52 Weeks of Fun

Not Just Destination Finders, But Destination Storytellers


Zion Nature Center

The Zion Nature Center, located north of South Campground, has a variety of exhibits, activities, books, and games for children and families to explore. A trip to Zion offers many opportunities for families to explore, learn, and connect with the park. Whether hiking on a trail, having a picnic, or attending a ranger-led program you will find something that is great for your family.

Sitting at the boundaries and meeting points of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, Basin and Range, and Mojave Desert physio-geographic zones, animal life in Zion National Park is vast and varied. With elevations ranging from roughly 3,700 feet to 8,700 feet, the park encompasses 5,000 feet of elevation change in 148,000 acres. With so many varying heights and resultant microclimates and habitats, it is no surprise that Zion is home to over 78 species of mammals, 291 species of birds, 37 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 8 species of fish. Masters in the art of desert heat evasion, many animals take to burrows or dens in the heat of the day, or choose to be nocturnal and use the night to live upon the landscape in cooler temperatures.

In Zion National Park, you may have the opportunity to see at least one or two furry creatures wandering along the river or scampering across slickrock. Zion is home to 68 species of mammal, ranging from the petite kangaroo rat to the sturdy, surefooted bighorn sheep. The most frequent mammal sightings are mule deer, foxes, bats, bighorn sheep, and rock squirrels.

Explore. Learn. Protect. This is the motto of the Junior Ranger program. Children and adults are invited to become Junior Rangers and protect their parks, continue to learn, and share their own ranger story with friends and family.

Zion offers a guided and self-guided Junior Ranger experience for ages four and older. Self-guided activity booklets are available for free at park visitor centers, the Zion Human History Museum, and the Nature Center.



A 52 Weeks of Fun Fascinating Fact about Zion Nature Center

Leave No Trace is a national program that protects the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly. Leave No Trace is dedicated to building awareness, appreciation, and most of all, respect for public lands.

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Once considered almost extinct, there are now roughly 70 condors living wild in or near Zion National Park thanks to an active breeding program since 1982.

Zion National Park is a refuge for endangered and threatened species. This is also a place where visitors may immerse themselves in this habitat to be thrilled by the sight of animals.

Explore. Learn. Protect. This is the motto of the Junior Ranger program. A trip to Zion offers many opportunities for families to explore, learn, and connect with the park.

The Zion Inn was designed as a cafeteria, gift shop, and office for the tourist cabins surrounding it. Built in 1934 and remodeled in 1971 for use as a nature center, the Zion Inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Soon: To do, see, stay, etc