WEST RIM TRAIL: Overview of Various Routes
The West Rim Trail is a backcountry classic of Zion: a 15-mile long trail that traverses the upper west plateau to connect Lava Point (the highest point in Zion) with the popular main canyon. Most visitors to Zion are familiar with the lower section of the West Rim Trail that leads to Angels Landing, but those willing to hike further will be treated to more wondrous views as the clever trail makes its way up to the canyon rim. From atop the plateau, continuous majestic views can be seen to the east and west. Alternatively, a top-down hike from Lava Point is time well spent!
Several Ways to Hike the West Rim Trail:
- Day Hike up from the Grotto:
This is the most popular way for tourists to hike the West Rim Trail. Starting from the Grotto trailhead in the main canyon, most people hike up from the bottom of the West Rim Trail to do one of Zion's most beautiful and thrilling hikes: Angels Landing. After hiking Angels Landing, if you have extra time and energy, you can continue hiking up the West Rim Trail to see more great views of the incredible sandstone formations and impressive sheer drops into the main canyon below. You can hike as far as you like and turn around whenever you have had enough. If you start early and are in good shape, you can hike all the way up to the upper plateau to get great views into the Great West Canyon.
Hiking Guide Photos - Day Hike down from Lava Point:
Starting from Lava Point or the West Rim Trailhead, the trek down the West Rim Trail to the Grotto in Zion Canyon is a great adventure, either as a long day hike or as a more leisurely two-day backpack. While most of the trail is level or downhill, it is still a long journey and should be considered fairly strenuous.
The "top-down" hike is aesthetically pleasing as the scenery starts out fairly subdued, but each viewpoint gets better than the last until the grand finale of the trail making its dramatic descent through the White Cliffs into Zion Canyon. When doing this hike in one day, start early and keep a good pace, so you don't get stranded after dark.
Hiking Guide Photos - Two-Day Backpack from Lava Point:
Same route as above, but doing the West Rim top-down as a two-day hike allows much more time to soak in the amazing views, and it also allows you the time to do the side hike to Angels Landing near the end of day two. Just about all of the designated campsites offer wonderful scenery for an overnight hike. See backpacking information below.
Hiking Guide Photos - As part of the Trans-Zion Hike:
The so-called Trans-Zion Trek hike (aka "Zion Traverse") is a multi-day multi-trail hike that spans the entire park. The West Rim Trail is the leg that connects the Kolob Terrace (Wildcat Canyon Trail) with the main canyon. See backpacking information below.
Backpacking Information:
Camping along the West Rim Trail is permitted only in the 9 designated campsites. A wilderness permit is required for any multi-day hike; choose your campsite when you pick up your permit at the Zion Wilderness Desk or at the Kolob Visitor Center. (See the Zion Backpacking page for more details.) Do not squat at any campsite that you don't have a permit for, and please pack out all of your trash, including your solid human waste and TP. Let's talk about wag bags!
Campsite Descriptions:
Just about all of the designated campsites are appealing in their own way, but if you are doing the top-down two-day hike, logistically, campsites 1-6 are the ones to shoot for.
- Campsite 1: Located in a nice grove of ponderosa pines, offers great view of sunrise.
- Campsite 2: Close to Cabin Spring, secluded back from the trail.
- Campsite 3: Located well off of and above the trail with a few ponderosas. A bit exposed.
- Campsite 4: Located off of the trail, but a bit exposed especially after the 2007 fire.
- Campsite 5: Exposed site not very aesthetically pleasing, but offers great view of sunset to the west.
- Campsite 6: Located off the trail near the Telephone Canyon Trail junction, back from the trail with great views to the north and west.
- Campsite 7: An oddly located site southwest of Potato Hollow, not much of a view but nicely secluded.
- Campsite 8: Potato Hollow, a wonderfully secluded site to get away from it all, but logistically not an ideal spot for the two-day hiker.
- Campsite 9: Stave Spring, well off the main trail, a useful site for the Trans-Zion hiker.
Note: A handful of first-come first-served drive-in tenting campsites are available at Lava Point. The camping area is primitive, but there is a pit toilet and garbage cans.
Getting to Lava Point:
From Springdale, drive west to the town of Virgin, then turn north on the Kolob Terrace Road. It is roughly a 19-mile drive up through the Kolob Terrace Section until the well-signed dirt road turnoff for Lava Point. Once in the NPS boundary, at the road junction, stay right to head to Lava Point or turn left to drive down to the West Rim Trailhead. The final stretch to Lava Point is mostly level and is easily accessible by non-4WD vehicles. The road down to the West Rim Trailhead may be a problem for non-4WD vehicles in wet conditions.
When doing the top-down West Rim Trail hike, consider paying one of the Springdale outfitters' shuttle services for a ride to Lava Point. It will save you the effort of having to retrieve your vehicle after your hike.
Seasons for Hiking:
The best times of year to hike the West Rim Trail from Lava Point are spring through fall. At an elevation of roughly 7900 feet, Lava Point is roughly 3400 feet higher than the floor of the main canyon, so cooler temperatures can be enjoyed in the summer, but winters can see a lot of snow build-up on the high plateau. The Kolob Terrace Road is typically closed for winter (not plowed) half a mile before the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead, so Lava Point is only accessible by snow mobile or snowshoe. The descent into the main canyon can also be treacherous with snow drifts and ice formations covering exposed sections the trail. The West Rim Trail typically clears up in April or May, but check conditons with the Wilderness Desk as things vary from year to year.
Water Sources:
If you are doing the lower part of the West Rim from the Grotto, bring your own water. On the upper plateau, water is occasionally available at Sawmill Springs, Potato Hollow, and Cabin Springs (aka West Rim Spring), but check conditions at the Wilderness Desk. Early in the season, water is plentiful, but during the later months, these water sources may run dry.
