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Visitor Use Management Plan and EA
Zion National Park » Visitor Use Management Plan and EA » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) continues to prepare a draft Visitor Use Management plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) for Zion National Park. This plan and EA will propose actions to provide sustainable visitor access, protect park resources, improve visitor experiences, and promote visitor and staff safety.
The planning process was initiated in 2016. The park is currently updating preliminary management alternatives and developing other elements of the plan with the aim of releasing a draft plan and EA this winter (2024/2025).
"To resolve current issues and for future management success this planning effort is fundamental to meeting the park's mission," Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park Superintendent said. "The National Park Service's mandate is to conserve the park's resources in perpetuity and provide safe and meaningful experiences for park visitors. This planning effort builds on past successes and will help ensure we continue to fulfill our mission in the future."
The NPS is developing this plan and EA in response to rapidly changing visitation patterns. Visits to Zion have nearly doubled from 2.7 million visits in 2010 to 5 million visits in 2021.
To prepare for this planning effort, park staff have collected data on visitor use levels and patterns to understand how experiences have changed over time, piloted potential visitor use management strategies, and worked with stakeholders and the public to better understand their current experiences and preferences.
This information is being used to analyze potential strategies to address issues with congestion and crowding and sustainable park operations to protect resources and provide the best experiences possible at Zion National Park.
Information on the planning process and strategies that are currently being evaluated are on our website. You can read the update online:
https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/management/visitor-use-research-and-planning.htm
The NPS looks forward to hearing directly from the public when the draft plan and EA is released, providing engagement opportunities in area communities and virtually to hear directly from visitors, stakeholders, and surrounding communities.
435-772-0154
The planning process was initiated in 2016. The park is currently updating preliminary management alternatives and developing other elements of the plan with the aim of releasing a draft plan and EA this winter (2024/2025).
"To resolve current issues and for future management success this planning effort is fundamental to meeting the park's mission," Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park Superintendent said. "The National Park Service's mandate is to conserve the park's resources in perpetuity and provide safe and meaningful experiences for park visitors. This planning effort builds on past successes and will help ensure we continue to fulfill our mission in the future."
The NPS is developing this plan and EA in response to rapidly changing visitation patterns. Visits to Zion have nearly doubled from 2.7 million visits in 2010 to 5 million visits in 2021.
To prepare for this planning effort, park staff have collected data on visitor use levels and patterns to understand how experiences have changed over time, piloted potential visitor use management strategies, and worked with stakeholders and the public to better understand their current experiences and preferences.
This information is being used to analyze potential strategies to address issues with congestion and crowding and sustainable park operations to protect resources and provide the best experiences possible at Zion National Park.
Information on the planning process and strategies that are currently being evaluated are on our website. You can read the update online:
https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/management/visitor-use-research-and-planning.htm
The NPS looks forward to hearing directly from the public when the draft plan and EA is released, providing engagement opportunities in area communities and virtually to hear directly from visitors, stakeholders, and surrounding communities.
Contact Information
Susan McPartland435-772-0154