Zion National Park, just 163 miles from Las Vegas is located near Springdale, Utah, covers 229 square miles (590 km2)  at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions, the park's unique geography and variety of life zones allow for unusual plant and animal diversity. The primary feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles (24 km) long and up to half a mile (800 m) deep cut through the sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River.  

Common daytime animals include mule deer, rock squirrels, pinyon jays, as well as whiptail and collared lizards.  Desert cottontails, jackrabbits, and Merriam's kangaroo rats come out at night.  Cougars, coyotes, gray foxes, and ring-tail cats are the top predators. The park is home to 289 bird, 79 mammal, 28 reptile, 7 fish, and 6 amphibian species.  Golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, and white-throated swifts can be seen in the area. California condors and bighorn sheep were reintroduced in the 1990s. Nineteen species of bat also live in the area.

Notable geographical features of the park which leave visitors in awe include the Virgin River Narrows, Emerald Pools, Hidden Canyon, Angels Landing, The Great White Throne, Checkerboard Mesa, The Three Patriarchs, and Kolob Arch.  The geology of the Zion and Kolob canyons area includes nine formations that together represent 150 million years of mostly Mesozoic-aged sedimentation. This entire area was truly created by the hand of God.