37 13' 07 N
112 58' 23 W

The Virgin River is a tributary of the Colorado River. The Virgin River is 160 miles long and empties into Lake Mead. The river runs at its steepest gradient throughout the Zion Canyon (71 feet per mile) and provides essential water for the ecosystem.

The river typically flows at about 200 cubic feet per second. However, during dry years it has slowed to 20 cubic feet per second.

The river carries a tremendous amount of fine suspended silt downstream. Each year 1 million tons of rock is carried downstream. That is the equivalent of 3,657 tons per day or 366 dump truck loads per day. Large floods can carry away massive amounts of sediment, accounting for most of the years averages.

The steep cliffs of Zion are evidence of the intense power of moving water.

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