You can still enjoy spring break in Springdale and Zion. Here are the modified shuttle routes.

Crowds line up for a shuttle ride in Zion National Park, undated | Photo courtesy of Zion National Park, St. George News

SPRINGDALE — Spring break begins today for many colleges and universities and that means higher than normal crowds in Zion National Park this week with parking inside the park filling up by 10 a.m. and as much as 45-minute waiting lines for the park shuttle at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, judging from last year’s visitation.

As the shoulder season enfolds into the spring higher-visitation season, visitors to Zion and its gateway town of Springdale will find new parking restrictions as well as new parking options coming into play over the coming month. These include parking meters along two of its main streets and two new privately-owned parking lots for public use.

Read more: Springdale implements new parking meter program

This map shows the modified shuttle route and stops within Springdale, the gateway town to Zion National Park, as road and sidewalk improvements are ongoing. The modified schedule, in effect for spring break week beginning March 10, is expected to remain in place as long as improvements continue in the center of town. Springdale, Utah, March 2018 | Map courtesy of the National Park Service, St. George News | Click on map to enlarge | A printable PDF is included under Resources at the bottom of the attached report.

Meanwhile, road and sidewalk construction continues in Springdale, creating traffic congestion and fewer parking options. The park will provide a modified in-town shuttle service to help with getting Springdale visitors to the park.

Shuttle service in Springdale

The in-town shuttle service will run every 15-20 minutes seven days a week.

Pickup service starts at 8:10 a.m. at the corner of Lion Boulevard and Winderland Lane, next to the town hall. The shuttle continues on Winderland Lane, looping back to state Route 9 where it heads north toward the park with its normal stops, and ends at Zion Canyon Village adjacent to the park entrance before making the turnaround.

Current stops for the in-town shuttle include a temporary stop at the Springdale town offices (Lion Boulevard and Winderland Lane) and additional stops at the Bumbleberry Inn and restaurant, the Desert Pearl Inn, Whiptail Grill and Cliffrose Lodge & Gardens before turning around at Zion Canyon Village.

The last departure from Zion Canyon Village back to town is at 9 p.m.

“Until the center of Town fully opens up, and shuttles can get down to the Hampton Inn, this modified route is expected to be in effect,” town clerk Darci Carlson wrote in and email advisory this week.

Shuttle service in Zion

From Zion Canyon Village, park visitors can access the pedestrian entrance into the park, the Zion Visitor Center and the park shuttle. Park shuttle service begins at 7 a.m. heading up-canyon. The last park shuttle of the day leaves the Temple of Sinawava, shuttle stop 9, at 8:15 p.m. heading down-canyon to the Visitor Center.

Park superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh asks “all visitors coming to the Park this week have extra patience and vigilance, especially for the safety of others in town while construction continues along the roadways,” according to a news release.

The Zion Visitor Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Zion Human History Museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. with ranger-led patio talks at 2 p.m. on the weekends, and at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays.

Resources

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1 Comment

  • utahdiablo March 10, 2018 at 9:27 pm

    Zion has all gone to hell…

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