Welcome! We have been making a difference in Zion National Park since 1929.

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BEST WISHES FOR A WONDERFUL YEAR

This is a wondrous time of year in Zion and we wish you could all be here to share it with us. The trails are quiet and more wildlife ventures out in the park. Here at ZNHA we are busy planning for another year. Jill Burt, Director of Retail, and all of our store managers are busy looking for great products to offer in our stores. It is great to find these products in our stores and online but it is all the better because a portion of the purchase goes to important park projects.

Thanks to you, 2011 was a banner year for not only ZNHA, but also our Zion Canyon Field Institute, and the Zion National Park Foundation. Your membership, your support and your website purchases have helped us give considerable aid to the park at a crucial time. We are especially proud of the great strides made in our Youth Education Initiative, and another successful staging of the “In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran Plein Air Art Event.”

Another great thing about this time of year is the excitement of planning the 2012 Zion Plein Air Art Event. Applications have been pouring in from artists all over the country. Soon the selection committee will meet and the participating artists will be announced. Make plans now to attend this weeklong event November 4th through November 12th.

As the calendar rolls over and 2012 dawns, we look forward to another wondrous year in Zion National Park. We hope a visit to the park is in your plans for the coming year. Whether it is, or not, you can keep in touch with this place you love so much by signing up for our electronic newsletter or by joining our association. Members can watch for Sojourns Magazine in January and July, and our quarterly electronic newsletters. Also, be sure to check the website often for new images and special information about the park.

In the mean time we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.

2012 POETRY IN THE PARK

Zion Canyon Field Institute announces the 2012 Poetry in the Park event held March 30, 2012. Click here for details. This year's presenter is Budd Powell Mahan. Budd is an inspiring poet, author, teacher, a powerful voice for poetry, Budd served as the 26th president of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies and as 16th and 19th president of the Poetry Society of Texas. He won the Eakin Manuscript Competition in November 2005 with his book, Falling to Earth, and the Stevens Manuscript Competition of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, Inc. in 2006 with his book, Harvest. His book, Witness, won the 2010 Morris Memorial Chapbook Contest.

This rich day of poetry readings, workshops, nature walks, and writing, is a partnership of Zion Canyon Field Institute and Utah State Poetry Society. They work closely with Redrock Writers Guild, now planning their 16th Annual Redrock Writers’ Seminar. PIP, a rare treat with splendid poets, held in the most beautiful spot in the world, is just $60. Everyone is welcome. Register now: Michael Plyler, ZCFI Director , (435) 772-3264 or 1-800-635-3959 www.zionpark.org, www.utahpoets.com, www.redrockwriters.org. This project is supported in part by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, with funding from the State of Utah and the National Endowment for the Arts.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THOMAS MORAN:
PLEIN AIR ART INVITATIONAL IN ZION NATIONAL PARK

Plan now to enjoy this great event!

Zion National Park Superintendent, Jock Whitworth, welcomes you to participate in the third annual Zion plein air art event. This year's event will be October 31st through November 6th. Click here to see the 2011 list of artists, to see samples of their work and to link to the artist's websites. Schedule of events listed here.

Generous contributions for the 2011 event were provided by Terra West Management Services and Xanterra Parks and Resorts.

Zion National Park Foundation (the fundraising arm of Zion Natural History Association) has partnered with Zion National Park to create an event which not only celebrates iconic artist Thomas Moran and his contribution to preserving our wild and beautiful places but also to provide an opportunity to preserve Zion through the work of powerful artists. Park visitors will have many unique opportunities during the week to witness these great artists at work in the park through daily demonstrations, lectures and workshops. Click here to read about the 2010 event.

An exhibit of the artists' studio work is hanging in the Zion Human History Museum until November 28th. See the studio paintings here. Studio paintings viewed online can be purchased by calling during regular office hours, Monday-Friday.

On Monday, October 31st, the invited artists will arrive in the canyon and paint through Thursday, November 3rd. Site maps will be available for visitors indicating where they can view the artists at work. At noon on Friday, November 4th, a "quick-draw" event will be held on the Zion Lodge lawn beneath Zion Canyon's towers of stone. An auction of the quick-draw pieces will follow.

On the evening of Friday, November 4th, the Zion Nature Center will be converted into an art gallery as more than 130 paintings produced during the week will be hung for a sale to invited guests. During the evening, generous purchase awards will be announced and a representative from Plein Air Magazine will award the Artists' Choice Award. The wet paint sale continues for the general public on Saturday and Sunday, November 5th and 6th, at the Nature Center. Plein air paintings from the week will also be for sale on November 5th and 6th on our website here.

New this year, daily workshops and demonstrations will be presented by artists selected for this year's event. Workshops will be fee based and limited in size. Demos will be no charge and available to the general public. Schedule posted here.

Proceeds from the event go to the Zion National Park Foundation and support important projects in Zion National Park. This year, funds raised by the event will support Zion's ongoing "Art in the Park" programs, and the park's "Youth Education Initiative," making it possible for children throughout the area to visit the park and have a potentially life-changing educational experience.

Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to follow "In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran". Visit Zion to witness this important event and to enjoy the majesty of this magnificent national park.

See the 2011 Prospectus here. Click on corners to turn pages.

Photos above: Brad Holt and the Great White Throne 2010 (top right) Painting of West Temple by Dennis Farris (bottom left)

WINNER 2011 APPL Award
Our Best Trip Planning Publication: Zion Adventure Guide
by Greer Chesher

Zion Adventure Guide: Exploring Zion National Park, has been three years in the making and is the first complete guide to the park available. The 160-page book,with nearly 200 photographs and 25 maps.

   Written by awarding winning author and former Zion ranger Greer Chesher, the book is the ultimate “Everything you ever wanted to know about visiting Zion National Park,” publication. Springdale graphic artist Sandy Bell has designed the book with original maps, as well as charts, diagrams, illustrations, and some of the most outstanding photography of the park available.
   This information-packed guide is the ideal trip planner for the first-time visitor and a valuable resource for return visitors to the park. It includes detailed maps, trail guides, things to see and do, reservation information, hiking and backpacking tips, a guide to the Zion Shuttle System, and the answer to just about every imaginable question a visitor might have. The trail information includes “explorer logs” filled with interpretive information on geology, plants, animals, and human history - connecting landscape with story to enhance the visitor’s experience in one of America’s most beloved national parks. Order here.

Want to enjoy a wonderful experience in Zion? Check here to see the great lineup of classes offered by the Zion Canyon Field Institute. Field Institute participants can expect their workshop to be led by an expert in the field of instruction as well as limited class sizes. Come an immerse yourself in the beauty of Zion National Park and the surrounding area. Call 435-772-3264 for a list of classes available for 2011 or visit our website at www.zionpark.org.

The National Parks: America's Best Idea
by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan

The National Parks: America's Best Idea is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. As such, it follows in the tradition of Burns's exploration of other American inventions, such as baseball and jazz.You can buy your DVD set of this spectacular series and benefit Zion National Park at the same time. Also available 'The National Parks:America's Best Idea' hard cover book. Member discounts apply.

Donations to Honor, Celebrate or Memorialize
Many people wish to make donations to Zion National Park for a variety of reasons besides their love of the park. Some want to honor the achievements of someone they know. Others find a donation makes a great gift for birthdays, holidays or weddings for those friends and family members that already have enough ‘stuff’. Oft times, a donation is made as a tangible memorial for a highly respected colleague or loved one who has passed away.
We hope you will consider the Zion National Park Foundation during these occasions. The retail operations of ZNHA fund the overhead of the Foundation, making it possible for more than 90 percent of Foundation-generated funds to go directly to important projects in Zion National Park.

You can request that a beautiful card be sent as an indication of your gift.
To make arrangements, call Tracy Jones at 435-772-3264 or Contact Tracy by email

See the Temples and Towers through Zion's Webcam
Enjoy the view anytime! Click here.

Guided Hiking in Zion
See Zion up close and personal with a ZCFI Naturalist-Guided Hike. Choose from 15 different hikes in 2011 including the Zion Narrows hike and the exciting Rim to Floor hike.

Check Out Zion National Park's New eHike!
As the first in a series, the park has introduced a breathtaking virtual hike of Angels Landing. You may view it here. After a large but quick download you will be treated to spectacular scenes from the hike. Be sure to click on all the little extras. They are well worth viewing. For Angels Landing hiking information see the publication available from ZNHA here.

Plan Your Visit-Zion Utah Travel Planning Kit
Our special Zion information Trip Planner provides everything you need to plan your Zion Canyon adventure, including hand-picked books, maps, and guides. Order now online


Become Involved in the Future of Zion National Park!
Join ZNHA Now
Located at the visitors center in Zion National Park, The Zion Natural History Association (ZNHA) partners with the National Park Service to enhance your experience in Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks, and Pipe Spring National Monuments before, during, and after your visit.

ZNHA's bookstores offer a wealth of interpretive resources, while our Field Institute and popular Junior Ranger Programs provide hands-on learning experiences. Your membership in ZNHA along with your purchases and donations provide thousands of dollars each year to sustain these programs. Join us in our newest fund-raising effort to promote children's programs in the park. Generous contributors to the Zion National Park Foundation have helped make a difference in Zion National Park.