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.
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