Updates to Zion National Park sewer system could save the park thousands of dollars
Sep 23, 2025, 12:44 PM
A photo showing parts of Zion National Park. (Bryanna Willis, KSL NewsRadio)
(Bryanna Willis, KSL NewsRadio)
SALT LAKE CITY — Zion National Park has started replacing their outdated septic system, putting flushable toilets all the way up the main canyon to the last stop.
The Narrows, a popular hike through the Virgin River is the last stop up the main canyon in Zion. Right now, the first view off the bus for that stop is several rows of portable toilets.
Washington County Commissioner Adam Snow told the Salt Lake Tribune the toilets are a temporary solution while the park works to get flushable toilets from Canyon Junction, to the Grotto stop at Angel’s Landing, then finally to the Narrows.
The park expressed its excitement for the change, saying this will bring costs down significantly from $300,000 a year down to as little as $5,000. The large costs are partly from cleaning the portable toilets, sometimes weekly, and partly from pumping a faulty septic tank at the Grotto.
As of Tuesday, the right side of the road is closed while the park works to install the new sewer lines. St. George News reports the new pipe system will be installed on the side of the road furthest from the river, limiting the potential for wastewater to mix with the river.
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