Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

Alfalfa farming represents 0.2% of the Utah economy but uses 68% of available water.

By The Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board

It is not that alfalfa is evil.

As cultivated crops go, alfalfa rests fairly lightly on the land. You can get several cuttings of hay each growing season, and alfalfa can go five to 10 years between plantings. That amounts to a huge savings of fuel, reduced carbon emissions and an unusually deep root system that helps cut down on erosion.

Unlike many other crops, such as corn and wheat, alfalfa puts nitrogen into the soil, rather than taking it out. That means farmers can rotate crops and use a lot less fertilizer, reducing the chemical runoff that can be a hazard to surrounding territory and water. It grows well at high altitudes, better than almost anything else Utah farmers could produce.

But.

Even with all that going for it, alfalfa has become a greater liability to the overall Utah economy and environment than it is worth. As a state, we are going to have to find a way to fairly wean our neighbors who grow alfalfa away from that crop.

Alfalfa, for all its benefits, sucks up way too much of the one thing Utah does not have enough of. Water.

Recent reports conclude that growing alfalfa and other kinds of hay sucks up 68% of the 5.1 million acre-feet of water diverted every year in Utah. The resulting crop, though it supports some farmers and their communities, amounts to 0.2% of the state’s annual gross domestic product. That’s about what amusement parks generate across the state.

And it’s not as if alfalfa is something Utah consumers really need. It mostly goes to feed livestock of all kinds. Almost a third of it is exported, mostly to China, taking far too much of our water with it.

As far as the nation’s and the state’s need for livestock feed, the 2.2 million tons of alfalfa Utah produced in 2021 amounted to 1.8% of the nation’s total output.

Meanwhile, the Great Salt Lake is drying up before our eyes and has reached record lows. Millions of migrating birds are threatened, as well as the $1.8 billion in annual economic activity from such things as brine shrimp harvesting and mining operations.

Worse, the situation poses a serious environmental threat to the Wasatch Front. The increasingly parched lakebed will be exposed to the wind and blow generations of toxic waste that have settled there into our already overly put-upon air and lungs.

The simple fact is that agriculture - with the possible exception of some boutique products such as cherries, peaches and dairy - is just not the future of Utah. With a booming population and drought conditions that must be considered the new normal, growing crops and livestock is moving to the margins of our economy, not because of the heavy hand of government but due solely to the invisible hand of the marketplace.

One way to be honest about that would be to set the price of water, for farmers as well as industrial and domestic use, at something closer to what it is really worth. The Utah Legislature made a mistake when it recently shunted aside (”for more study”) a bill from state Sen. Dan McCay that would have ended the practice of subsidizing water costs by hiding them in property tax rates rather than charge by the amount of water used.

The Legislature has, though, made some positive moves on water policy. It is moving away from a century of a use-it-or-lose-it approach to water rights, providing ways for rights holders to sell or lease their allotments to the downstream environment without losing their claims to future years’ flow.

Lawmakers are also slowly coming to grips with the fact that, unlike domestic water supplies, a lot of the water going to agriculture is not metered or measured in any way. Farmers don’t pay for it by the gallon or the acre-foot. They buy shares in canal companies and pay for pipes and pumps, but not for water. So there is no economic incentive to use less.

Moving to meter the water used in farming, using market signals to push farmers to use less of a precious commodity, would do a lot of good. But it will also take years to implement.

A more immediate solution would be to use some of the state’s anticipated cash surplus, and remaining federal aid that was intended to get us through the COVID-19 downturn, to offer to buy water rights from farmers upstream of the Great Salt Lake.

The water diverted from the lake over the years followed the path we set for it with the economic system we chose — old water rights, cost-free irrigation, unmetered diversions.

We now can, we now must, design another system. One that holds as few alfalfa farmers as harmless as possible while protecting the lake, thus protecting the rest of us.

Highway 9: Visitors entering Zion National Park from the east travel Utah Highway 9, (Zion-Mt. Carmel Byway). This short 24-mile drive takes travelers through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Tunnel: The Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel was considered an engineering marvel when constructed in the 1920s. The tunnel stretches 1.1 miles on Highway 9 within Zion National Park. The tunnel was blasted through sandstone rock formations to complete the Highway 9 entrance to the park. The roadway opened in 1930. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

By GARY WARREN Photographer Formerly of Los Alamos

A visit to Zion National Park in Utah is always very special but not until you approach the park from the eastern side do you begin to see just how special this national park is.

If you approach the park from the east you will pass through Mt. Carmel, Utah and begin the 24-mile drive on Utah Highwy 9 to Zion National Park. The park is extraordinary in many ways, but this Post will feature the drive along Highway 9 and the eastern entrance to the park.

Zion National Park is considered a geological wonderland and the wonderland begins along the Zion-Mt. Carmel Byway (Highway 9) before you even enter the park. This drive is short in distance but huge in jaw-dropping views and an amazing landscape that is some of the most unique and amazing in the world.

While Zion became a National Park in 1919, Utah Highway 9 was not completed until 1930. One of the engineering marvels of this roadway is the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, which was picked and blasted through sandstone to complete the highway. The tunnel is 1.1 miles long that span the landscape transitions from rolling mesas of the Upper East Canyon to massive verticle towers of the walls and peaks of Zion Canyon.

After drivers pass through the tunnel, the road begins a series of switch-backs as it drops in elevation almost 1,000 feet to the Zion Canyon floor.

Southern Utah is one of my favorite travel destinations and Zion is one of five national parks in this state. All five parks are spectacular in different ways but one common feature is the beautiful red rock landscape throughout the region.

Zion National Park is the most rugged and dramatic of the five parks and the east entrance along the Zion-Mt. Carmel Byway is a grand introduction to this specatular national park.

Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.

Geological Wonderland: Zion National Park is considered a geological wonderland. It is easy for visitors to see why as they enter the park on Utah Highway 9. The rock formations create some of the most unique and amazing landscape anywhere. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Checkerboard: Checkerboard Mesa is one of the unique areas in Zion’s eastern region. The freezing and thawing of water along with wind have created this criss-crossed pattern on the rock formation hence its name of Checkerboard Mesa. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Slick Rock: Layers of deposits over millions of years created the slick rock mesas and domes scattered through eastern Zion. These colorful formations give way to steep canyon walls and peaks as visitors drop almost 1,000 feet in elevation into Zion Canyon. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Up Close: An up close view reveals the amazing layers and colorful patterns that have been created over the eons at Zion National Park. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Traffic: Zion National Park is one of the most visited national parks and the traffic often confirms the crowded roadways. Shown are travelers in stop and go traffic near the Zion National Park East Entrance. Being stuck in a traffic jam is no fun but when it happens on the Zion-Mt. Carmel Byway there are no better views to see anywhere. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

The Zion Mount Carmel Highway, the State Route 9 connector road through Zion National Park, was closed the evening of March 2 after heavy rains undercut a section of the road. The portion of the road from the east entrance to the Zion Mount Carmel Tunnel will reopen at 9 a.m. March 8 to limited hours and non-oversized vehicles. The Zion Mount Carmel Highway will still be closed from the Zion Mount Carmel Tunnel to Canyon Junction. No thru traffic will be allowed until temporary repairs are in place.

The east side of the park will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Traffic will be turned around prior to the Zion Mount Carmel Tunnel. Vehicles sized 7’10” in width or 11’4” in height or larger will not be allowed on the east side due to limited-radius turning areas.

Visitors may access the East Rim Trail and the Canyon Overlook Trail from the re-opened section of road. East side canyoneering routes Keyhole, Canyon Overlook, Pine Creek, Spry, Clear Creek, Fat Man’s Misery, and Lodge Canyons will remain closed until more reliable road access is ensured that can safely support canyoneering activities.

The park is currently working with federal highways on repairs for the section of road that was affected by the storm. A timeline will not be available until the engineering assessment and repair design have been finalized.

Alternate east and west driving routes are available via Highway 59 from Hurricane to Fredonia, Arizona and Highway 14 from Cedar City to Long Valley Junction and Highway 89. People coming from Interstate 15 to the park may access the park as usual by traveling east on State Route 9 through Springdale. All park facilities including the visitor center, museum, campgrounds, and shuttle buses are open and operating as normal in Zion Canyon. The Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive, the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, and Kolob Terrace Road are also open.

Intense or extensive precipitation can result in geologic instability with the steep slopes and highly erosive soils found in the park. Visitors to the Zion Canyon should expect trail closures from landslides from past storms. The Kayenta Trail and Upper Emerald Pools Trail remain closed due to a landslide that has continued to settle since July 2018. The East Rim Trail as well as total access to Hidden Canyon and access from Zion Canyon to Observation Point remain closed due to a landslide with unstable overhanging boulders that occurred January 2019. More precipitation is expected March 8.

Between Oct. 1, 2018 and March 6, 2019, Zion Canyon has received 13.45 inches of precipitation. In comparison, during the same time period one year ago, the same area received 2.9 inches of precipitation.

ST. GEORGE — Pack your patience when visiting Zion National Park during the upcoming Presidents Day weekend, park officials warn.

Construction on drainage improvement continues, which drops to one lane the Southern Entrance to the park.

Holidays at the park historically are busy. Jonathan Shafer, Zion National Park spokesman, said in an email to St. George News drivers can expect long wait times at the South Entrance.

“We want everyone visiting Zion National Park to have a fun and pleasant experience, and that starts with knowing what to expect here – especially over Presidents Day weekend,” Shafer said. “As our Drainage Improvement Project moves ahead, drivers will travel through one entrance lane and one exit lane at our South Entrance.”

The construction is on schedule for completion in the spring to improve drainage pipes under the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway near the South Entrance. The project began after a June 2021 flood. National Park Service engineers and maintenance staff designed the improvements to make flooding less likely in the future.

Shafer said the pedestrian and bicycle entrance in Zion Canyon Village would remain open all weekend for visitors who park in Springdale and campers staying at Watchman Campground.

He also noted that the park’s shuttle would start running in March to accommodate spring break travelers. But for those planning to visit the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, expect limited parking.

“When the 300 parking spaces in the Canyon are full, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive may temporarily close,” Shafer said.

Updates about the road are found on the park’s Current Conditions webpage. Shafer said visitors should be prepared for snow, rain, or ice for the holiday weekend and spring break.

Shuttle service will resume in March in Zion Canyon and Springdale. Visitors can drive personal vehicles on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive until the shuttle service starts.

Visitors must also plan for limited parking at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. Shafer advises parking in town and riding the free Springdale Line shuttle when the shuttles are running. When the shuttle resumes service, personal vehicle access to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive ends.

Winter and spring camping

Learn more at www.recreation.gov or by calling l-877-444-6777.

Angels Landing Hiking Permits

Zion released Spring Seasonal Lottery permits to hike Angels Landing from March 1-May 31. If you are planning to hike at Angels Landing from June 1-Aug. 31, apply for the Summer Seasonal Lottery that will open on April 1.

If you do not get a permit in a Seasonal Lottery or are still planning your trip to Zion, you can apply for a permit using the park’s Day-before Lottery.

Click here to learn more about permits.

Visitor Center, Wilderness Permit Desk and Park Store hours

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

Utah’s first national park sits 160 miles northeast of Las Vegas on I-15, about an hour southwest from Bryce Canyon National Park. Steep red cliffs, a scenic drive that leads to forest trails hugging the Virgin River and the Emerald Pools with their waterfalls and hanging gardens, and the Zion Narrows, a wading hike through the deep chasms of the cliffs, beckon outdoor fans to Zion National Park. Adventurists head to Angel’s Landing for a five-mile hike with a view worth the five hours on the trail. Before or after touring the park, Springdale, Utah, is the fueling point for quick bites to eat and leisurely meals. Here’s a look at some of the restaurants to try near Zion National Park. Restaurants are organized from north to south.

Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese fare define Thai Sapa, also known for its views of the mountains. Thai curry, bach sio noodle (a not-spicy street dish with stir-fried noodles), fried rice, and more make the menu here. The restaurant serves sake from Oregon as well.

Hikers head to Cafe Soleil for breakfast and lunch dishes that include vegan and vegetarian options. Wraps, sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and breakfast items, including a croissant breakfast sandwich, stacked scrambled eggs, and loaded granola, keep outdoors enthusiasts full.

The restaurant inside Flanigan’s Inn offers a breakfast buffet with standard fare like fresh fruit, muffins, and eggs and bacon. Diners can stick around for dinner with Rocky Mountain red trout, Ahi tuna steak, and Cedar Mountain-style lamb shank. There’s also wild game meatloaf — elk, buffalo, and beef — wrapped in bacon. The wine list here is not to be missed.

While most restaurants in Springdale are pretty unassuming, Whiptail Grill does it with Mexican flair. This former gas station converted into a Mexican cantina serves spaghetti squash enchiladas, fire tacos with beef tenderloin or marinated grilled chicken, goat cheese chile relleno, and Whiptail pineapple porker sandwich with pulled pork.

For more than 20 years, owners Hank and Kathy Moore have run this full-service restaurant in Springdale. Aside from hearty breakfasts with omelets and pork verde breakfast burritos, the menu features tamales, a robust list of burgers, barbecue pulled pork, and vegetarian-friendly fare in a colorful space with scenic views.

Hikers grab breakfast or lunch at this laid-back local coffeehouse. Bagel sandwiches, Belgian waffles, and breakfast burritos appear at breakfast while lunch brings sandwiches such as the William Francis with turkey and cream cheese on wheat, a BLT, and the Monkey Wrap with peanut butter, banana, honey, and cinnamon inside a wheat wrap.

This quaint, artsy cafe dishes out barbecue sandwiches and sweet and savory crepes. A cheddar bacon ranch grilled cheese, a Hawaiian sandwich with slow-roasted pork and teriyaki sauce, and the bacon and egg burger make the menu.

The Bit & Spur started as a roadside bar in the 1970s before becoming this restaurant in 1981. Current chef and partner Brad Tarran serves a tofu tacos, sweet potato tamales, and a rib-eye steak that all come with views of the mountains. Vegetarian dishes are marked, and many can be made gluten-free. On the bar side of the Bit & Spur, Utah-based spirits, Wasatch and Squatters beers from Salt Lake City, a game of pool, and a live music scene rule the roost.

Switchback Grille brings a contemporary restaurant with views of Zion’s West Temple and the Three Marys. Inside, artwork from Utah artist Kirk Randal lines the walls with natural cherry wood woodwork. New York strip and rib-eye steaks wet-aged for 28 days as well as halibut, sushi grade ahi tuna, Alaskan king crab legs, and jumbo shrimp join a list of wines rated 90 or higher.

The seasonally changing menu at King’s Landing brings salmon, a pork porterhouse, a burger with Vermont white cheddar and caramelized onions, and Mediterranean tofu cassoulet. Seasonal cocktails and local beers also make the menu.

Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese fare define Thai Sapa, also known for its views of the mountains. Thai curry, bach sio noodle (a not-spicy street dish with stir-fried noodles), fried rice, and more make the menu here. The restaurant serves sake from Oregon as well.

Hikers head to Cafe Soleil for breakfast and lunch dishes that include vegan and vegetarian options. Wraps, sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and breakfast items, including a croissant breakfast sandwich, stacked scrambled eggs, and loaded granola, keep outdoors enthusiasts full.

The restaurant inside Flanigan’s Inn offers a breakfast buffet with standard fare like fresh fruit, muffins, and eggs and bacon. Diners can stick around for dinner with Rocky Mountain red trout, Ahi tuna steak, and Cedar Mountain-style lamb shank. There’s also wild game meatloaf — elk, buffalo, and beef — wrapped in bacon. The wine list here is not to be missed.

While most restaurants in Springdale are pretty unassuming, Whiptail Grill does it with Mexican flair. This former gas station converted into a Mexican cantina serves spaghetti squash enchiladas, fire tacos with beef tenderloin or marinated grilled chicken, goat cheese chile relleno, and Whiptail pineapple porker sandwich with pulled pork.

For more than 20 years, owners Hank and Kathy Moore have run this full-service restaurant in Springdale. Aside from hearty breakfasts with omelets and pork verde breakfast burritos, the menu features tamales, a robust list of burgers, barbecue pulled pork, and vegetarian-friendly fare in a colorful space with scenic views.

Hikers grab breakfast or lunch at this laid-back local coffeehouse. Bagel sandwiches, Belgian waffles, and breakfast burritos appear at breakfast while lunch brings sandwiches such as the William Francis with turkey and cream cheese on wheat, a BLT, and the Monkey Wrap with peanut butter, banana, honey, and cinnamon inside a wheat wrap.

This quaint, artsy cafe dishes out barbecue sandwiches and sweet and savory crepes. A cheddar bacon ranch grilled cheese, a Hawaiian sandwich with slow-roasted pork and teriyaki sauce, and the bacon and egg burger make the menu.

The Bit & Spur started as a roadside bar in the 1970s before becoming this restaurant in 1981. Current chef and partner Brad Tarran serves a tofu tacos, sweet potato tamales, and a rib-eye steak that all come with views of the mountains. Vegetarian dishes are marked, and many can be made gluten-free. On the bar side of the Bit & Spur, Utah-based spirits, Wasatch and Squatters beers from Salt Lake City, a game of pool, and a live music scene rule the roost.

Switchback Grille brings a contemporary restaurant with views of Zion’s West Temple and the Three Marys. Inside, artwork from Utah artist Kirk Randal lines the walls with natural cherry wood woodwork. New York strip and rib-eye steaks wet-aged for 28 days as well as halibut, sushi grade ahi tuna, Alaskan king crab legs, and jumbo shrimp join a list of wines rated 90 or higher.

The seasonally changing menu at King’s Landing brings salmon, a pork porterhouse, a burger with Vermont white cheddar and caramelized onions, and Mediterranean tofu cassoulet. Seasonal cocktails and local beers also make the menu.