
Is there a cap on what number of guests southern Utah can deal with?
As remaining visitation numbers for Utah nationwide parks are almost in, a number of conservationists and officers are questioning how lengthy the parks and the communities can stand up to the massive enhance of tourists these previous few years — particularly through the pandemic.
I’ve written sufficient about overtourism, its impacts and potential options. I’ve heard all of it. As you have learn my bi-weekly column, sure even this one, I am positive you are bored with listening to it too.
So now it is your flip — what do you assume land managers and officers ought to do? Ship me an electronic mail or tweet and let me know.
For now, right here is your newest information for Utah’s nationwide parks:
Within the information:
First:Zion Nationwide Park hit report 5 million guests in 2021. What’s subsequent for Utah parks?
The numbers are in: Zion Nationwide Park blew previous a report 5 million guests in 2021, which has some economists cheering and a few conservationists involved.
Second:Zion Nationwide Park closing trails like Watchman, Scout Lookout for upkeep
Zion can also be closing some trails for upkeep this month, take a look at our earlier story for particulars.
Third:Dry January offsets early snowstorms, has Utah water managers once more fearful about drought
A dry and heat January has some water managers fearful for an additional 12 months of drought.
Fourth:Utah senator blocks internment camp designation, attracts ire
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) blocked a Colorado Japanese internment camp website from turning into a historic website in a transfer that has earned his criticism.
Inbox:
- Arches Nationwide Park will probably be holding a service day on Sat. Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. the place volunteers will “help vegetation workers in making ready a website for a local crops’ seed enhance subject.” Extra info will be discovered on the park’s Fb web page.
- The Capitol Reef Nationwide Park Customer Middle will probably be closed from Feb. 21 to March 2 when crews will set up new reveals.
- Capitol Reef has additionally taken one other step in its orchard rehabilitation challenge by regrading the Cook dinner orchard beginning this week. “Subsequent, the irrigation furrows and ditches will probably be re-established earlier than replanting timber within the late spring,” a tweet said.
- Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park’s shuttles will proceed to be run by Purple Canyon Transit, L.L.C. because the park awarded the corporate a brand new contract that may final via 2027.

- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service introduced that “a report $1.5 billion in annual funding” will probably be awarded “via the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program to help state and native out of doors leisure alternatives, and wildlife and habitat conservation efforts,” a press launch stated.
- Two dozen out of doors recreation firms, together with Patagonia, REI and The North Face, stated they’d boycott the Salt Lake Metropolis Out of doors Retailer commerce present if it strikes again to Utah’s capital from Denver, KSL reported. The businesses plus environmental conservation group The Conservation Alliance stated Utah’s leaders are “making an attempt to chip away at protections for nationwide monuments and public lands.”
- In an evaluation of Recreation.gov, the web site the place guests can ebook facilities or passes for nationwide parks, the Nationwide Parks Conservation Affiliation stated that there was an general enhance in reservations over 2020 and 2021, but additionally a rise in cancelations.
- Zion Endlessly, Zion’s charity, introduced its annual Poetry within the Park occasion on March 4 from 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m on the Zion Nationwide Park Nature Middle. The deadline to register is Solar., Feb. 20, at which level you can even register for its companion occasion, the Purple Rock Writers Seminar, held in St. George on Sat., March 5. Extra info and costs can be found on the charity’s web site.
- The proposed Zion Hall Path, an 18-mile path from La Verkin to Springdale, was mentioned on the Dixie Regional Transportation Expo final week. The challenge prices about $13.5 million, about $11 million is already raised and Washington County has allegedly stated it fund the rest via transient room tax income.
- A brand new “glampground” known as Entrada Moab was proposed in Grand County initially of the month, following the pattern of latest “glamping” lodging round nationwide parks.
- The Clark County Board of Commissioners in Nevada voted unanimously to approve a brand new nationwide monument known as Avi Kwa Ame on Tuesday.
- About 50 folks attended a Kane County Fee Assembly final week in Kanab discussing the “impacts and advantages of tourism in addition to updates on East Zion,” together with the brand new customer’s heart. An identical occasion will probably be held Tues. Feb. 22 in 6 p.m. within the North Occasions Middle in Orderville.
- The Bureau of Land Administration is searching for nominations for the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante Nationwide Monument Advisory Committees to fill current or upcoming vacancies, a press launch stated.
- A federal investigation by the Workplace of the Inspector Normal on the Division of the Inside discovered that the previous Secretary Ryan Zinke “remained concerned in a land improvement challenge and didn’t disclose his involvement when questioned by an ethics official,” deeming him incompliant along with his “moral obligations and obligation of candor.
- The Utah Division of Wildlife Sources is once more reminding the general public to not feed the wildlife as they can provide you infectious illnesses. DWR can also be investigating looking allow fraud and is seizing illegally killed animals in latest instances, a press launch stated.
- Starting Mon. Feb. 21 till the tip of March, park officers plan to burn piles of lifeless vegetation at varied places inside Arches and Canyonlands Nationwide Parks and Hovenweep and Pure Bridges Nationwide Monuments in a wildfire prevention effort, a press launch stated.
Social media:
- Devils Backyard Campground in Arches Nationwide Park was closed for 11 days earlier this month because of a water leak however reopened on Tuesday.
- Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park profiled the park’s geologist in a thread on Twitter.
- Capitol Reef introduced its annual ranger-led chicken rely for Sat., Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. Meet on the picnic space with binoculars, water, and heat garments.
- Canyonlands Nationwide Park and different Utah nationwide parks posted threads of Valentine’s Day greeting playing cards that have been each humorous and cute.
- And in a Twitter thread that had me in stitches, Zion posted courting profiles for its deer with a brand new courting website known as ungulatesonly.web for “mammals with horns and hooves.”
- Lastly, Zion celebrated the Worldwide Day of Girls and Women in Science by commemorating a few of the park’s fierce scientists!
Legislature:
A invoice that may create a statewide internship program within the lodge and tourism industries, often known as HB 43 or the Hospitality and Tourism Administration CTE Pilot Program Sundown Extension has handed and is on the way in which to the governor for a signature.
Extra:Park Remarks: Your 2022 legislative session guide on public lands, rural, indigenous issues
As the other bills mentioned in past Park Remarks are chugging along, there are several that have passed are ready for enrolling:
More:Park Remarks: Can Utah national parks handle popularity after a record-breaking 2021?
- Utah Rural Jobs Act Amendments, or HB0025, requires small businesses that receive a growth investment to file new documents with the state Tax Commission and addresses the method for allocating new annual jobs.
- State Monuments Act Amendments, or HB0027, introduce more “hurdles” into making a place a state monument, the sponsor said, and streamlines the application process.
- Student Tribal Regalia Use Amendments, or HB0030, say schools or school districts can not prohibit a qualifying student, meaning someone who is enrolled in a tribe, from wearing tribal regalia during a high school graduation ceremony.
- Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Affairs, or SB0028, created the Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Affairs within the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Weather forecast:

According to the National Weather Service, Arches and Canyonlands should see near 60 degrees and clear skies across all Utah national parks. Bryce Canyon should reach near 50 degrees and Capitol Reef should see mid-50s. Zion should see near 70 degrees and be sunny!
K. Sophie Will is the National Parks Reporter for The Spectrum & Daily News through the Report for America initiative by The GroundTruth Project. Follow her on Twitter at @ksophiewill or electronic mail her at kswill@thespectrum.com. Donate to Report for America to help her work right here.