Tag Archives: watchman campground zion

Climbing season is here, and I just hosted my first carload of weekend warriors, showing them around, getting out to some amazing multi-pitch climbs, and, of course, filling my living room with dirty but grateful climbing friends. I LOVE that more and more people are exploring Zion, but I only have so much couch space, so I feel obliged to pass on a few tips toward pulling off the dirtbag lifestyle here in Zion. LEAVE NO TRACE First, let’s discuss impact. There is a lot of room to be carefree, to find your own way, to get out into wilderness, but in order to maintain and protect such freedoms, we must act as stewards to our Parks and public lands. I have always liked the Leave No Trace motto, “Making your mark is overrated.” The reality is that to continue enjoying places like Zion, we need to recognize our potential impact, and respect the environment and others who are here to enjoy pristine wilderness. A minimum-impact guidelines to keep in mind: • Sleep only in established campsites, unless you are at least ½ mile away from any road • Walking only on established trails or drainage bottoms is key to … Continue reading →