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Drone Rules for Zion National Park

Springdale, Utah (UT) • United States
Utah, USA
Lat: 37.2982 • Lng: -113.026
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 29, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Zion National Park under NPS regulations. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit. Utah's most visited national park enforces a complete UAS ban across its towering sandstone canyon walls — critical habitat for the threatened

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Wilderness: ❌ Zion Wilderness absolute motorized ban
  • ESA: ⚠️ Mexican Spotted Owl + California condor — cliff nesting

Geographic Boundaries

Zion National Park is located in Washington, Kane, and Iron Counties, Utah.

  • Total area: ~147,551 acres
  • Coordinates: 37.2982° N, 113.0263° W
  • Includes Angels Landing, The Narrows, Emerald Pools, Kolob Canyons, and Great White Throne (6,744 ft)
  • Zion Wilderness: ~120,000 acres
  • Nearest city: Springdale, UT (adjacent)

Regulations

  • NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
  • 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority
  • 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban
  • ESA (16 U.S.C. § 1531) — Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) threatened; California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) critically endangered; cliff nesting UAS = Section 9
  • MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Peregrine Falcon nesting cliffs
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations
  • Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over park

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • ESA condor/owl: up to $50,000 + 1 year per cliff nesting incident
  • MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per falcon disturbance
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by park rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • Raptor/condor nesting blackout: February–August cliff faces
  • ESA Section 10 ITP for owl and condor research Submit requests to: Zion NP Superintendent, Springdale, UT 84767
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