This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
After a Friday night rock slide covered both lanes of Zion Scenic Drive, officials announced that the road north of Zion Lodge will be closed until further notice.
The slide, consisting of rocks and debris, occurred about 6 p.m. Friday, just north of the Grotto, a news release from Zion National Park said.
No one was injured in the slide, but 12 vehicles were trapped on the north side of the slide, the release said. All were shuttled to their respective hotels, except for one party, who "elected to remain in their vehicle [and] had adequate provisions for the night." That party was scheduled to be evacuated on Saturday.
The slide — consisting of approximately 200 tons of rock and debris — was about the size of four car lengths, covered both lanes of the Scenic Drive and was impassable by vehicles, the news release said.
Visitors are not allowed to walk past the Grotto, the release said, and the Temple of Sinawava and Weeping Rock trailheads are closed.
Officials are concerned about soil saturation from recent storms and the possibility of additional slides throughout the park, according to the release. The Lower Emerald Pools Trail and part of Sand Bench Trail are both closed due to other landslides.
With the road closed at the lodge, there will limited parking at Zion during the weekend, the release states.
Visitors should expect crowding, and for the road at Canyon Junction to close intermittently once parking is full on what is expected to be a busy holiday weekend.
Road crews and geologists must allow the area to dry out and assess the damage before removing the debris, making repairs, and reopening roadway, the release said.