SPRINGDALE, Utah (ABC4) – Park rangers say a rockslide Tuesday morning was about the size of four refrigerators. It prompted officials to close Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and the shuttle service.
“I saw the road closure and I said oh crap! Planned this whole trip and the place is going to be closed,” says Hoy Quan, a visitor from California.
But park officials say maintenance workers were in the area and used heavy equipment to quickly move it off the road.
“The last major rockfall that involved a road closure happened in November of 2021,” says Jonathan Shafer, a Public Affairs Specialist with Zion National Park.
According to Shafer, rockslides are normal and can happen anywhere in the park.
“There are small rockfalls happening frequently in the park and its really unpredictable to say when a rockfall might affect visitation,” says Shafer.
According to information from U.S. Geological Survey, slides happen in places already on the verge of movement by rainfall, snowmelt, earthquakes, volcanic activity or even disturbance by human activities.
“You know this is kind of the chances you take when you hit the road and travel to different parks you never know what to expect and need to prepare for anything that comes along,” says Quan.
Shafer says while visitors may not be able to prepare for a rockslide, they should always carry water, have food and be prepared for changing weather.
