Introduction to Hiking Zion

Zion Canyon is where all the action is for most Zion visitors. This is where the guidebooks, websites, tour buses, and townfolk will send you, and for good reason: there are some amazing hikes and views here. As you might guess, with all this publicity, you won't be the only one appreciating the riches. But with so much to see, is it so difficult to share?

Zion Canyon is home to the Park's central Visitor's Center, the Human History Museum, the Junior Ranger Center, the Zion Lodge, and the Watchman and South Campgrounds. If you are staying in Zion overnight, odds are you will be staying somewhere in Zion Canyon. If you are new to Zion, this is a great place to start your exploration.

While Zion's East Side does have a couple outstanding trails, it is really a haven for off-trail hikers. Along the main road bisecting the East Side lie myriad canyons awaiting your exploration. Just park in any of the pull-outs along the road, and follow a canyon up into its depths, finding inevitable surprises along the way. Most of these canyons feature minor obstacles, but most are hikable for at least a mile or so.

For those who prefer established trails, the Canyon Overlook and the East Rim trails lead the way to outstanding East Side landscapes. 

Although Kolob Terrace is adjacent to Zion Canyon, its access, elevation, and ecology are quite separate. Kolob Terrace gets you into Zion's alpine desert environment, a landscape where Ponderosa pines dominate and temperatures are much cooler. Hikers seek out Kolob Terrace both for the milder summer climates and the quieter, unique terrain featured here. Different from the bottom-up views afforded in Zion Canyon, Kolob Terrace offers sweeping panoramic views of wide-stretching mesas and innumerable pinnacles, ridges, and domes. 

Even more separate than Kolob Terrace is Kolob Canyons, a 60-minute drive from Zion Canyon. Kolob Canyons offers both short- and long-distance hikes, both on and off trails, beneath and within the great "finger canyons" towering over this area. Like Kolob Terrace, higher elevations bring cooler temperatures here, and more remote access leads to fewer visitors. If you like solitude with all the grandeur of Zion, Kolob Canyons bits the bill. 

The Southwest Desert is a perfect place for a winter sojourn, a spring wildflower walk, or a fall overnight trip. More subtle in its beauty, the Southwest boasts fantastic wildlife, sparsely populated trails, and fantastic views of the Zion's southern mountains and ridgelines.