The South Campground in Zion National Park is going to be rehabilitated/NPS graphic
Funding from the Great American Outdoors Act is enabling the National Park Service to rehabilitate Zion National Park’s South Campground.
Work to be completed includes:
- New and rehabilitated bathrooms.
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Modern drinking water systems.
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Improved sewer infrastructure.
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Enlarged and reinforced stormwater drainage.
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Improved campsites.
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New food storage boxes.
“We are just beginning the construction process,” said Zion Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh. “Visitors to Zion will benefit for years from the hard work of the many expert park employees and skilled craftspeople who are rehabilitating one of our most popular and historic campgrounds. Congress made this work possible through the Great American Outdoors Act – Legacy Restoration Fund.”
Besides the improvements to existing infrastructure, the National Park Service is also going to enhance service by:
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Building a new structure for visitors to speak with rangers and receive Wilderness Permits for activities like canyoneering and backpacking.
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Improving water drainage systems to reduce the likelihood of flooding and increase climate resiliency.
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Revegetating the campground using native plants.
This work is supported by visitors’ fee dollars.
Background
Zion has taken a deliberate and responsible approach to maintaining South Campground and all assets in the park as visitation has more than doubled over the last 20 years. As use and the need for maintenance has grown, campground infrastructure was overwhelmed.
South Campground has hosted campers since it opened in the 1920s. Most of the infrastructure in the campground now dates from the 1960s. This rehabilitation project is addressing needs that resulted from aging infrastructure, simplifying future maintenance, and increasing accessibility.
