The "Grand Circle" unites six of this country's most spectacular national parks into a 900-mile loop through Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. Zion National park is generally either your first or last stop on your "Grand Circle" adventure.

Comprised of massive Navajo Sandstone, the more than 2,000 foot cliffs that envelop you in Zion Canyon starting forms 225 million years ago when the oldest rock layers began. Then the Virgin River carved the lush canyon you see today. Evidence suggests that the Basket Indian Culture inhabited the region about A.D. 285. Along the way the Ancestral Puelboans and Southern Paiutes farmed and hunted in the canyon. The first white settlers were Mormons from Salt Lake City in the 1860s who grew cotton in the area until 1919 when Congress designated Zion as a national park.

The park is comprised of giant monoliths spanning the rainbow of colors with yellow, brown, red, pink and beige cliffs predominantly. Most well know monoliths are in the southeastern section of the park. They include The Watchman, the Great White Throne, Angels Landing and the Weeping Stone. In the northwest corner of the park you'll find the Kolob Canyons section. Kolob Arch is found in this section and this arch spans 310 feet, one of the longest free standing arches in the world.

There are an enormous variety of things to do in Zion, most available year-round. Photography is great, as well as hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, seasonal tubing down the Virgin River, guided backcountry tours, photo workshop and bird watching. There are numerous hiking trails throughout the park from easy to strenuous. Be sure to become familiar with the trail you select, and know your limits and abilities before venturing out. Information about the trains is available at the Visitor Center. The Zion Visitor Center is open year-round and provides information, exhibits and a museum.

Zion Lodge, the only lodging in the park, consists of motel-style rooms with 2 queen-sized beds, full bath or king suites with sitting rooms and refrigerator. Western cabins are available. Each has 2 double-sized beds, full bath, private porch and fireplace. Advance reservations are recommended because of the limited number of rooms.

Less than a mile from the park is the lovely Under the Eaves Bed & Breakfast. Built in the 1920's, this beautifully maintained bed & breakfast offers "English Hospitality" and "the best front porch in Utah".

During the busy season, late March to late October, the park operates two shuttle systems. One takes you from six locations in Springdale, Utah(one mile west of the park entrance) to the Zion Park Visitor Center. A second shuttle takes you from the Visitor Center into the park, with eight stops along the way, including the scenic drive in upper Zion Canyon. All of the shuttle services are free. The shuttle operates from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and provides convenient transportation to hiking trails, the park lodging, scenic points, horseback riding and more. And, you can get on and off the shuttle as often as you want. Be sure to bring along everything you'll need, including water, snacks, hats, walking shoes, cameras and binoculars. No eating or smoking is allowed on the shuttle and pets are not welcome.Personal vehicles are allowed to travel through the park on Highway 9 year-round.

From May to October, temperatures at Zion range from 70 to 105 degrees in the daytimes and from 45 to 75 degrees at night. Brief thunderstorms occur in July and August. Winters are mild, and generally there's little snow in the canyon, while snow does accumulate on the plateaus. Spring and Fall are perfect times to visit Zion. Temperatures range between 45 and 80 degrees in the daytime.

There are two campgrounds in Zion canyon; Watchman Campground and South Campground. Both are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Each campground has fire grates, picnic tables, water, restrooms and sanitary disposal stations. There are no utility hookups or showers. A fee is charged. The Lava Point Primitive Campground is open from May to October each year. Fire grates, tables and toilets are provided. There is no water at this campground and no fee is charged. Fishing is permitted in Zion Canyon with a Utah fishing license, but angling success is generally poor.

If you're headed to Zion from the west, follow Interstate 15 to the Highway 9 exit. From the east, follow U.S. Highway 89 to the Highway 9 turnoff. Zion is approximately 158 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, 119 miles north of the Grand Canyon's North Rim, 85 miles southwest of Bryce Canyon National Park, 320 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah, and 115 miles northwest of Page, Arizona.