place

Zion Lodge

1924 establishments in UtahGilbert Stanley Underwood buildingsHistoric Hotels of AmericaHistoric districts on the National Register of Historic Places in UtahHotel buildings completed in 1966
Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in UtahHotels established in 1924Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in UtahNRHP infobox with nocatNational Park Service Rustic architectureNational Register of Historic Places in Washington County, UtahNational Register of Historic Places in Zion National ParkRailway hotels in the United StatesRustic architecture in UtahUse mdy dates from August 2023
Zion Lodge, main building. NARA 520339
Zion Lodge, main building. NARA 520339

Zion Lodge is located in Zion National Park, Utah, United States. The lodge was designed in 1924 as a compromise solution between its developer, the Utah Parks Company, which wanted a large hotel, and National Park Service director Stephen Mather, who desired smaller-scale development. The Utah Parks Company had been formed in 1923 as a subsidiary of the Union Pacific Railroad, and was, like many similar programs, intended to stimulate passenger rail traffic to the national parks of southwest Utah. Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed the Zion Lodge as part of a series of similar structures for the Utah Parks Company at the north rim of the Grand Canyon and at Bryce Canyon National Park. Underwood's design was more modest in scale and detailing than those at the Grand Canyon and Bryce, substituting milled lumber for whole logs in a "studs-out" style. Underwood used less stonework, in smaller pieces. The structures were designed to be more in keeping with the character of the valley floor, which at the time of construction was still inhabited by settlers. Underwood would go on to design all of the Utah Parks Company buildings in the valley, many of which are included in the Zion Lodge Historic District, which surrounds the lodge. A fire in 1966 destroyed the original lodge. It was rebuilt within 100 days, but the original rustic look was lost in favor of expedience in reopening the lodge. A 1990 remodel restored its original look. In addition to the main lodge building there are a number of original buildings that remain in the lodge complex. This includes guest cabins built in 1927 and 1929, employee dormitories built in 1927 and 1937, and a few support buildings. All were designed by Underwood. On April 12, 1995, a landslide blocked the Virgin River downstream from the lodge. Over a period of two hours, the river had carved away 590 feet (180 m) of the only exit road from the canyon, trapping 450 guests and employees in the lodge. A one-lane temporary road was constructed within 24 hours to allow evacuation. Access to the lodge was restored on May 25, 1995. Zion Lodge is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Zion Lodge (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 37.251388888889 ° E -112.95583333333 °
placeShow on map

Address

Zion Lodge

Grotto Trail

Utah, United States
mapOpen on Google Maps

Phone number

call+14357727700

Zion Lodge, main building. NARA 520339
Zion Lodge, main building. NARA 520339
Share experience

Nearby Places

Zion Lodge Historic District
Zion Lodge Historic District

The Zion Lodge Historic District surrounds the rustic lodge originally designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood in Zion National Park. The lodge served as the center of a group of cabins, employee dormitories and support buildings which are included in the district. A swimming pool and bathhouse were demolished in 1976. The district was expanded in 1986 to include an Underwood-designed former photography studio and additional cabins. The Zion Lodge complex was developed by the Utah Parks Company to provide lodging for tourists at Zion. The Utah Parks Company was owned by the Union Pacific Railroad, which had developed a strong relationship with Underwood. Underwood designed most of the structures in the lodge community using principles of rustic design favored by the National Park Service, a style that was developed and promoted, in part, by Underwood himself. The district is centered on the Zion Lodge. Underwood's National Park Service Rustic style lodge burned in 1966 and was replaced by a prefabricated structure on the same foundation. A 1990 renovation added elements of Underwood's original design to the 1966 structure. The district includes: Female Dormitory Built in 1927 to Underwood's design, in the "studs out" style with wall framing exposed outside of the wall sheathing. The one story building measures approximately 36 feet (11 m) by 69 feet (21 m), with a log-framed hipped roof. The entry porch features stone piers and heavy log roof construction. Male Dormitory Built in 1937 as an enlarged version of the female dormitory in a manner sympathetic to Underwood's original design. The one story building measures approximately 36 feet (11 m) by 112 feet (34 m). Standard Cabins Also known as "Pioneer Cabins" and "Frontier Cabins", built in the "studs out" style with an anticipated life expectancy of 20 years. The standard cabins were built beginning in 1925. In the 1940s small additions were made for bathrooms. Western Cabins Also known as "Deluxe Cabins, the duplex and quadruplex cabins built in a substantial manner with massive stone piers and fireplaces and open log truss ceilings. Infill walls are built in the studs out style. The Western Cabins were built beginning in 1927.

Floor of the Valley Road
Floor of the Valley Road

The Floor of the Valley Road, also known as the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, follows the canyon of the North Fork of the Virgin River, also known as Zion Canyon, through Zion National Park, Utah, USA. A precursor to the present nine-mile road was first built in 1916, but was later redesigned by the National Park Service Branch of Plans and Designs to highlight the natural features of the valley while presenting a natural-appearing built environment. The road begins at the south boundary of the park and ends at the Temple of Sinawava. The design uses local materials such as red sandstone and rustic construction techniques according to the prevailing 1930s Park Service policy of naturalistic design. The Cable Creek Bridge is separately nominated to the National Register of Historic Places as a particularly prominent example of the style. The road surface is coated with red aggregate to continue the design theme. From the South Entrance to Canyon Junction at the mouth of Zion Canyon the road has been reconstructed and has lost many of the characteristic features of the 1930s construction. The original 1916 road, built by Park Service engineer W.O. Tufts, was a single-lane dirt road that extended as far as the Weeping Rock parking area. In 1925 a gravel-surfaced road, called the "Government Road" replaced the original road and extended all the way to the Temple of Sinawava. In 1931 and 1932 the present road was constructed on a new alignment as a Depression-era public works project. Further construction was performed from 1933 to 1942 by Civilian Conservation Corps labor.