The East Zion Initiative – One Chance to Get it Right

Zion Mountain Ranch, at the east entrance to Zion National Park, is the last unprotected gateway to a national park in the continental US. The entire property encompasses over 6,000 acres of land in Kane County adjacent to the parks eastern border.

The mission of landowners, Kevin and Stacy McLaws, is to create a conservation-based, sustainable gateway rooted in providing visitor experiences and services, nurturing our next generation of public land stewards.

Their mission is a shared vision, cultivated over several years, through collaborative planning with Zion National Park, Kane County, Utah Clean Cities, and a host of federal and state agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the Utah Office of Tourism, and the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation.

The East Zion Initiative and protection of the landscape through conservation easements is a critical priority for Zion National Park. The project aligns with the park’s long term General Management Plan and helps alleviate the impacts of overcrowding in Zion’s main canyon by extending the visitor experience beyond the boundaries of the park.

Working in concert with these partners – this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to protect the integrity of the east side of Zion by helping to implement a conservation strategy that protects this legacy landscape in perpetuity.