HURRICANE — Utah’s most popular national park could be too popular for its own good.

In an effort to preserve the wilderness experience, officials at Zion National Park are weighing options for how to control crowds by possibly capping the number of daily visitors and using a reservation system.

During a meeting Tuesday evening in Hurricane, park officials answered questions and gathered input from residents and business owners about the proposed Visitor Use Management Plan.

“It’s a Zoo,” Hurricane resident Conrad Walters said of the crowds inside Zion. “The trails are unbelievably crowded in the valley.”

Walters says he hates to think of visitors being turned away but agrees that the overcrowding needs to be addressed.

“There’s almost no parking available unless you park in town,” he added.

“Park visitor capacity issues are not new to Zion National Park,” Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh wrote in an information packet handed out at the meeting. “In 2000, with congressionally appropriated funding, the park implemented the current shuttle bus system.”

The visitor capacities could vary by season and even by specific areas within the park. Also, the park is considering a timed-entry system to stagger access to popular destinations.

A record 3.66 million people visited the acclaimed wilderness area in 2015. This year, the park expects to exceed 4 million guests. For comparison, in 2010 visitation to Zion topped out at 2.6 million.

The park’s spokesperson says all those visitors can damage the park itself.

“We can't have 4 million people simply stepping off and making their own trail,” said park spokesperson Aly Baltrus. “On sandstone, just a couple of people stepping on the vegetation will reduce it back to sand.”

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The uptick in visitors is also affecting the experience for travelers, who have started to complain about long lines, crowded shuttles and packed trails.

“We see people complaining about being right up against somebody; really all you see is their back as you’re hiking,” Baltrus said. “Also safety issues, at Angels Landing, people not being respectful and waiting. In a lot of areas you can only allow one direction at a time.”

Adding to the congestion, the park’s peak season is not just in the summer anymore; it now starts in the early spring and lasts until the late fall.

“I was amazed at how crowded it was in October,” said Hurricane resident Elizabeth Dansie, who attended the meeting.

While acknowledging that crowding has become a problem, Dansie worries about locals who want to visit the park on a whim. She doesn’t want them denied access for not having a reservation.

Information and meetings

To read more about the Visitor Use Management Plan and provide your feedback, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=58542.

The meeting in Hurricane is just one of seven open houses and one live webinar. Here are the dates and locations of the remaining meetings:

10/26/2016
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Zion Lodge Auditorium
Zion National Park, Utah

10/26/2016
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Canyon Community Center
126 Lion Blvd. Springdale, Utah

10/27/2016
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Southern Utah University
Sharwan Smith Student Center
Cedar Breaks Room 141
Cedar City, Utah

10/28/2016
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Salt Lake City Marriott University Park
Aspen Meeting Room - 5th Floor
480 Wakara Way
Salt Lake City, Utah

10/31/2016
12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Live webinar
https://nationalparkserviceevents.webex.com/
Event Number: 660 176 631

11/01/2016
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Kanab City Library
Multipurpose Room
374 North Main
Kanab, Utah

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