As a digital creator specializing in off-the-beaten-path travel experiences, my mission is to inspire and guide explorers to discover hidden gems and authentic destinations on a budget. Through engaging content and insights, I aim to showcase the beauty of backroads and non-touristy places, fostering a deep connection with the culture and environment while making travel accessible to all adventure seekers.
Zion National Park - Utah
It is truly one of the most beautiful National Parks I have visited and I have plans to make it back one day to spend more time here. We traveled to Zion National Park in May of 2023. It was only part of the day as we drove through. Even if you get out of the car very little, I could certainly see at least a couple of days to drive around. But if you are the outdoors type wanting to explore, I would certainly see you would want to spend at least a full week. You can find a bit more history, facts, details, and tips at the links below:
Zion National Park was established on November 19, 1919. First humans are thought to have entered this area nearly 8,000 years ago. The first Europeans, Franciscan Missionaries, are believed to have entered here in 1776. In 1847, Mormon farmers from the Salt Lake area began to settle in the area around the Virgin River and named the area Kolob, which is the heavenly place closest to God in Mormon scripture. Isaac Behunin established a home in 1863 on the floor of the Zion Canyon where he farmed corn, tobacco, and fruit. He named the area Zion, after the place of peace in the Bible. Soon other families followed and the floor of the canyon continued to be farmed until 1909. John Wesley Powell’s expedition traveled through the area in 1869 and 1872. He named the canyon Mukuntuweap, Knowledge and interest in the area began to grow.
In 1917, the director of the National Park Service visited the monument and suggested that the name be changed to Zion, as Mukuntuweap was unpopular with the local community. Congress approved the change, expanded the protected area, and made it a national park. The new Zion National Park was established on November 19, 1919. A nearby separate area known as the Zion National Monument was established in 1937 and then added to the park in 1956. Few established roads in the area made tourism slow to start. The road to Zion Canyon was built in 1917, allowing for the first tourists to make their way safely. Zion Mount Carmel Highway, was built in the late 1920s. One of the most notable features of this road is a 1.1 mile tunnel with large windows cut into the sandstone cliff. Today the park spans 146,597 acres with more than 4 million visitor per year. Soaring cliffs and twisting ravines create the beautiful landscape. Cliff formations overlook deep red canyons. Zion is best known for the vast slot canyons that are deep and narrow. Sometimes only a few feet wide and can be as deep as 100 feet. Water from the Virgin River and swirling wind currents cut ravines through the rock. Utah has the highest concentration of slot canyons in the world.