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Climbing Routes In Zion National Park Closed For The Birds

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Published Date

March 2, 2017

Climbers in Zion National Park should respect closed climbing routes so they don't encounter or bother nesting peregrine falcons/USFWS

Climbing routes on cliffs used by nesting peregrine falcons in Zion National Park in Utah have been temporarily closed to protect these birds, which are in recovery from endangered species status.

The following cliffs have been closed: Angels Landing, Cable Mountain, The Great White Throne (beyond single- and double-pitched climbs), Isaac (in Court of the Patriarchs), The Sentinel, Mountain of the Sun, North Twin Brother, Tunnel Wall, The East Temple, Mount Spry, The Streaked Wall, Mount Kinesava, and the Middle Fork of Taylor Creek. All other cliffs will remain open to climbing.

Park wildlife biologists will monitor the nesting activity of peregrine falcons throughout the breeding season. Cliffs that have been closed but are not being used for nest sites this year will be reopened when nest locations have been determined, typically by late April or early May. Those cliffs being used for nest sites will be monitored until the chicks fledge, usually in late July, and then be reopened to climbing.

Zion National Park is home to a high concentration of breeding peregrine falcons each spring and summer. These magnificent birds of prey were listed as an endangered species in 1970 under the Endangered Species Act. Their decline was primarily due to the effects of DDT, an insecticide that caused the birds to produce thin-shelled eggs that were easily broken, killing the developing embryo inside. Thanks to the U.S. ban on DDT in 1972, as well as the success of captive breeding programs, peregrine populations have recovered across North America, and the species was delisted in 1999. Zion has been and continues to be an important sanctuary for peregrines and many other wildlife species.

For up-to-date information on the status and maps of the closed climbing cliffs, check the Zion National Park website. Climbers are responsible for checking the specific maps of the closed areas.

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