EVEN MORE HIKES...

Observation Point hikingBeyond the list of recommended hikes, there are many more opportunities for hiking in Zion, whether you stick to the official trails or choose an unofficial backcountry route, easy or difficult. Below is the hit list of hiking routes, organized by the different sections of Zion National Park and the surrounding areas. Click on a section header or an individual route to see more detailed information and photographs.

IMPORTANT: You are responsible for your own safety. It is up to you to decide and determine if a trail or route is appropriate for you and plan for your hike accordingly.

Hiking symbols used for descriptions:
a Zion classic ZION CLASSIC: a must-do hike if you want to see the best of Zion!
family-friendly FAMILY-FRIENDLY: a good choice for those with children who like to hike.
backpacking route BACKPACKING: a route enjoyable as a multi-day hike.
technical canyoneering or climbing route TECHNICAL: canyoneering or scrambling route requiring technical gear and climbing and/or rappelling experience. Not suitable for casual hikers.

THE MAIN CANYON

The main canyon (Zion Canyon) is the popular touristy section of Zion National Park that features all of the amenities: the Visitor Center, the Zion Human History Museum, the Zion Lodge, and the tourist town of Springdale just to the south or the park. During the height of tourist season, regular shuttle buses take visitors up the canyon, with many interesting stops and trailheads along the way. The majority of officially-maintained trails are found here and hikes up to the viewpoints are well worth the effort. Famous landmarks include the Emerald Pools, Angels Landing, Weeping Rock, and the Great White Throne. MORE...

UPPER EAST CANYON

The east section of the park holds the most scenic drive you will ever experience. Route 9 carves a wondrous snaking path through the beautiful Upper East Canyon's slickrock formations and drainages, connected to the main canyon via the amazing Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. There aren't very many official trails in this section, but there are plenty of random sandstone formations, drainages, and minor peaks to explore and photograph. This area is slickrock heaven! The Upper East Canyon is home to Checkerboard Mesa, one of the more famous Zion formations. Big-horn sheep can often be spotted from the road. MORE...

THE ZION NARROWS

Beyond the end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive at the Temple of Sinawava, the walls of the main canyon close in to form the famous Zion Narrows, an amazing section of canyon that stretches for over a dozen miles to the north. The North Fork of the Virgin River carves and snakes through the deep sandstone labyrinth with a vast network of remote side canyons and tributaries. Hiking the Zion Narrows is the highlight of many vacationers' experiences in Zion, following the river from the high plateau down through the wondrous slot sections and back out to civilization in the main canyon. Several popular technical canyoneering routes descend through the various tributaries of the Zion Narrows. MORE...

THE KOLOB TERRACE

The "Kolob Terrace" is a lesser-traveled section of Zion, accessible via the Kolob Terrace Road that heads north from the town of Virgin. The drive through the Terrace up to Lava Point offers a good sampling of wondrous views, from golden valleys to the majestic North and South Guardian Angels high in distance. The Kolob Terrace is home to one of the most popular canyons in Zion: the Left Fork of North Creek, aka. "the Subway." Primitive camping is available at Lava Point, the highest point in Zion National Park. Note that the upper sections of the Kolob Terrace Road are not plowed during winter, so this part of the park is typically inaccessible during the colder months. MORE...

THE KOLOB CANYONS SECTION

Far from the crowds of the main canyon, the Kolob Canyons is the isolated northwestern section of Zion National Park, noted for the deep pink and orange glow of the area's Navajo sandstone formations. It is roughly a 40-mile drive from Springdale to the Kolob Canyons entrance at Exit 40 off of I-15; the Kolob Section has its own ranger station and visitors center. The lovely Kolob Canyons Road is a great five-mile scenic drive from the entrance up to a viewpoint of the finger canyons. This section of the park is much more remote and subdued than the main canyon, and hiking or backpacking in this area is great if you are looking to get away from it all. Landmarks include the Double Arch Alcove in Taylor Creek and the large Kolob Arch. MORE...

THE DESERT LOWLANDS

Southwest of Springdale and north of Route 9 is the hottest, driest section of Zion National Park and is overlooked by most visitors as they drive to and from the main canyon. At a lower elevation than any other part of the park, the desert section's beauty is more subtle and is pleasant only in the cooler months, but several washes are worthy of exploration up into this lonely area of the park. Beyond Zion National Park proper and south of Rockville in BLM land, routes to the Eagle Crags formations and Canaan Mountain offer wonderfully isolated hiking and backpacking possibilities. MORE...

THE GREATER ZION AREA

The awesomeness doesn't just end at the arbitrary borders of Zion National Park. There is a lot of amazing canyon and mountain scenery in the surrounding public lands, many of which are managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) or the US Forest Service. Some of the hikes below are in popular touristy areas regulated by a permit system; others are in extremely remote wilderness areas where nobody will find you if you become lost or injured. Be sure to read the specifics for each hike below and be respectful of neighboring private lands to ensure future access for others. MORE...

Hiking in Zion National Park...

Please note: This web site and all images on this site are the property of Joe Braun Photography ©2023. Unauthorized public or commercial use of any of the images or text on this website without explicit permission is strictly forbidden.