Zion

Zion National park is an American National Park which is located in the western part of U.S interior, in the state of Utah. Its location is spread over the three different counties of Washington, Kane and Iron. It’s known as one of the smallest parks in the U.S with it area of 590km2.

The first human settlement was located in this region for about 8 000 years ago, by Native Americans. It was the ethnic group of the half-nomadic Basketmaker Anasazi, who was the first people to settle down in the region after the natives. Throughout the next 200 years, the Baskemaker settled down in permanent locations, which resulted in a new gro up growing up; Virgin Anasazi. There was also a third group living in the area, until they all three moved out by 1300. The most popular activity in the park is the Zion Canyon, which makes out the reason of this park’s formation. The canyon was revealed around the 1860s by the Mormons. The current president William Howard Taft, named the area as a national monument in 1909, to preserve the canyon. The name became Mukuntuweap National Monument. 10 years later, the area received the official status as a National Park of America, and also renamed the name till Zion, since Mukuntuweap was unpopular within the local population.

The area of the park is spread over the three different types of terrain of the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin and the Colorado Plateaus. All together, the park includes a number of species, like 289 birds, 79 mammals, 28 reptiles, 7 fish, and 6 amphibians. All together there are a number of mountains in the park, with a various height of 2 660 m till 1 117 m. The most popular activity in this park, is hiking and climbing. A popular spot for hiking is the Narrows, which is part of the Canyon North Fork.

Written by Henrik Sandnes.