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ST. GEORGE — Zion National Park has been working to draft a visitor use management plan since 2016. Locals and visitors alike have voiced different opinions about what is best for the park, and many businesses in surrounding communities fear what will happen if visitor numbers are restricted.
Over the last decade, Zion National Park has experienced increased visitation and overcrowding. The number of visitors has nearly doubled since the ‘90s, and 4.5 million people went to the park in 2017.
Park officials drafted alternatives for the Zion visitor use management plan fall of 2016 to better preserve the park and its resources, as well as provide visitors a safer, more enjoyable park experience. But the decrease of visitors to the park could come with a price.
After seeking public opinion, the park came up with three alternatives, which are outlined in the National Park Service Preliminary Alternative Concepts Newsletter.
Alternative A, the no action plan, proposes that the park continue operating under its current management plan.
In alternative B, officials would establish an online reservation system to visit the frontcountry area of the park. The number of visitors allowed would depend on the park’s carrying capacity, which is still being determined.
Alternative C would require visitors to use an online reservation system and obtain a permit, but only for the most popular, overcrowded hikes in the park.
The park accepted public comment on the alternatives from July to August last year.
Read the full article at St. George News.
