How to make a Zion Canyoneering Reservation

[Iceaxe]

For those that have never done it, here is a good video on how to reserve a backcountry or canyoneering permit in Zion National Park. The video details how to obtain a Zion Narrows Permit, but the system is the same for all permits as you just click the adventure you want.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vhy8_9YbJM

[jman]

That's a nice how-to video.

And not bad marketing for ZAC either :P


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[gigamosh57]

Okay, what about the smaller details?
- What time does the permit office window open?
- Once you have a permit reservation is there any risk of losing the permit for the day?
- How many days in advance can you pick up your permit?
- Does everyone on your permit have to be present when you pick it up?
- What if your permit is for 4 people and 6 come along... ;) ?
- How regularly do rangers check permits?

[TommyBoy]

The times the permit office is open changes throughout the year, its open earlier during summer and later (and closes earlier) during winter, its not hard to find that info on the nps website but here you go:

https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/upload/HoursOperationForWeb.pdf

Once you have the reservation its yours, if you don't pick it up, it doesn't matter they don't give it to someone else, so if you know you're not gonna be able to make it call the backcountry desk to release the reservation so its available to someone else.

I can't remember how many days in advance you can pick up your permit, but I think it was only 1 day. Only one person needs to be there to pick up the permit, its supposed to be the person who made the reservation, but if you give someone else in the party the info on the reservation, most of the rangers will let them pick it up. If it looks like you will be doing a lot of Zion canyoneering in the future it is well worth it to sign up for the express membership, ask about it at the backcountry desk. It lets you print off the permit at home so no waiting in line, and you can do it up to 3 days in advance.

If the reservation is for 4 people and 6 people come along you better hope there are two more slots available for the day to add to the permit. If there are the fee is the same, and they can add them to the permit when you pick it up. If not then you're outta luck, better send the 2 off to do something else for the day.

Rangers check the popular spots, ie subway, narrows frequently. The others get checked rarely, but that shouldn't matter, get the permit don't wait to the last second to get one and its not hard. If you can't get the one you wanted just pick another canyon, there's tons in Zion and aside from a few popular ones they hardly ever fill up.

[Glenn]

Good video and nice extra info, TommyBoy.

I'll add that if you're doing an extended backpacking trip (i.e., not top-down Narrows), you may be able to get campsite reservations more than one day in advance provided that site(s) are available and they are part of a continuous trip.

[dakotabelliston]

Curiously I asked & did some research on violations of the Zions permit system. It can result in very large fines & I wouldn't want a chance in being black listed from Zions permit system.

[Brian in SLC]

Curiously I asked & did some research on violations of the Zions permit system. It can result in very large fines & I wouldn't want a chance in being black listed from Zions permit system.

Well...do tell. Define "large"...

Ha ha.

Thanks in advance.

[TommyBoy]

This is from a post a few years ago so I don't know if the fines have been updated.

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?55508-Fine-for-exceeding-group-size-in-Zion-Canyons&p=457660&viewfull=1#post457660