Zion Discovery Center in East Zion set to finish primary construction in July 2026

The Zion Discov­ery Center, a public learning center located along the highway just before Zion National Park’s east entrance, is making progress in its construction, with developers estimat­ing the facility’s main buildings will be com­pleted in July.

The Zion Discovery center is set to complete construction in summer 2026. The courtyard and entry gazebos are intentionally placed back and away from the highway, emphasizing the natural approach to the Center. Photos by Ty Gant.

“We’re not looking for visitors to have a concrete and asphalt experience here,” said Kevin McLaws, a local rancher and one of the project’s organizers. “We see it as an outdoor classroom. The closest neighbors are the buf­falo across the road, and the roadways are going to be buffalo pas­ture and agriculture. We want the center built with the canyon in mind.”

The Discovery Cen­ter is intended to be largely free for public use, featuring an out­door courtyard and class space, indoor classrooms and of­fices and a theater for educational and Zion Park-focused introduc­tory videos. McLaws said organizers hope the center’s primary visitors will be local school groups, science classes and teachers, allowing students to get hands-on experi­ence with local ecology. He added that the team designing the interac­tive experiences has worked on similar programs around the world.

In addition to educa­tional programming, the center is designed to provide amenities for visitors, includ­ing public restrooms, a small medical and emergency facility and a cafeteria area sup­ported largely by local agricultural projects. McLaws said visitors will be able to trace the path of the food they eat from seed to soil to table.

“Most of it is just public access, with no charge for the majority of activities,” McLaws said. “Workshops and classes might need small charges for ma­terials, and we have a bookstore and a few spaces that can be reserved for private classes and seminars to help cover basic operating costs.”

Grant and conserva­tion funding contrib­utes to the project, and the center also receives support from the National Park Ser­vice, which is expected to maintain a park ranger post on site.

Park Service esti­mates project peak visitation of approxi­mately 6,100 visitors during high season, with attendance shift­ing toward local educa­tion during the school year. McLaws said fireplaces and indoor experiences are expect­ed to make the center more attractive during shoulder seasons.

Beyond the main facility, the property extends up the canyon and includes trails designed for seasonal interactive program­ming. Routes will emphasize flora and fauna active at dif­ferent times of year, highlighting blooming plants, pollinators and migratory species.

“One key idea is to get visitors here and appreciating Kane County and our land­scapes, rather than just bypassing us and cramming into the park,” McLaws said. He added that organiz­ers are coordinating with Kane County to provide parking for larger vehicles that can no longer enter the park, along with shuttle service. “The goal is to finish the building, get open and test things in 2026, with 2027 being the first full year of opera­tion.”

Organizers ex­pressed gratitude to the Kane County Com­mission, county staff, and regional, state and federal recreation agencies for support­ing the project.