Rock slide closes Zion’s Scenic Drive

Zion National Park’s Scenic Drive is closed until further notice after sliding rock and debris blocked the road Friday night.

Both lanes of the road were buried in approximately 200 tons of rock and debris spanning an area about four car lengths long just north of the Grotto, according to a statement from the National Park Service.

No one was injured in the 6 p.m. rock slide, but 12 vehicles were trapped on the opposite side of the slide. Zion Lodge personnel helped shuttle all but one party to their hotels. The group opting to stay in their vehicle had enough supplies for the night and will be evacuated Saturday, the Park Service said.

The Scenic Drive is closed at the Zion Lodge, and several trailheads are closed because of other landslides in the park. Further slides are possible.

Visitors are not allowed to walk past the Grotto, and among the closed trailheads are The Temple of Sinawava, Weeping Rock, the Lower Emerald Pools Trail and part of Sand Bench Trail.

With the road closed at the lodge, visitors should expect limited parking at Zion throughout the busy holiday weekend. The road is expected to close intermittently at Canyon Junction as parking reaches capacity.

A reopening date has yet to be set. Road crews and geologists must wait for the area to dry out before they can assess the damage, remove the debris and make repairs, the Park Service said.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find @MaxMichor on Twitter.