Very few places in the Western US come close with the number of colors that Zion displays during Autumn. The place was named "Zion" as a sanctuary by the early settlers, and was a holy place to the Native Americans before that.  Zion is more than just a scenic national park; it is at once wild and unknown to most visitors, while at the same time managing to be comforting and intimate, becoming nature at its most intriguing. If you haven't been to Zion, imagine huge rocky outcrops, similar to Yosemite, but much closer together.  There are towering red sandstone cliffs accented by pines and chartreuse cottonwood foliage; mossy seeps and creeks; sandstone in every color from mustard to raspberry, eroded into sensuous forms; petrified dunes with their layers, angles and striations; aspens, slot canyons, slick rock, sage; wide views and precious details.  The opportunities are endless in this Jewell of National Parks.