Zion National Park

Zion National Park, 146,592 acres (59,349 hectares), SW Utah. First proclaimed a national monument in 1909, it was enlarged several times and established as a national park in 1919. The park is noted for its many scenic trails and its vividly colored cliffs, rock formations, and deep canyons. The fingerlike, box-shaped Koblob Canyons have sheer 1,500-ft (457-m) walls. Zion Canyon, the park's main attraction, is a 15-mi (24-km) long, 0.5-mi (0.8-km) deep, multicolored gorge cut by the Virgin River. Vegetation in the park ranges from desert type in the canyons to forests on the mesas. Small animals thrive in the area, and mule deer are common. See National Parks and Monuments, table.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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