A 35-acre tract of land inside Zion National Park has been obtained and donated to the National Park Service/Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land has finalized the donation to the National Park Service of a 35-acre inholding inside Zion National Park. The land, known as Firepit Knoll, will be incorporated into the park and protected from future development. 

The donation was made possible thanks to support from the National Park Foundation, the National Park Trust and the  the George S. and Dolores Doré  Eccles Foundation of Salt Lake City. 

The Firepit Knoll parcel is located in the Kolob Terrace section of the park.  The popular Hop Valley Trail runs near the property and immediately adjacent, the spectacular red rock spire Job’s Head rises nearly 1,000 feet above the tract. Protection of the Firepit Knoll ensures that the land will never be developed and visitors to Zion National Park will have uninterrupted views of the stunning Zion Wilderness from the trail and surrounding areas.

"Millions of people visit Zion National Park every year, but most don't realize that thousands of acres of inside the park remain unprotected and at risk of development,” said Diane Regas, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. “We're proud to ensure that the outstanding Firepit Knoll site will remain undeveloped, wild, and open to all—now, and for generations to come."

“Partnership is vital to protecting America’s national treasures,” said Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation. “The National Park Foundation’s collaboration with The Trust for Public Land, National Park Trust, and donors preserves an important piece of our shared inheritance so that all people can experience it.”

The land was purchased by The Trust for Public Land from an Arizona rancher and real estate developer who bought the property over 20 years ago, and recently decided he would like to see it protected as part of the park.