Zion National Park

Zion is Utah's most heavily visited National Park.  It's glowing sandstone cliffs, towering cathedrals, and lush fern-clad sanctuaries offer visitors a stunningly beautiful setting.  With  dozens of wet dry slot canyons, more big wall climbing routes than Yosemite and hundreds of miles of hiking trails.  The centerpiece of the park is Zion Canyon, a 15 mile long and up to half mile deep slice through Navajo Sandstone cut by the North Fork of Virgin River.  From the canyon floor to the summit of Horse Ranch Mountain, there is more than 5000 feet of elevation.  Zion is Utah's oldest national park.  It was established in 1909 as Mukuntuweap National Monument by President William Howard Taft President Woodrow Wilson changed the name to Zion National Monument and Congress in 191 Changed it to Zion National Park the 12th national park.  The name was changed because the National Park Service observed that the name was too hard to pronounce and remember.