Crews were able to get the east entrance road to Zion National Park repaired and open to traffic Friday, four days after a section was washed out by a storm.
The highway had been closed from Canyon Junction in Zion Canyon to the park’s east entrance since Monday, when a storm undercut a section of the road near Crazy Quilt Mesa and threatened to wash out other sections. During the storm, the park’s road crew worked to prevented additional damage to the road and a contractor began work to repair the damaged section, a park release said.
Elsewhere in Zion, park officials said the West Rim Trail from The Grotto to Scout Lookout was checked and reopened but hikers were being advised to watch for icy and slick areas. The East Rim Trail was clear to Echo Canyon. Due to a significant flow of water in the Echo Canyon drainage, visitors were being advised to not travel beyond the mouth of Echo Canyon for the next couple of days.
Travel also was not being advised beyond the mouth of Hidden Canyon. Additional open trails included Weeping Rock, Pa’rus, and most of the Riverside Walk, park officials said. The Riverside Walk was not currently accessible by wheelchair. Lower and Middle Emerald Pools, Sand Bench, and Watchman Trails remain closed.
The Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive has been cleared and was open to the public. The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive was open with a section of one-way traffic south of the Court of the Patriarchs. The Zion Lodge was also open.
Motorists and hikers were being advised to be cautious while in the park. The soil was saturated and additional rockfalls and landslides could occur for several days, park officials said.
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