This majestic cottonwood tree in front of Zion Lodge appears to be nearing the end of its life/NPS file

Throughout the national park system, there are many iconic images that capture visitors’ attention, some as remarkable as Old Faithful erupting, others as subtle yet striking as the Cholla Garden in Joshua Tree National Park.

One of these symbols is the sprawling cottonwood tree in front of Zion Lodge in Zion National Park, Utah. This Fremont cottonwood tree towers over the lodge and surrounding cabins and is a popular gathering place for both visitors and turkeys that strut around the lodge grounds.

The species is tied to riparian areas, can grow up to 35 metres tall and is quite fast growing. According to the US Department of Agriculture, it can reach 30 metres in just 20 to 25 years. According to the Monumental Trees website, the cottonwood tree in front of the lodge was 25 metres tall in 2014.

How old it might be is anyone’s guess, although an inventory of the cultural landscape of Zion Canyon and Zion Lodge states that it is believed that cottonwoods and other species were planted around the lodge around 1925. This particular cottonwood was first recorded on a 1934 topographic map, according to the inventory.

This photo from February 2018 shows how large the cottonwood tree is compared to its surroundings/Rebecca Latson

But apparently this majestic tree is nearing the end of its life.

“We’re not sure about the timeline, but we believe the lodge tree is probably nearing the end of its life,” Ally O’Rullian, a communications specialist for the park, told us. “There are no plans to remove the tree at this time.”

When the time comes to remove the tree, it does not necessarily mean the end for it.

“Park staff have taken some cuttings from fallen branches in hopes of growing new genetically identical trees from the iconic Lodge poplar once it dies. We currently have about 25 trees in the nursery and hope one of these will eventually replace the current tree,” she added.

Some of the cottonwood seedlings grown from cuttings of the Zion Lodge cottonwood/NPS