Utah National Parks Bring Billions – KSUB News Summary

>>Visitors Spent $1.7-Billion In Southern Utah National Parks

(St. George, UT) -- Southern Utah's National Parks are serious money-makers. Figures out this week show that 13-million visitors to Zion, Bryce, Canyon, Arches, and Canyonlands national parks, spent one-point-seven billion dollars at those parks and national monuments like Cedar Breaks last year. The 2022 National Parks Spending Effects report those visitors supported more than 23-thousand jobs.

>>Flash Floods Likely At Utah National Park Today

(St. George, UT) -- Flash floods are likely to sweep across all of Southern Utah's national parks and national monuments today. The Southern Utah Flash Flooding Potential Rating shows floods are probable at Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands along with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Flash flooding will be likely on Friday as well, except for Zion and Bryce Canyon.

(Update: By Thursday morning, the UDOT camera at Airport Parkway MP 7.68 shows that water has mostly receded in the area that was a problem on Wednesday night.

>>Weather Delays Flights, Major Flooding Shuts Down Road To St. George Airport

(St. George, UT) -- Major flooding on Airport Parkway near St. George Regional Airport choked off access to the airport for a time Wednesday evening. Weather delayed some flights, including one that was delayed for two hours. Floodwaters covered Airport Parkway, starting around 6 p.m. St. George police and airport staff guided cars across the flooded road, directing them to the highest point. Part of the road was still flooded at 9 p.m.

>>New, Free Admission Visitor Center Coming To Zion National Park

(Zion National Park, UT) -- A new, free-admission visitor's center is coming to Zion National Park. Zion Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh, Governor Spencer Cox, Utah Tourism Director Vicki Varela, and other local, state, federal, officials and Paiute tribal leaders gathered on Tuesday at the site of the Discovery Center. It will be built on private land on the east side of the park where visitors can explore without paying to enter the park. On Tuesday, the leaders planted indigenous seeds to symbolize hopes that the center in East Zion will blossom, help safeguard the land, and transform how visitors experience the park and its surroundings. The Discovery Center is expected to open in 2025.