Zion National Park encompasses close to 150,000 acres of wild canyon country. What many visitors don’t realize is that parts of this wild, beloved national park are at risk of development: nearly 3,000 acres of private land remain within Zion’s boundaries. These islands of private property can impact trail access, wildfire management, views, water quality, and wildlife habitat — not to mention interrupting your hike.

Zion’s spellbinding beauty has been created over time by natural forces, including wind and ice, uplift and sedimentation, and perhaps most of all, the Virgin River—carving the canyon deeper and wider every year.

But within this awe-inspiring landscape, parcels of private land—or “inholdings”—threaten the wild character and wilderness experience for millions of annual visitors. Landowners can—and have—sold, restricted access to, and even built private mansions on these inholdings.

Trust for Public Land has been working since 2000 to make sure that your recreational access in and around Zion National Park remains uncompromised. In 2019—Zion’s centennial year—we preserved an 880-acre property on the park boundary, including the last unprotected mile of the Zion Narrows Trail. The deal assures access to this true wilderness experience in perpetuity.

You’re missing out if you don’t venture further afield.

From massive sandstone cliffs to narrow, sheer-walled canyons and high-altitude forests, this region contains some of Utah’s most amazing natural wonders. But most visitors don’t venture beyond the floor of Zion Canyon, which snakes through the heart of the park. Trust for Public Land has helped ensure access to the park’s stunning backcountry, in places like Tabernacle Dome (protected in 2012) and Orderville Gulch (protected in 2020).

Source of life

A great diversity of habitats and species exists within the park’s diverse topography. The park’s ecosystems support more than a thousand native plant species, ranging from tall, graceful cottonwoods growing along the river to towering pines and firs shading the higher elevations. Resting in the trees you may find threatened Mexican spotted owls; or by raising your gaze higher endangered California condors soaring above the cliffs.