Zion National Park’s ‘oldest campground’ closed this season for needed makeover

Written by Stephanie DeGraw
June 1, 2024

ST. GEORGE — The path is checkered with chunks of missing gravel. A large broken tree bows toward the roadway. And an overgrown ditch is surrounded by crumbling concrete. Zion National Park’s South Campground has seen better days.

The South Campground at Zion National Park will be getting upgrades this summer, Zion National Park, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, St. George News

But brighter days are on the horizon as South Campground is closed for construction improvements in the 2024 season.

Officials told St. George News this popular spot in Zion National Park will receive an infrastructure face-lift and a new ranger building this summer.

“South Campground is the oldest campground in operation at Zion. Most of the infrastructure there now, including drinking water, stormwater, and comfort stations, dates from the 1960s or before,” Jonathan Shafer, Zion National Park spokesman, said. “Thanks to the Great American Outdoors Act – Legacy Restoration Fund, disaster recovery appropriations, and visitor entrance fee dollars, we’re in the process of removing this aging and increasingly inadequate equipment and replacing it with new pipes, expanded drainage and more accessible comfort stations and campsites.”

Campers have used the South Campground since it opened in the 1920s, before infrastructure was installed. Shafer said the rehabilitation project will address needs resulting from aging infrastructure, simplify future maintenance and increase accessibility.

The National Park Service will also add a new building and food storage boxes.

“Visitors are going to benefit from these improvements as well as the construction of a new building where rangers will issue Wilderness recreation permits and manage campground reservations,” Shafer said. “Wildlife and campers will also benefit from the new food storage boxes we’re installing that make it easier to keep human food away from animals.”

Funding comes from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund, disaster recovery appropriations, and visitor entrance fees. Shafer said the project is “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to address deferred maintenance and repair needs related to the campground. Visitors’ fee dollars support this work.

The project will give the South Campground:

  • New and rehabilitated bathrooms.
  • Modern drinking water systems.
  • Improved sewer infrastructure.
  • Enlarged and reinforced stormwater drainage.
  • Improved campsites.
  • New food storage boxes.

In a news release, Jeff Bradybaugh, superintendent of Zion National Park, said construction is just beginning.

The South Campground at Zion National Park will be getting upgrades this summer, Zion National Park, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, St. George News

“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,” Bradybaugh said. “Congress made this work possible through the Great American Outdoors Act – Legacy Restoration Fund.”

Shafer added that besides the improvements to existing infrastructure, the park service is also going to enhance service by:

  • Building a new structure for visitors to speak with rangers and receive Wilderness Permits for activities like canyoneering and backpacking.
  • Improving water drainage systems to reduce the likelihood of flooding and increase climate resiliency.
  • Revegetating the campground using native plants.

Shafer said park visitation has more than doubled in the last 20 years. He said Zion National Park staff have taken a deliberate and responsible approach to maintaining South Campground and all park assets during this time.

“As the use and the need for maintenance has grown, campground infrastructure was overwhelmed,” Shafer said.

The length of the construction depends on the time of year. Ally O’Rullian, communications specialist for Zion National Park, emailed St. George News that the timeline would also be affected by which construction proposals they decide to pursue at the park.

“Once the plan is finalized, we should have a better timeline estimate,” O’Rullian said.

About Great American Outdoors Act – Legacy Restoration Fund

According to a news release, the infrastructure funding from the Great American Outdoors Act is part of a concerted effort to address national parks’ extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog. The Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to the park service to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education and enjoyment for current and future visitors. The funding is supported by revenue from energy development,

For a social media post about wildlife and human food in campgrounds, check Zion National Park (@zionnps) • Instagram photos and videos.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie DeGraw is an award-winning journalist. For 25 years, she engaged in journalism, broadcasting and public relations. DeGraw worked for the Salt Lake Tribune, Associated Press and The City Journals. She was a reporter for a CBS television station in Twin Falls, Idaho. She graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Broadcasting.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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