick Dellenbaugh. |
| The first tourists to reach the park by car arrived in 1917. |
| Isaac Behunin is credited with settling the Zion Canyon floor in 1863, and for naming it Zion. |
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