Here are the basic guidelines you need, based on the advice of the National Park Service, Zion park management, and experts in hiking and climbing safety. These also apply to just about any park in the system, so keep these general rules in mind no matter where you travel.
Around the Park
Stay on designated trails. Most people are not prepared to venture off-trail into the backcountry, and you can see plenty of marvelous sights from the established trails throughout the park. Note the directions you’ll see on trail signs, and pay attention to blazes and markers to be sure you’re still on your intended trail.
Stay behind protective fences, guardrails, and barriers. Barriers are placed for your protection, not to keep you from enjoying the park. The moment you step beyond a guardrail or boundary, you risk injury.
Watch out for traffic. When you stop at a pull-off along the side of a road, keep an eye out for oncoming traffic and fast-moving vehicles, just as you would on any busy street. Drivers gazing out over a spectacular view may not see you on the road, so watch out for people who are not watching out for you.
If you’re driving, watch the road. It’s easy to be distracted by everything there is to see at Zion, so if you want more time to enjoy a view, pull over into an area designated for that purpose and stop. Pedestrians and bicyclists are everywhere along the park’s major roadways—so keep an eye out.
Hiking—Frontcountry or Backcountry
Don’t hike alone. The lure of solitude in the wild may be very attractive, but a lone hiker who becomes lost or suffers an injury may be missing for weeks, months, or even indefinitely. Hiking and camping with at least one other person can make the difference between a great day on the trail and a misadventure that ends in tragedy.
File your plan with a ranger. If you’re planning a lengthy wilderness hike or a canyon exploration or climb, you will need a backcountry permit—which means that you will file a hiking or climbing plan at a ranger station or visitor center. Even if you don’t plan to camp, it’s a good idea to let rangers know where you intend to go. With thousands of acres of land to search, rangers will depend on the plan you file to narrow the field quickly if they need to locate you in a crisis. Your plan also gives rangers an idea of when you expect to return—so they will know when to start looking for you.
Listen to rangers. People who work in the park daily know which trails may be compromised by weather events, where flash floods and rockslides are possible, where forest fires are burning within the park, and whether it’s advisable to attempt the hike or climb you have in mind. If they warn you not to take a certain route, think very seriously about changing your plans.
Sign the trail registry. It may seem like a folksy tradition, but your signature in the trail registry can save your life. It helps rangers discover exactly where you started your hike, so they can narrow a search if you become lost in the wilderness. Hikers who took the same trail in the last few days also may make note of unusual obstacles like rockslides, washed-out stream crossings, or icy areas. Take heed of these warnings as you plan your route.
Carry more than you need. Survival can become critical in the wilderness, so at the very least, bring extra food, clothing, ways to keep warm, and a way to signal your location. Many hiking associations have their own list of the Ten Essentials you should bring on any hike, but here is the most widely accepted classic list:Map
Compass (or other navigation tool, like a GPS)
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Extra clothing, including rain gear
Headlamp or flashlight
First-aid supplies
Firestarter—material that will ignite quickly and burn long enough for you to get a fire started
Matches
Knife
Extra food and water
In addition, many hiking clubs recommend that you bring emergency shelter, a repair kit and tools (including a roll of duct tape), and a water filter kit. If you need to signal your location, a mirror can be invaluable.
Bring water treatment tools. Water in the Zion wilderness is not safe to drink without treatment. At the very least, bring water to a rolling boil and allow it to boil for one minute for every thousand feet you are above sea level.
Bring an absolute one-micron filter, or one labeled as meeting ANSI/NSF International Standard #53. This will help remove waterborne parasites.
When you’ve filtered the water, add eight drops of liquid chlorine bleach or four drops of iodine, and let it stand for thirty minutes before drinking it.
Know your limits. Many hikers and climbers come to Zion to take on a greater challenge than they have ever tried before. If you’re one of these adventurers, be sure that you understand the kinds of skills required to complete the climb or canyon successfully. Hike or climb with someone who has the requisite experience to be sure your party gets home safely, and take all the necessary precautions, from carrying the right gear to recognizing that the challenge may be too great.
Watch out for slickrock and loose sand. Zion is a sandstone park, so ledges and slopes can be covered in sand that creates a slippery surface under your feet. Step carefully and gauge the stability of a surface before you tread there, especially if you’re walking along narrow ledges. Many climbing and hiking accidents result from unstable rock underfoot.
Stay back from cliff edges. Falls from Emerald Pools, Angels Landing, Canyon Overlook, and other places in the park have resulted in deaths. Most cliff edges in the park have no railings or fences, so it’s up to you to take responsibility for your own safety. Edges may be slippery when wet or covered with slippery sand when dry. Observe posted warnings, stay on the trail, and keep a careful eye on your children.
Desert Conditions
Zion is a desert park, so assume you will need at least one gallon of water per person per day on any hike. You can fill your water bottles at any visitor center or campground, and at Zion Lodge.
Remember to drink your water as you hike. You’re working hard when you hike, so you’re losing hydration as you perspire and even as you breathe harder. Make sure you take in enough water to replace these losses, to maintain a good hydration level. Don’t wait until you are thirsty; just keep drinking.
Eat salty snacks. Bring and eat nuts, pretzels, jerky, or your favorite source of salt. This will help you maintain your hydration level.
Wear sun protection. A hat protects your head from the hot sun, and a water-soaked bandana around your neck can help lower your overall body temperature.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion. When your body loses more fluid than it takes in, you can develop heat exhaustion. This is a dangerous condition that requires immediate attention. Signs include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, pallor, stomach cramps, and skin that feels clammy. Stop hiking and find a cool, shady area to rest, and put your feet up to help redistribute fluids. Drink fluids and eat something—trail mix or another snack with salt will help return your body’s chemistry to normal. If two hours pass and you do not feel better, seek medical attention.
Know the signs of heat stroke. If the person with heat exhaustion becomes confused or disoriented, has strange changes in behavior, or actually has a seizure, he or she has progressed to an advanced stage of heat exhaustion known as heat stroke. Cool this person using any means available, and seek help immediately.
On and Around Water
Drowning in a flash flood is a leading cause of death in Zion. Take some basic precautions to keep yourself safe in slot canyons, especially in July and August.
Check for flash flood advisories. Check the National Weather Service online when you plan your canyoneering adventure or your hike through the Narrows, and talk with rangers shortly before you set out. Weather can change suddenly and with little warning, so err on the side of caution. If there’s a thunderstorm brewing to the north and you’re planning to explore a slot canyon, postpone y
our plans until the forecast is clear.
Watch for indication of a possible flash flood. Zion National Park lists these signs that a flood may be imminent:Any deterioration in weather conditions
A buildup of clouds
Thunder
Floating debris
Rising water levels or stronger currents
Increasing roar of water upcanyon
If you see or hear any of these signs, seek higher ground right away—getting even a few feet higher can save your life. Stay on the high ground until water levels recede.
Be prepared to wait out a flash flood. It can take twenty-four hours or more for flood waters to go down, so be sure to pack extra food, water, and a way to keep warm any time you venture into a narrow canyon.
Learn to recognize hypothermia. When the body cools to a dangerous level, your life can be in danger—and you may not even know it’s happening. If you’re soaked through from hiking up a narrow canyon, you may not realize that immersion in water is the fastest route to body heat loss. The Zion National Park website lists these symptoms of hypothermia:Uncontrollable shivering
Stumbling and poor coordination
Fatigue and weakness
Confusion or slurred speech
If you develop any of these symptoms, stop hiking and change out of your wet clothing. Never wear cotton clothes while hiking in a narrow canyon, as cotton provides no insulation when it’s wet, and it takes a long time to dry, leaving you chilled for a long period. Eating high-energy food before you get chilled can help you maintain body heat.
Stay off of slippery or moss-covered rocks and logs. It may look like fun to hop from one boulder to the next in the middle of a rushing stream, but you will be surprised at how slick these rocks become when they’re wet. Many deaths result from people slipping and falling from these rocks into frigid water.
Don’t wade into a stream at the top of a waterfall. It’s hard to believe that this needs to be said, but people have died in Zion and other parks (most famously Yosemite) because they wade out into a rushing stream to get a photo of a waterfall from the top. Here’s a lifesaving tip from my husband and me, the author and photographer of the book Hiking Waterfalls in New York: There’s nothing to see up there at the top of the falls. You’ll get a much better photo from the bottom—and from the shore.
Wildlife
You will encounter animals in Zion, most of which have little if any interest in interacting with you. Wild animals can be unpredictable, however, so follow these simple guidelines to make the most of your sightings safely.
Enjoy wildlife from a safe distance. While no one has died in Zion because of an encounter with an animal, other parks have had their share of deadly encounters, so do not approach any animal you see. To get great photos, shoot with a telephoto lens from a safe distance. If you’re in your car and you spot wildlife from the road, pull over at the first available area and take your photos from inside your car.
Report sick or injured animals to rangers. Do not attempt to approach or help an injured animal. A wounded animal may be frightened and will try to defend itself, which will not end well for you. Note the location of the animal and report it to a ranger as soon as you can.
Keep an eye out for mountain lions. Zion has never had a report of a mountain lion attack on a person or pet, but lions have been sighted in the park—and other parks and wilderness areas have records of attacks.Do not allow your children to run ahead or lag behind you on a trail.
Don’t hike alone; you are more vulnerable to attacks when you are a solo hiker.
Do not approach a mountain lion; leave it an escape route so it can pass by without incident.
Do not run. Hold your arms above your head and try to look large.
If the lion approaches, make noise—shout and throw rocks. Wave your arms to help you look threatening.
If you are attacked, fight back with all of your strength.
Above all, do not feed any wildlife in the park.
Follow these guidelines to make your visit to Zion National Park the experience of a lifetime you hope it will be. Once again, I urge you to join more than 3.7 million people who discover and explore this park every year, with the knowledge that a few simple precautions will help you make certain that your trip is memorable for all the right reasons: the outdoor adventures, the wildlife sightings, and the magnificent canyons you will find here in Utah’s Grand Circle.
Appendix: List of Deaths 1908–2016 in Chronological Order
NAME
AGE
DATE OF DEATH
CAUSE
LOCATION
Hepworth, Thornton
About 9
July 28, 1908
Lightning strike
Cable Mountain
Stout, Lionel
About 9
July 28, 1908
Lightning strike
Cable Mountain
Winder, Ether
20
December 18, 1921
Fire
Cable Mountain
McClain, Allan T.
35
January 19, 1928
Construction accident; crushed by a rock
Zion–Mt. Carmel Tunnel
Morrison, Johnny
25
July 1, 1928
Construction accident; breathing in dust, sand, and dynamite
Zion–Mt. Carmel Tunnel
Brooksby, Albin
35
April 11, 1930
Cable accident (falling object)
Cable Mountain
Cafferata, Eugene
19
July 8, 1930
Fell off a 55-foot-high cliff
Lady Mountain
Orcutt, Don
24
July 28, 1931
Climbing accident
Cathedral Mountain
Hirschi, Clair L.
22
August 22, 1937
Motorcycle accident
Zion Park highway near museum
Tanner, Ray
18
February 8, 1938
Blasting accident; died of infection six weeks later
Bridge Mountain CCC camp
Callahan, Evelyn Frances
23
July 1, 1947
Suicide
Emerald Pools trail
Cottrell, Lane Kelton
17
September 4, 1951
Fell from a cliff
Great White Throne area
Bergemeyer, Frederick E.
39
August 23, 1952
Truck accid
ent
On a park trail north and east of the entrance
Long, Mrs. Milo D.
41
August 26, 1958
Fell
Zion–Mt. Carmel Tunnel (gallery window)
Hilton, Kelly
17
August 5, 1959
Fell off a cliff
Trail to Natural Bridge Canyon
Florence, Steven
13
September 17, 1961
Drowned, flash flood
Narrows of the Virgin River
Johnson, Frank
17
September 17, 1961
Drowned, flash flood
Narrows of the Virgin River
Nelson, Alvin
17
September 17, 1961
Drowned, flash flood
Narrows of the Virgin River
Nichols, Ray
17
September 17, 1961
Drowned, flash flood
Narrows of the Virgin River
Death in Zion National Park Page 15