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Zion National Park Attendance Up 35% Despite Winter Weather

Doug Lemke Via iStock
2016 has been a record high year for visitors to Zion National Park.

A lot of visitors are braving the elements to experience Zion in it’s snow dusted glory.

“We had about a 35 percent increase of people to the park here yesterday (Tuesday) versus last year at this same time," says John Marciano, the public information officer for the park.

 

 

That's more than 7000 visitors. Overall, the park has seen an 18 percent increase in attendance from last year, and Marciano has some ideas as to why.

 

“You know fuel prices are down so you have more people RV-ing, motorhome-ing and camping," says Marciano. "Social media I think plays a big part in it."

 

There are a handfull of adventure photographers who frequent Zion and other parks like it with Instagram followers in the tens of thousands.

 

Marciano also credits Utah’s “Mighty 5” campaign and excitement around the National Park’s centennial anniversary.

 

While these high numbers are exciting for park staff, there is also some strain.

 

“It’s been a big challenge for us, you know we have the same staffing numbers that have to handle this increasing visitation," says Marciano.

 

Changes are currently in the works to better manage the over capacity and continue protecting the park’s natural resources.

 

Lee Hale began listening to KUER while he was teaching English at a Middle School in West Jordan (his one hour commute made for plenty of listening time). Inspired by what he heard he applied for the Kroc Fellowship at NPR headquarters in DC and to his surprise, he got it. Since then he has reported on topics ranging from TSA PreCheck to micro apartments in overcrowded cities to the various ways zoo animals stay cool in the summer heat. But, his primary focus has always been education and he returns to Utah to cover the same schools he was teaching in not long ago. Lee is a graduate of Brigham Young University and is also fascinated with the way religion intersects with the culture and communities of the Beehive State. He hopes to tell stories that accurately reflect the beliefs that Utahns hold dear.
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