Zion National Park in southern Utah is considering capping the number of visitors it accepts during peak times.
A record 4 million people are projected to visit the park this year, up from 3.7 million in 2015 and 2.6 million in 2010. In a release, park officials said this has resulted in “over-capacity issues” on shuttle buses, on front-country trails, and at key destinations and facilities, particularly in the Zion Canyon corridor. Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said officials are concerned about “health and safety issues; diminishing quality of visitor experiences; and associated impacts to soils, vegetation, water, wildlife habitat, soundscapes, and cultural resources.” The park has proposed a reservation system for visitors and other management strategies and is taking public comments through November 23rd.
