Take the ‘Zion Pledge’ as a 102nd birthday present to the National Park Service

Zion National Park south entrance sign and monument, Zion National Park, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Zion National Park, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — To celebrate the 102nd birthday of the National Park Service on Saturday, Zion National Park officials are encouraging visitors to take the “Zion Pledge” to be a good steward and leave no trace.  

The Zion Pledge is simple. It’s a personal promise to abide by 11 things the park listed for ways to protect both the park and the people in it.

The Zion Pledge is an agreement to:  

  • Plan ahead and prepare by reading and following the information in the Zion Map and Guide.
  • Keep personal food away from all wildlife, and never approach or touch a wild animal.
  • Protect the canyon walls, rocks and trees from graffiti and vandalism.
  • Preserve the park scenery by not collecting wildflowers, rocks or plants.
  • Never enter a narrow canyon when there is potential for flash flooding.
  • Be ready to pack out my human waste, toilet paper and diapers from trails and river corridors.
  • Stay on established trails to protect vegetation and fragile cryptobiotic soils.
  • Leave rocks as they’re found and not stack rock cairns or build river dams.
  • Protect the natural sounds of the canyon by talking softly and using headphones for music.
  • Recycle and dispose of trash and food appropriately.
  • Park in designated areas and avoid blocking traffic.

Those who take the pledge are encouraged to share it on social media using #ZionPledge to spread awareness so others can participate.


Read more: Zion National Park visitors rescued after mocking rangers, hiking The Subway unprepared


Many of the steps in the pledge were inspired by the seven Leave No Trace principles for outdoor activity, which are to plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, properly dispose of waste, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife and be considerate of other visitors. Leave No Trace offers training and online courses for those who want to learn more about wilderness ethics.

According to NPS.gov, the National Park Service Act was signed on Aug. 25, 1916, by President Woodrow Wilson. Now, every year Park Service celebrates that anniversary by encouraging people to visit a park near them or attend one of the many events happening daily at parks around the U.S.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter:  @STGnews | @MikaylaShoup

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

1 Comment

  • NickDanger August 25, 2018 at 4:25 am

    I don’t usually give birthday presents to government agencies, unless the IRS’s birthday is April 15. In this case, I will not take the pledge but I will shed a single tear if I see any litter in Zion on the National Park Service’s birthday, like the Indian on that old PSA.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.