Zion National Park

Zion National Park in southwestern Utah was created in 1919 from Mukuntuweap National Monument and established in 1909. In 1956, Zion National Monument was added, extending the park’s area to 146,598 acres. The cliffs of Zion Canyon, a deep, steep-walled chasm cut by the Virgin River, display brightly colored rocks in which millions of years of Earth history, spanning the Mesozoic Era of geologic time, are recorded. Dinosaur footprints and petrified wood are preserved in these rocks. Among the landmarks are the 2,400-foot Great White Throne and Checkerboard Mesa, a massive layer of white sandstone etched with criss-crossing lines.