SPRINGDALE (KTNV) — It is a busy fall for rangers at Zion National Park.
According to the National Park Service, rangers are getting ready repair damage done to Kolob Canyons Road after a landslide earlier this year. In March, rangers spotted a "depressed area" on the road, which was closed as a precaution. Shortly after that, the road began to collapse.
"Engineers and park maintenance staff developed the plan to repair the road in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration," Bry Carter, Zion Chief of Facilities Management said. "Just like all construction in the park, we are going to ensure this work complements the natural landscape and improves visitors' experiences."
The project will include excavating unstable materials and reinforcing the road's base to a depth of eight feet with geo-grid, structural cloth, and compacted soil, repaving more than 6,000 square feet of pavement, and installing ditches, gutter, and curbs to drain the road more effectively.
While construction is underway, the road and all trailheads next to it will be closed to drivers, hikers, horse riders, and bicyclists. That includes the Lee Pass Trailhead and campsites on La Verkin Creek and Hop Valley Trails.
Zion National Park is heading into its fall and winter season by launching five new battery-electric buses. National Park Service officials said it's the first of an entirely new fleet of electric buses that will be used by the park thanks to a $33 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Since the park's shuttle service launched in 2000, the park has used propane-powered vehicles. This summer, the shuttle service celebrated their 90 millionth passenger.
"The Zion Canyon Shuttle System has been essential in our work conserving this special place so that visitors can enjoy it forever," Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park superintendent, said. "In 2000, this was a significant change in how we addressed increasing visitation in Zion Canyon. This milestone demonstrates how successful its operation has been."
According to the National Park Service, the park recorded 2.4 million visitors in 2000 and it rose to five million in 2021.
Park rangers said they're also switching over to their fall/winter schedule. Here's a look at the shuttle schedules.
According to Zion National Park officials, the last day of fall shuttle service in Zion Canon and Springdale is Nov. 26 and personal vehicle access will be allowed starting on Nov. 27 and visitors should plan on there being limited park. When parking in Zion Canyon is full, the National Park Service may temporarily close the road.
Shuttle service is scheduled to resume from Dec. 22 to Dec. 31. During that time frame, visitors will not be allowed to drive personal vehicles on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.
Person vehicle access in Zion Canyon will resume on Jan. 1, 2024. The shuttle service will return in the spring. Rangers said additional information on when that starts again will be released at a later date.
