One of the critical aspects to consider when planning a visit Zion National Park, nestled in the heart of southwestern Utah, is its altitude. In this complete guide, we will delve into everything you need to know about Zion National Park's altitude, along with six tips for altitude sickness.
Zion National Park altitude sits between 3,666 feet and 8,726 feet high. Horse Ranch Mountain is its highest elevation point, and Coalpits Wash is its lowest elevation point.
Zion Altitude:
Known for its towering sandstone cliffs, lush canyons, and diverse wildlife, Zion draws over 4 million visitors per year. With famous hikes such as Angels Landing, the magnificent park is a bucket list destination outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.
Other Zion Altitudes:
To make the most of your Zion visit, keep reading to find out more about Zion's high altitudes and how to prepare for altitude sickness.
Yes, Zion National Park is considered high altitude.
According to Cornell's definition of high altitude, it's anything over 4,000 feet.⁴ While some areas of Zion are lower than this threshold, many of the areas that people visit exceed 4,000 feet. Zion National Park altitude ranges between 3,666 and 8,726 feet.
Yes, you can get altitude sickness at Zion National Park.
As an example, many visitors of Denver can experience altitude sickness at 5,280 feet high, which is not too far off from Zion's average altitude.
Julian Klapowitz MD from Travel Medicine Consultants states that altitude sickness can start at 4,000 feet.⁵ At this altitude, Zion visitors are at risk, especially if coming from sea level.
Yes, people get altitude sickness in Utah.
With a median altitude of 6,100 feet above sea level, Utah is the third highest state in America. At these elevations, altitude sickness can be a significant risk which increases the higher you go for destinations beyond just Zion such as Alta, Snowbird, and Bryce Canyon.
Yes, Bryce Canyon is higher elevation than Zion.
Bryce Canyon lowest and high elevation exceeds Zion, between 6620 and 9105 feet. Not too far behind, Zion ranges between 3,666 and 8,726 feet.
The high elevation in Zion is Horse Ranch Mountain at a height of 8,726 feet. This makes the altitude of Zion National Park comparable to many locations in the Rocky Mountains like Vail and Aspen.
Zion altitude sickness is caused by the lower oxygen levels at the increased elevation.
With lower oxygen, also known as hypoxia, the body also struggles with oxidative stress and even dehydration. This leads to altitude sickness symptoms.
When visiting Zion, altitude sickness can manifest in several ways, and its severity varies from person to person. It typically starts to develop within 6-24 hours after arrival.
Common Zion National Park altitude sickness symptoms include:
Keep an eye out for these kinds of symptoms from altitude sickness, and take the proper steps to prepare that we discuss below.
The Zion altitude can put a damper on your adventure.
As a high-altitude based company in Colorado, we'll share our best tips to help you avoid Zion altitude sickness.
Here's 6 Tips To Avoid Zion National Park Altitude Sickness:
By following these six essential tips, you can help avoid experiencing altitude sickness during your visit to Zion National Park. Acclimate gradually, get plenty of sleep, hydrate well, avoid alcohol, descend quickly, and increase antioxidants.
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SOURCES:
1. Zion National Park Elevation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_National_Park
2. Angels Landing Elevation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_Landing
3. The Narrows (Zion National Park) Elevation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Narrows_(Zion_National_Park)
4. Cornell High Altitude Definition
https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/index.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=2cf9863f85f2f25b6e5e0a2e9dacfe7b&term_occur=5&term_src=Title:40:Chapter:I:Subchapter:C:Part:86:Subpart:S:86.1810-09
5. High Altitude Illness
https://www.travelsurenyc.com/high-altitude-illness/
6. Bryce Canyon Altitude Sickness And Elevation
https://zacalife.com/blogs/blog/bryce-canyon-altitude-sickness
7. Altitude Of Zion National Park
https://www.myutahparks.com/basics/faqs/altitude-sickness/
8. Sleep: The Secret Ingredient of Injury Recovery
https://www.orthocarolina.com/media/sleep-the-secret-ingredient-of-injury-recovery
9. Why Do You Need to Drink a Lot of Water at a High Altitude?
https://www.livestrong.com/article/360485-how-to-train-for-high-altitude-hiking
10. Effects of Alcohol
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.HYP.29.6.1278#
11. High altitude and oxidative stress
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17482529/
12. Effect of high altitude (7,620 m) exposure on glutathione
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11320641/
13. Oxidative Stress and Diseases Associated with High-Altitude Exposure
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8868315/
