Chinle Trail, Zion National Park

The Chinle Trail follows dry washes and old jeep roads through a private subdivision for just over a mile, eventually reaching the Park Service gate. From the gate, the trail narrows and meanders across desert flats under the beautiful south face of Mount Kinesava, crossing a numerous small drainages along the way. In every direction, awesome mountain ranges frame brilliant panoramas of open juniper forest and wildflowers.

Trailhead: From Springdale, follow the main road (SR 9) west out of town. Just past the Springdale Fruit Company, turn right into the Anasazi Plateau subdivision. As you drive up the hill, take a sharp right turn over a steep rise (easy to miss) to find the parking lot below. Follow the trail from the north-east corner of the lot.

Mileage:
• 6.8 miles (11.0 km), round-trip, to Huber Wash
• 16.2 miles (26.0 km), round-trip, to Coalpits/Scoggins Trail  

Elevation:
• 390 feet (119 m), round-trip, to Huber Wash
• 390 feet (119m), round-trip, to Coalpits/Scoggins Trail

Approximate Hike Time:
• 3 - 5 hours, round-trip, to Huber Wash
• 8 - 10 hours, round-trip to Coalpits/Scoggins Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Crowds: Slim to none

Best Times of Day: During summer months, the midday temperatures on this trail make it nothing less than punishing. June through August, hike Chinle early in the morning (5 - 9 am), or late in the day (after 6 pm). The trail is comfortable most of the day, October through April.

Best Times of Year: Late fall through spring is best.

• Brilliant exposed purple, red, white, and green clay layers create a “Mojave Desert”-ish landscape at the foot of Mount Kinesava.
• The silent nature of upper Coalpits Wash can provide a much-appreciated respite for someone looking for solitude

• The Chinle and Coalpits/Scoggins Trails provide great routes for winter backpacking!
• Chinle is THE place for spring wildflowers, February - May.