When Will Zion Be Open Again

Zion National Park is one of the virtually visited national parks in the country. This Utah national park gets nearly v 1000000 visitors each twelvemonth!

But about of those visitors stick to hiking Zion's claims to fame: The Narrows and Angels Landing. Merely I'm here to tell you something cloak-and-dagger… those aren't the all-time hikes in Zion National Park!

Observation Point Zion is the all-time hike and it is wildly underrated compared to the crowded Narrows and Angels Landing hikes. From the epic Observation Signal top, you can encounter all of Zion Coulee, including a view of Angel's Landing.

Keep reading for the best tips on hiking Observation Point, including how to accomplish Observation Point from the Eastward Mesa Trail.

Planning a trip to Zion National Park? You lot'll want to read these posts too!

• Best Time to Visit Zion National Park
• Ultimate Guide to Zion National Park
• 3-Mean solar day Road Trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon
• viii-Day Utah Route Trip Itinerary

This post may comprise affiliate links, where I may a small-scale committee at no additional toll to you. Read more in this disclosure policy.

Zion National Park At-A-Glance

Earlier diving in, here are a few highlights to help you lot plan your trip:

• Best Fourth dimension to Visit: Spring or Fall are the best times to visit cheers to balmy atmospheric condition, perfect for hiking. Avoid crowds by visiting in March or Nov, on either end of peak flavor.
• Where to Stay: If you lot're looking to stay in the park, your best option is Zion Lodge. If you're looking to stay exterior the park, I highly recommend either Cliffrose Guild or Driftwood Lodge in Springdale.
• How to Get There: The closest airports are in Las Vegas (iii hours away) or Salt Lake Metropolis (four.5 hours away). Utilise Skyscanner to browse flights and notice the best price.
• How to Get Around: Zion National Park requires visitors to take the free shuttle from Jump to Autumn. However, you'll however need your own machine to go to Zion. Use Rentalcars.com to scan deals on rental cars or rent an RV or campervan with Outdoorsy!
• Best Self-Guided Bout: My favorite way to learn more almost the park is with GyPSy Guides, a narrated self-guided bout perfect for road trips and breathtaking drives. The Zion & Bryce Coulee Guide and the Utah "Mighty 5" Bundle both provide incredible commentary and particular about the history and geology of these parks.
• Don't Forget: Be sure to become an America the Beautiful National Park Pass ahead of fourth dimension. This $80 pass is valid for 12 months and get you into all 400+ national park sites (including Zion!).

Best Time to Hike Zion Observation Betoken

While Zion National Park is open twelvemonth-round, the best time to go to Zion National Park is in the Spring or Fall.

Wintertime comes with a hazard of snow and ice storms, making the Observation Point trail hard to navigate. Summer crowds and temperatures make the park less enjoyable. For the best experience (and fewer crowds on the trail!) visit Zion National Park from April-May or September-Oct.

Zion is also a popular role of any Utah road trip. Visiting in late Spring or early on Fall is also a bang-up time for other nearby national parks, like Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands.

Read More than:The Best Time to Visit Zion

Where to Stay Near Observation Point Zion National Park

Zion National Park is unique in that it has a decent size town just outside its boundaries. Springdale offers tons of accommodation options. Cliffrose Club is perfect for those seeking luxury and the Driftwood Society is a budget-friendly pick.

Book a stay at the coveted Zion Lodge for a unique in-park stay. The Zion Order has both cabins and traditional hotel rooms. Similar virtually national park lodges, you'll need to book your stay at Zion Gild 13 months in advance when reservations open.

Want to stay in the park simply tin can't detect a spot at the Zion Lodge? Volume a few nights at the Due south Campground or Watchman Campground. Both offer restrooms and drinking water. You can book a site at Watchman Campground half-dozen months out, only South Campground is simply reservable 2 weeks in advance.

Getting to the Observation Point Trail Zion

Zion National Park is 3 hours from Las Vegas and 4 hours from Salt Lake City, both of which are home to major airports.

From the main interstate, I-fifteen, you'll follow the scenic Highway 9 from St. George to Zion National Park. Springdale sits right at the edge of Zion National Park, boasting many spots to eat, drinkable, and rent gear!

Zion National Park requires visitors to take the park's free shuttle within the park. The shuttle reduces congestion in the park and stops at all major trailheads.

Simply the Zion shuttle tin get incredibly crowded. To beat the crowds and heat when hiking Observation Point, take the first shuttle of the day, departing from the Visitor Center around 6 am.

While Springdale runs a shuttle to the Zion Company Center, information technology does not get-go running until 7am. To get an early kickoff, you lot're best off driving and parking at the visitor center to lath the early shuttle into the park.

For more on where to stay, when to visit, and getting around, read the Ultimate Guide to Zion National Park.

Zion Observation Point Trail Details

• Altitude: vii.1 miles
• Summit Gain: 2,788 feet
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Hike Time: 5 hours
• Trailhead: Weeping Rock
• Trailhead Facilities: Pit toilets, shuttle finish

Observation Point in Zion National Park is non for the faint of middle. This trail is a less intimidating version of Angels Landing, just there are still some serious drib-offs. The ii,200-foot climb to the tiptop is difficult even for experienced hikers.

Have the Zion park shuttle to the Weeping Stone trailhead. The climb up to Ascertainment Point begins shortly after the trailhead and is by and large exposed. Start your hike early to avert afternoon heat!

Important Annotation
The trail to Observation Indicate from Weeping Rock is currently airtight afterward a major rockfall in 2019. Observation Betoken can withal exist reached from the East Mesa Trail (more information on that below). While the Weeping Stone trailhead is closed, this guide is still a dandy tool for planning a time to come trip to Zion National Park.

Hiking Observation Signal Zion

The trail to Observation Indicate starts along the Zion Coulee Scenic Bulldoze and shares the trail with the path to Weeping Stone. After a few hundred feet, the trail splits. To accomplish Weeping Rock, go left. Continue on to climb to Observation Point. Weeping Stone is a bully style to stop your Observation Point hike, so salvage it for the stop!

Simply after the trail split up, the quick elevation gain begins. A series of switchbacks lifts y'all off the canyon floor. The switchbacks climb ane,000 feet over ane.5 miles, roughly a 12% grade.

Subconscious Canyon

About halfway through the switchbacks, you'll attain a carve up in the trail. Go on left to Observation Indicate or right to explore Subconscious Canyon. This side trip is perfect for those who desire to scramble along a rocky coulee, but want to avoid the crowds of Angels Landing.

While the trail to Hidden Canyon simply adds 2.5 miles and 200 feet of elevation, I recommend saving information technology for your trip dorsum downward from Observation Point. Conserve your free energy to make information technology to this ballsy viewpoint showtime!

Echo Canyon

After reaching the pinnacle of the switchbacks, you'll be greeted with a change of scenery. Leaving behind the exposed dirt climb, yous'll enter a cool, refreshing slot coulee. Echo Canyon is wide by slot canyon standards and provides plenty of shade and protection from oestrus. This is the perfect spot for a water or snack break.

E Rim Trail Junction

After leaving the cool protection of Echo Coulee, you'll return to the dry out, exposed climb up the side of Zion Canyon. The trail from the Weeping Stone trailhead joins the Eastward Rim Trail not long afterwards.

After the trails join, both climb upwards to Observation Point on a terminal series of switchbacks. You'll cover another one,000 anxiety in only under a mile.

If yous're afraid of heights, don't expect down! The trail follows the canyon wall and you're over 2,000 feet above the trailhead now. Honestly, I'one thousand terrified of heights and the sight of the tiny Zion Coulee Scenic Drive beneath was a bit much. Thankfully, the trail is fairly wide here, so for anyone with a fright of heights, stay along the coulee wall and power through.

The Ballsy View from Zion National Park Ascertainment Signal

After climbing the final switchbacks, the trail flattens out (and heads abroad from the cliff edge). Follow the apartment trail through the castor around the top of the canyon and out to Observation Betoken.

The hike is long and strenuous, just you made it! The view from Observation Bespeak is absolutely the all-time in the park and the reason this is ane of the meridian hikes in Zion.

From Observation Point, yous can see the entirety of Zion Canyon, including tiny little Angels Landing 1,000 anxiety below. See if you can spot the emmet-like Zion shuttle on the scenic road etching its fashion through the canyon.

Afterwards snapping some essential pictures, take a break and soak in the views at Observation Point. You've earned information technology! Before heading dorsum downwards, exist certain to collect all trash to pack out.

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Alternate Route: Hiking Ascertainment Point on the Due east Mesa Trail Zion

• Distance: half-dozen.7 miles
• Elevation Gain: 695 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Hike Time: three hours
• Trailhead: East Mesa

Due to a big rockfall in 2019, the route to Ascertainment Point from Weeping Rock is closed until further discover. Just good news: Observation Betoken can still be reached from the East Mesa Trailhead! And more than practiced news: the trail is actually easier!

First at the East Mesa Trailhead on the very eastern edge of Zion National Park. To get to the East Mesa Trailhead, follow Highway 9, as well chosen the breathtaking Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, past Checkerboard Mesa, and plough left on North Fork Canton Route. Yous'll laissez passer the pop Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort as you follow dorsum roads to the trailhead.

The road to the Due east Mesa Trailhead is rough and unpaved and not recommended for those without 4WD. If you lot don't accept a 4WD vehicle, you can park further away from the trailhead in a dirt lot earlier E Mesa Route gets worse and walk the last one-half mile or then.

If this doesn't sound appealing to you, consider hiking Angels Landing instead.

The E Mesa Trail has minimal elevation change until descending 400 feet to meet the trail to Observation Signal. After the descent, you lot're only a quarter-mile from Observation Point and the all-time view in Zion National Park!

While hiking Observation Point from the Eastward Mesa Trail isn't every bit spectacular as the journey upwardly from Weeping Rock, the cease view is even so the aforementioned.

Ascertainment Point Zion Trail Map

Maps are an ever-important part of planning a hike. Check out this map of the Observation Point hike from both the Weeping Rock Trailhead and East Mesa Trailhead.

Come across the Ascertainment Indicate map here.

Tips for the Observation Point Zion Hike

Observation Point is the best hike in Zion National Park. To ensure the best experience, here are a few helpful tips:

• Take the first shuttle of the day into the park. The line for Zion'due south shuttle is long in the afternoons. Some visitors have to wait over an hour to get into the park. Start your day early past taking the commencement shuttle of the day, around half-dozen am, into the park. You'll beat the oestrus on your hike as well!
• Make the side trips to Weeping Rock and Subconscious Canyon. Three trails start from the same trailhead: Ascertainment Point, Weeping Stone, and Hidden Canyon. Make a full day out of the hike to Observation Point by calculation on Weeping Rock and Hidden Canyon! Simply save these hikes for your journey back down from Observation Signal – y'all'll want to salve your energy to get to the peak first!
• Take frequent breaks. This is a strenuous trail, even for experienced hikers. Break up the hike by taking frequent breaks. The best spots to relax on the trail are in Echo Canyon (a brief escape from the sun) and at the acme of Observation Point (astonishing views + snacks, information technology can't get better than that!).
• Follow the Exit No Trace Principles. Stay on the trail, go along your distance from wildlife, and respect other hikers. Recollect that trail etiquette gives uphill hikers the right-of-way. Want to learn more than about the Leave No Trace Principles and trail etiquette? Read my guide on Hiking for Beginners.
• Bank check with park rangers for the latest weather condition. Park rangers can fill you in on the latest closures and the conditions of the road out to East Mesa Trailhead. This can help y'all make an informed decision on whether you lot want to try the drive

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What to Pack for the Observation Betoken Hike Zion

Every hiker should be prepared, particularly in hot, dry environments like Zion National Park. Earlier starting your hike to Ascertainment Point, make sure y'all have all these hiking essentials packed:

• The Ten Essentials. This includes must-have safety gear, like an emergency shelter if y'all were to confront an unexpected dark in the wilderness. Don't forget a first aid kit! For more on the 10 essentials, check out my Ultimate Hiking Gear Guide.
• Enough of water. Experts recommend that you comport at least 0.5 Fifty of h2o per 1 hour of hiking. In hot, dry environments similar Zion National Park, yous should double the amount of h2o you lot behave. For the hike to Observation Signal, plan on conveying three to 5 liters (100 to 170 ounces) of water. A water reservoir volition reduce the weight of carrying large amounts of water on long hikes. The Osprey Hydraulics Reservoir is my go-to water reservoir and fits well in most hiking backpacks.
• Hiking shoes with good traction. Whether you lot prefer lightweight trail running shoes or sturdy hiking boots, intermission your shoes in start and ensure they have skilful grip. I don't recommend hiking this trail in sneakers equally the rock surfaces can be slippery. My favorite shoes for hiking in Zion are the Columbia Newton Ridge boots or the Altra Lone Pinnacle Trail Runners.
• Sunscreen and Sun Hat. Much of the Observation Betoken trail is unshaded. Protect yourself from the sun past wearing and reapplying sunscreen and keeping your head covered with a sun hat or baseball cap.
• Lightweight Hiking Poles. Hiking, or trekking, poles tin can help reduce the impact of strenuous upwards or downhill hikes, particularly for those with knee problems. For lightweight, collapsible poles, I highly recommend REI's Flash Carbon trekking poles.

Looking for more tips on what to pack for your trip? Bank check out my guides on the best hiking gear, what to pack for a road trip, and essential camping gear for all my favorite gear picks and tips to make packing for your trip a breeze!

Often Asked Questions Almost Observation Betoken

When will Observation Signal reopen?

After a large rockfall in 2019, the trail to Observation Point from Weeping Rock is closed indefinitely. But hikers can notwithstanding reach Ascertainment Point from the East Mesa Trail, an easier, shorter trail starting on the east side of Zion National Park. Always bank check the Zion National Park Service website for the latest updates on trail condition.

Can you lot bulldoze to Zion Observation Point?

Observation Point can only be reached on foot. The two primary trails to Observation Signal are from the Weeping Stone Trailhead and the Eastward Mesa Trailhead. To hike Observation Point from the Weeping Stone Trailhead, park at the visitor eye and take the costless shuttle to the trailhead. To hike Observation Betoken from the East Mesa Trailhead, take the Zion-Mt. Carmel Scenic Highway to reach the east side of the park.

How long does it take to hike Observation Signal Zion?

Hiking Observation Bespeak takesroughly half a day. If you are hiking Observation Point from the Weeping Rock trailhead, the hike is roughly 5 hours. The hike from the East Mesa Trailhead is only 3 hours. Always budget more time than yous recollect you demand, especially for strenuous hikes.

How hard is Observation Indicate Zion?

The Ascertainment Bespeak hike is strenuous. The seven.i-mile trail has roughly 2,800 anxiety of elevation gain. That is an average 15% form for the ascension to Observation Point. While this hike is strenuous, even less experienced hikers can complete the hike with plenty of h2o and breaks.

Can you run into Angels Landing from Ascertainment Point?

The Ascertainment Point hike is strenuous. The 7.ane-mile trail has roughly 2,800 feet of elevation proceeds. That is an average 15% grade for the rising to Observation Point. While this hike is strenuous, fifty-fifty less experienced hikers can consummate the hike with plenty of water and breaks.

Terminal Thoughts on Hiking Observation Signal

Ascertainment Point belongs at the top of your Zion National Park bucket list (more then than Angels Landing in my opinion!). Be prepared for your hike by checking trail condition for closures and packing plenty of h2o.

Planning a trip to Zion National Park? You'll want to read these posts too!

• The Best Time to Visit Zion National Park
• Ultimate Guide to Zion National Park
• iii-Day Route Trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon
• Ultimate 8-Solar day Utah Road Trip Itinerary

Don't miss the best of Utah'southward national parks on your upcoming trip! This free, printable Utah national park road trip itinerary covers all the best points of involvement in all 5 Utah parks, plus bonus tips on where to stay and side trips to nearby state parks and monuments.

Download your gratuitous Utah road trip itinerary here.

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