News Release

Zion National Park improves drainage pipes near South Entrance

Map of work area and detour route near Zion National Park’s South Entrance.

NPS

News Release Date: November 8, 2022

Contact: Jonathan Shafer, [phone]

SPRINGDALE, Utah – Starting on or about Monday, November 14, Zion National Park will begin work to improve drainage pipes under the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway near the park’s South Entrance. The National Park Service (NPS) began planning this work after a flood that happened in June 2021. NPS engineers and maintenance staff designed these improvements to make flooding less likely in the future. 

While the work is happening, there will be one lane open into the park and one lane open out of the park at the South Entrance. This is so that construction workers can complete the project more quickly and efficiently. Drivers will follow a clearly marked detour route through the South Campground (which is closed during the winter) so that the construction contractor can work without interruption. 

When the project is done, there will be multiple new or improved culverts along the road, and the park will resurface effected areas of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. 

Pack your patience 

The NPS knows from experience that having a single entrance lane open at the park’s South Entrance can slow drivers’ entry. To manage wait times, park rangers will actively manage traffic while this essential work is happening. Look for updates about current conditions before you drive to Zion. Also, check our seasonal shuttle schedule before you get to the park.

The work will not affect the park’s pedestrian and bicycle entrance near Zion Canyon Village. 

Planning for the future  

This project builds on past work to relocate a park entrance monument and improve the fee booths at the park’s south entrance, and it complements planning to improve the entire south entrance area. The NPS is proactively working to identify other opportunities to improve visitor services in the park.  

Zion recorded about 2.8 million visits in 2011 and more than 5 million in 2021. As the number of people who visit Zion has gone up, the NPS is working to sustain high quality visitor experiences and sustainably manage the plants, animals, landscapes, and history that make the park special.