Goose Creek Wilderness

Goose Creek Wilderness is a 98-acre property located near the northeastern corner of Zion National Park, contiguous to Zion Wilderness. This is remote and rugged countryside where the elevation differential between the bottom and top of the property is more than 1,000 feet. Two sides of the wilderness are against the national park, the other sides abut private property.

The vegetation here is typical high altitude desert: dense stands of Utah juniper and pinyon pines above the thick riparian zone that exists along the streambed in the bottom of the canyon. The highest elevations even grow a few Ponderosa pines.

For animals you might see mule deer, elk, black bear, bobcat, mountain lion, badger, marmot, jackrabbit, kit fox and other small mammals. Among the birds you'll probably see bald eagle and other raptors, chukar partridge, screech owl, wild turkey and Mexican spotted owl.

Access to the property is not easy. Most visitors get there by hiking up the steambeds and canyons from further south in Zion Wilderness. Goose Creek itself is a designated Wild & Scenic River.