Zion National Park is packed with so many different hikes and fun places to explore. We want to help a little by telling you about some of our favorite hikes in the area.
Hidden Canyon
Hidden Canyon is actually a side ravine that is located between Cable Mountain the north wall and the great white throne. This trail is a family friendly trail (as long as children are above the age of 5) that is about 2.2 miles round trip. The hike is fairly strenuous and takes about 2-3 hours to complete, but is a well maintained trail. The trailhead is located at Weeping Rock parking lot.
The Barracks
Just east of the upper east side of Zion in the BLM territory is The Barracks hike. This is a pretty large area of remote territory that is stunning and very fun to explore. You can backpack 20 miles round trip on this stretch and capture some of the most beautiful scenery. So this is a strenuous trip and not recommended for very young kids, more for advanced hikers and backpackers. This hike does not require NPS permits as it is outside of Zion National Park. But you will should inform the backpacking park rangers that you will be parking your car nearby so they do not try to sticker it. Trailhead starts at a dirt road just about a half mile south of Mt. Carmel Junction off of route 89.
Kolob Arch
There are several ways to take this hike and you can even backpack overnight. But one of the more popular ways is the day hike to Kolob Arch. This is about a 13 mile hike that will take you a full day. So when we say “Day hike” we don’t mean 2-3 hours. We mean about 7-10. Well worth it though to see one of the larches natural arches in the WORLD!
La Verkin Creek Trail
This is the main trail in the Kolob Canyons portion of Zion. Starting at Lee Pass, and stretching 11 miles to the remote northwest portion of Kolob Canyons, although most do not hike the full length. The hike will take you down Kolob Canyons Road, looping around Finger Canyons and eventually joining La Verkin Creek. It’s a fun and cool area to explore away from crowds.
Riverside Walk
This is a fun trail to take the whole family on, and offers some good views of Zion as well as shade, hanging gardens and a pleasant view of The Virgin River. Starting at The Temple of Sinawava and ending at the Virgin River. This will take you near the entrance of the Narrows where you can wade in the water, let the kids cool off in it and enjoy the Narrows View before heading back. Average time of this hike is about 1-2 hours.
Emerald Pools
This is by far one of the more popular hikes in Zion especially during the Spring and Summer months as it offers refreshing sprays of water, beautiful hanging gardens and spectacular views. This is a hike that the whole family can enjoy and is definitely one that everyone should experience.
For more information on Zion Park check out the link below:
