Mount Carmel, Utah

According to the park, there is nothing at this spot, so not many people stop. If you do not like large crowds, this is the perfect place to stop. There is a small trail that leads to the river and a beautiful vista with the massive canyon walls on all sides. There are several areas in this part ...

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is the main road through Zion NP.  There is a fee to drive through the park, and it can only be seen via shuttle during the high tourist season.  If doing the entire scenic drive, on Hwy 9 from I-15 to Mt. Carmel Junction, you will pass through the surrounding cities of H...

Hiking the narrows in Zion National Park is one of my favorite hikes and something I return for almost every year, I can still remember my first visit as a kid. There's no other place like it in the National Park system and the stunning beauty of its towering walls and vibrant river make it a top...

The view of the Watchman from Canyon Junction Bridge was formerly one of the most highly photographed views in Zion National Park. Per Zion National Park regulations, standing on the Canyon Junction Bridge for photographs is not permitted. Your best alternative is Pine Creek Bridge, a pedestrian ...

Watchman Campground is one of the most popular campgrounds at Zion National Park. With a prime location only a ¼ mile away from the South entrance and gorgeous scenery right outside of your tent, including the tall sandstone cliffs that surround it, it’s easy to see why this campground is everyon...

This state park is not heavily visited and for a makes a great day trip from Zion National Park or Kanab, UT. Expect endless beautiful pink dunes and Utah's red rocks as your backdrop. Once you park, walk out onto the boardwalk and the short Nature Trail will head out just beyond the signs explai...

The trailhead is Red Canyon (aka Peek-a-boo) trailhead located just off of Highway 89 between Kanab and Mt. Carmel Junction. The GPX track shows the entirety of the trail, but if you have 4WD and a high-clearance vehicle, you're able to reach the closer parking area for a less than 1-mile roundtr...

THE NARROWS This by far one of the most scenic and awesome hikes available in any National Park. There is no place in Zion National Park more sublime in its beauty and awe inspiring in its creation as you hike through the crystal clear Virgin River and marvel at the myriad of red, orange, yellow...

The Moccasin Mountain Dinosaur Tracksite is one of the most diverse track sites in North America.  The site contains hundreds of fossilized tracks from at least five different species of dinosaur.  The tracks have been preserved since the early Jurassic period dating back to approximately 180 mil...

To get to this cave, drive north of Kanab on Highway 89. Just after you pass Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, you will see these caves on the right. To hike to the caves, try accessing the trail from as far to the left as possible. The hike isn't strenuous or tricky in that case. The other thing t...

Water Canyon is a narrow canyon on the southern side of Canaan Mountain in the Canaan Mountain Wilderness south of Zion. It makes for a great hike away from the crowds, though do not expect to have the trail to yourself as it is a great starting point for backpacking and canyoneering trips into t...

…Who doesn’t enjoy a hike that gives you views as if you’re on top of the world! I know I do, and this hike to Water Canyon Arch (Eye of the Heavens Arch) will do just that!There’s two ways of getting to the arch, but the route I took was the squirrel creek trail, to the Canaan mountain trail. On...

Smithsonian Butte Backcountry Byway is gorgeous 9.5 mile road that runs between Rockville near the entrance to Zion National Park and Apple Valley UT, and affords excellent places to camp & boondock *as long* as it is 0.5 miles from the road itself (and there are numerous turn offs). To get ...

Wire Mesa off the Smithsonian Butte Backcountry Byway is a fantastic place to camp in southeastern Utah even if you do not plan on visiting Zion, just a few miles to the north. There several backcountry campsites on the Mesa, with the northwestern-most site giving the best views overlooking the V...

Grafton Ghost Town is an abandoned small town 7 miles outside Zion National Park and the modern towns of Rockville and Springdale, Utah.  To get there from Highway 9, get off on Bridge Lane residential road and cross the Virgin River on a historic single track iron bridge- then  head west. At th...

Start your day early at the Left Fork Trailhead on Kolob Terrace Road from the town of Virgin outside Zion National Park. This 6.5 mile out and back hike will take you to one of the most beautiful features in Zion National Park: The Subway. You'll start with a steep descent into the canyon. This ...