Zion Closed Due To Rising River Levels

Zion National Park (UT)
Park Closed Due To Rising River Levels

Zion National Park is currently closed as a precaution due to rising river levels and potential flood damage to roads and infrastructure. The area has been saturated with heavy rains from the storms that have been pummeling California and parts of the Southwest. Zion Lodge and Watchman Campground in Zion Canyon are being evacuated to prevent the possibility of park visitors being trapped in the park by rising water levels. The park will be closed until the river level begins to drop and damage can be assessed. The river level early yesterday morning was 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). The level was predicted to reach 8,000 cfs late on Tuesday. The normal cfs at this time of the year is 40 to 50 cfs.

I suppose this means no slogging through the Virgin River Narrows?

Zion Canyon Reopens
Date: December 23, 2010
Contact: Ron Terry, 435-772-0160

The Zion Canyon section of Zion National Park reopened to the public on Thursday morning. Some trails remain closed until a damage assessment and necessary repairs can be completed.

The National Park Service has completed an assessment of roads and facilities following the recent storm. The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive has been reopened with a short section of one lane traffic south of the Court of the Patriarchs. Watchman Campground has been reopened and the Zion Lodge will be reopening at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 23.

The Pa'rus Trail along the Virgin River is open. Upper Emerald Pools is accessible only via the Kayenta Trail from the Grotto. Lower and Middle Emerald Pools trails are closed due to active rock and mudslides. The Weeping Rock Trail is being cleared of mud and debris and should be open by noon on Thursday. The Riverside Walk is closed two tenths of a mile from the end due to flood damage. The open section of the Riverside Walk is currently inaccessible for wheelchairs. The Watchman and Sand Bench Trails remain closed. Scout Lookout/Angels Landing, East Rim, and West Rim Trails will be inspected and damage assessed as soon as possible. Backcountry users should be aware that trails have not been assessed and they may encounter trail washouts and damage.

The Zion Mt. Carmel Highway from Canyon Junction to the park's East Entrance is still closed and repairs continue. The Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive is currently closed due to rock and mudslides.

The Zion Canyon Visitor Center and Kolob Canyons Visitor Center will be closed on Christmas Day as in the past. Entrance stations will have current information on road and trail conditions. Visitors needing backcountry permits should inquire at the entrance stations. Park Rangers will be patrolling the park and providing visitor assistance.

Visitors are advised to stay away from river and stream banks as they are saturated and prone to crumbling. The saturated soil makes additional landslides and rockfalls a possibility for the next several days. Visitors should be cautious while driving or hiking in the park.

Zion-Mount Carmel Highway in Zion National Park Reopens
Date: December 24, 2010
Contact: Ron Terry, 435-772-0160

The section of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway in Zion National Park damaged in the recent storm has been repaired and reopened. The highway was closed from Canyon Junction in Zion Canyon to the park’s East Entrance on December 20, after a storm event undercut a section of the road near Crazy Quilt Mesa and threatened to washout other sections of the road.

During the storm, the park’s road crew worked to prevented additional damage to the road and a contractor began work to repair the damaged section. The road crew was successful in preventing additional damage and the contractor has completed the repairs and the road has been reopened to normal visitor traffic.

The West Rim Trail from The Grotto to Scout Lookout has been checked and opened but hikers are advised to be aware of icy and slick areas. The East Rim Trail is clear to Echo Canyon. Due to a significant flow of water in the Echo Canyon drainage visitors are advised to not travel beyond the mouth of Echo Canyon for the next couple of days. Travel is also not advised beyond the mouth of Hidden Canyon. Additional open trails include Weeping Rock, Pa’rus, and most of the Riverside Walk. The Riverside Walk is not currently accessible by wheelchair. Lower and Middle Emerald Pools, Sand Bench, and Watchman Trails remain closed. The route to Angels Landing and other trails have not yet been checked and conditions are unknown.

The Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive has been cleared and is open to the public. The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is open with a section of one-way traffic south of the Court of the Patriarchs. The Zion Lodge is also open.

Motorists and hikers are advised to be cautious while in the park. The soil is saturated and additional rockfalls and landslides can occur for several days.

The southwest sure has been having a rough time these past weeks.