Trip Date: 10/30/2016

Location: Zion National Park

Permit/Pass: Private Vehicle: $30. Valid for 7 days. Admits private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all occupants to Zion National Park, including both the Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyon areas. Motorcycle: $25. Valid for 7 days. Admits one non-commercial motorcycle to Zion National Park, including both the Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyon areas. Per Person: $15. Valid for 7 days. 

Trail maps: NPSmap 

Directions: From Interstate 15 just north of the town of St. George take Utah Highway 9 east toward Hurricane (follow the signs for Zion National Park). After a bit over 12 miles, and passing through Hurricane, you reach a junction with Hwy. 17 in La Verkin where you turn right to continue on Hwy. 9 East. Continue for about 20.5 miles to, and through, the town of Springdale (just outside of the park) and to the park's entrance kiosks. Once through the kiosks continue north on Hwy. 9 for about a mile and a half to where the road turns east and crosses the Virgin River (careful on this bridge, it is often crowded with photographers). From here you head up into the canyon to the east on some long switchbacks until you reach the mile long Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Just after you clear the east end of the tunnel you reach the trailhead for the Canyon Overlook trail at the 6 mile mark from the entrance kiosks. Turn right into the parking area, then cross the road to pick up the trail.

Synopsis: An easy half-mile walk to a beautiful overlook. This East Rim hike gives you a different, but still enchanting, view of Zion from what you can expect in the main canyon.

Trail sequence: Canyon Overlook trail

Type: Out and back

Distance: 1.1 miles

Elevation: Min. - 5102', Max. - 5265'

Profile:

Rating: Easy (factors: heat, drop-offs)

Notes: This viewpoint seems to attract sunset oglers. Bring a headlamp if you're one of those.

Track: Canyon Overlook - Zion NP: Alltrails, GaiaGPS

Turn by Turn:

  -- Climb the steps that leave from the sidewalk next to the signboard. Immediately you begin veering to the west. Follow the trail as it winds along trails cut into the north wall of this narrow beginning section of East Canyon. You work through some sections that are fenced, some that have steps carved into the rock, and one that circles underneath a wide, deep overhang.

  -- The trail generally heads west toward the huge cliff face you saw while driving up the canyon, and dead-ends at a fenced area with an interpretive plaque. The views here are spectacular, especially at sunset. But don't linger so long that dwindling light gives you trouble perceiving the trail on the way back - there are places where one could end up on the wrong side of a steep drop-off.