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Zion National Park Recovering After Torrential Downpour

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By NPT Staff - June 30th, 2021

Zion National Park crews on Wednesday were cleaning up debris from a monsoonal rainstorm/NPS

Crews were working Wednesday to clean up from a torrential rainstorm that dropped an inch of rain on Zion National Park in an hour's time, with more rain possible in the forecast.

Work following Tuesday's storm involved reopening Utah Route 9, the south and east entrances for inbound and outbound traffic, the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, park store, and park and in-town shuttle operations.  

Visitors should expect traffic delays, debris on roads, and potential closures of trails and parking areas as clean-up continues and damage is being assessed. The oversized vehicle lot is closed until further notice. The park has very limited oversized vehicle parking due to this closure. Visitors should plan on parking in town where oversized parking is available on Lion Boulevard and other parking areas.  

The park's RV lot was inundated by the storm/NPS

The park's RV lot was inundated by the storm Tuesday/NPS

According to the National Weather Service, the flash flood rating for Zion National Park for Wednesday was "probable." Zion experiences monsoonal rain storms from mid-July into September that result in an increased risk of flash floods. These floods often occur without warning and can increase water flow by over 100 times.

Park visitors should plan ahead and be prepared. Always be aware of the threat of storms and lightning and be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions. Flash floods, often caused by storms miles away, are a very real danger and can be life threatening. Know the weather and flash flood potential ratings before starting your trip.

If bad weather threatens, do not enter a narrow canyon. Three critical steps to flash flood safety are: get to higher ground, do not drive in water, and stay informed. When an area is flooded turn around, don’t drown.  

Alternate east and west routes are available via Highway 59 from Hurricane, Uta, to Fredonia, Arizona and Highway 14 from Cedar City, Utah, to Long Valley Junction and Highway 89.  

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