Zion Discover Center Campus • Zion National Park, Utah

Owner: National Park Service

Client: Zion Mountain Local Service District (ZMLSD)

AOR: Place Collaborative

Design Architect: Overland Partners

Services: Urban Design, Policy, Planning

The Zion Discovery Center Campus—also known as Applecross Station—serves as a gateway to Zion National Park and a key junction for travelers continuing toward Bryce Canyon. This multi-agency public-private partnership brings together the National Park Service, the non-profit Zion Forever Project, and the Zion Mountain Local Service District, a utility formed to deliver sustainable and reclaimed water infrastructure to the region.

Designed to accommodate up to 5,000 visitors per day during peak season, the campus includes a Visitor Center, administrative offices, EV shuttle dispatch and loading zones, and support facilities. The site is planned for multi-modal access and seamlessly integrates indoor and outdoor learning environments.

An "Experience Corridor" links the Visitor Center to the surrounding landscape, featuring interpretive elements, shaded gathering spaces, and wayfinding designed to foster orientation, education, and stewardship. Programming along this corridor includes ranger talks, docent-led activities, and hands-on exhibits, reinforcing the campus’s role as a place of departure, discovery, and reflection.

Renderings courtesy Overland Partners