Attractions

There are no major historic sites at Zion National Park, but there is some archaeological evidence of the early peoples who inhabited the area, plus a few 20th-century structures of historic interest. Archaeologists have found evidence of several historic and prehistoric cultures throughout the park. It is believed that people from the Archaic Period occupied the area from about 7,000 to 2,500 years ago; it is thought that people of the Virgin Anasazi Pueblo culture lived at Zion until about A.D. 1150; and the Southern Paiutes, who arrived in the area at about A.D. 1100, stayed in the area until European settlers arrived in about 1860. Although there are few designated and marked archaeological sites, hikers with sharp eyes may see pot shards, pieces of ancient stone tools, rock art, and other artifacts. There's a site with rock art near the park's south entrance; ask rangers for specific directions. Park officials ask that you refrain from touching these artifacts -- especially rock art and painted pottery, because skin oils can damage them -- and that you not move them.

Just outside the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, the short but steep Archeology Trail (.4 mile round-trip with an 80-foot elevation gain), leads to the outlines of small prehistoric storage buildings. There are also some trailside exhibits and interpretive signs.

From the Weeping Rock parking area, you can see remains of a cable operation that was used to lower millions of board feet of timber from Cable Mountain to the floor of Zion Canyon between 1901 and 1926. The timber was used for the building of pioneer settlements along the Virgin River.

Along Taylor Creek in the Kolob Canyons section of the park are the remains of two cabins. The Gustav Larson homestead cabin, built in 1930 of white fir logs brought from Cedar City, is near the confluence of the North and Middle forks. Arthur Fife, a teacher at Branch Agricultural College (now Southern Utah University), also built a homestead cabin of white fir logs in 1930. This cabin is perched above the north bank of the creek.

Also from that period is the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, which you'll drive through if you're entering or leaving the park on the east side. Dedicated on July 4, 1930, the 1-mile tunnel cost over $500,000 and took longer than 3 years to build. At the time it opened, it was the longest tunnel in the United States. Another historic structure, the handsome Zion Lodge, was built in 1925 by the Union Pacific Railroad, but was destroyed by fire in 1966. It was rebuilt the following year and restored to its historic appearance in 1991. Several 1920s-era restored tourist cabins are located near the lodge.

The park's Zion Human History Museum, located 1 mile inside the south entrance, features exhibits on how humans have interacted with the geology, water, plants, and animals of the park. There is also an informative orientation film that is shown in the museum auditorium. The museum is open daily in summer from 9am to 7pm, with shorter hours at other times.