ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah — No one was injured during a rockslide inside Zion National Park on Monday, but one of the park's most traveled roads was closed for a full day and night.
The rockslide was reported around 3:20 p.m. in the area of Big Bend on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.
The National Park Service announced Tuesday afternoon that the road was back open.
Park officials said the rockfall seemed to be caused by high temperatures and vegetation roots. They velieve this caused a 7-meter by 10-meter block of Navajo Sandstone to "fail," and several pieces of rocks fell from the block, which was about 144 meters above the road on a nearly vertical cliff.
“Thankfully, there were no injuries or property damage,” Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said. “Rockfall can happen anywhere at any time in this highly erosive landscape.”
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