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The Ultimate Southwest Vacation includes Zion National Park, Utah!

Stay in Mount Carmel Junction, the heart of the parks, and visit the treasures of the Southwest.

Zion Park 12 miles
Grand Staircase 9 miles
Sand Dunes 11 miles
Dixie Forest 22 miles
Cedar Breaks 45 miles
Red Canyon 47 miles
Coyote Butte 57 miles
Bryce Canyon 60 miles
North Rim 85 miles
Toroweap 90 miles

In these pages you will find insiders information on Zion National Park lodging, adventures and hikes. This detailed guide includes road maps, park maps, pictures, trail beta, backpacking, history, fees, geology, flora, fauna, campgrounds, things for kids to do and even information on Zion's hidden treasures.

Making summer memories in the Utah National Parks and National Monuments.

Utah!

Zion National Park Map

Directions to Zion National Park
From Salt Lake City: Travel I-15 south, past Beaver. Exit on Hwy 20. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take U-9 to Zion's east entrance.
From Arizona: Travel 89A through Fredonia, Arizona and Kanab Utah. Follow US-89 to to Mount Carmel Junction. Take U-9 to the east park entrance.
From Las Vegas: Travel I-15 north. Take exit 16 and travel through Hurricane. Make a right on U-9 at the second traffic light in LaVerkin. Continue on U-9 to the south entrance of the park. U-9 through Zion National Park is always open and is also called the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway.

Oversized Vehicle Information
Zion Canyon Shuttle Information

The east side of Zion National Park is as magnificent as Zion Canyon. This trail runs between Checkerboard Mesa and Quilt Mountain to the incomparable Parunuweap Canyon and Fat Man's Misery.

Canyon Overlook Photos
Checkerboard Arch Photos
Clear Creek Photos
East Rim Trail Photos
Red Cave Photos
Fat Man's Misery Photos
Gifford Canyon Photos
Hidden Arch Photos
Hidden Gardens Photos
Pine Creek Waterfall Photos
Shelf Canyon Photos
Spry Canyon Photos
Zion Narrows Photos

The east side of Zion National Park is often considered to be the most scenic driving section (but not the most vertical) of the park. On the east side the landscape is different from Zion Canyon. Rather than massive vertical cliffs, there are mountains that resemble dunes of sand sculpted into hard rock. Patterns carved into sandstone are common on the east side. After driving the short fourteen mile Zion-Mt. Carmel Hwy it should be unmistakable why Zion National Park is said to be one of the most entrancing places in the world. Choose your pleasure: easy hikes or difficult overnight backpacking trips; luxurious Zion National Park hotels, group lodging, vacation homes, campgrounds with resort amenities, or camping in the backcountry wilderness of Zion's Kolob section.

East side of Zion National Park

Many hikers never leave the classic Zion Canyon trails to explore the wonders of Zion's east side. The east side of the park is the place to escape the heat of the canyon and find impressive, yet un-crowded hiking routes, scenic drives and views. Winter hiking is a joy on the east side with its sunny paths, rough rock and evergreens. The elevation on the south side of the park is less than 4,000'. and can reach over 110 degrees in the summer. The ride east through the tunnel is an up-hill climb as the road suddenly gains elevation switchbacking and climbing up from lower Zion Canyon. The elevation at Zion's east entrance is 5,700', gaining almost 600' as the road winds from south to east. Mt. Carmel Junction, on the east side of the park, is a mile high, offering cooler summer days.

Zion National Park Roads - Scenic Byway 9

There can't be another highway in the United States that can match the incredible Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. This scenic byway runs from the south entrance of Zion National Park to the east entrance and ends at Mt. Carmel Junction where Highways 9 and 89 meet. At the junction you will have to choose whether to drive towards the other impressive attractions in Southern Utah or to venture to the vast North Rim of the Grand Canyon. See our Zion National Park vacation guide for itineraries that include all of these scenic wonders making up the Grand Staircase: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Red Canyon, Cedar Breaks, North Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Grand Staircase National Monument.

To travel from the south to the east side of the park involves driving through the mile long Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Although the tunnel is large, many vehicles today are even larger. RVs and tour buses travel through the park continuously. So for the safety of all, the park posts rangers at both sides of the tunnel to direct traffic. When an oversized vehicle approaches the tunnel, the traffic from the other side is stopped, so that the larger vehicles can travel down the center of the tunnel. Although rangers (escorts) are stationed at the tunnel most of the time there are no escorts during the very early mornings or late at night. During the winter season, escorts are arranged at the entrance stations when driving into the park. Call for more information: 1.435.772.3256. From April 1 through late October, rangers should be stationed at the tunnel from 8 am to 8 pm daily.

The Canyon Overlook is a fun trail located on the east side of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. The hike is a one-mile roundtrip with a 163'/50m ascent that will take about one hour to complete. The reward at the end is a magnificent view of lower Zion Canyon, Beehives, Zion Switchbacks and Pine Creek Canyon. Charming stone steps mark the start of the hike, leading high above the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel and past a seepage area in a charming alcove. The water from the seepage supports one of Zion's many hanging gardens. The real beauty of this hike is that it offers a high elevation view without enduring the difficult uphill climbs to points like Angels Landing or Observation Point. Slickrock hoodoos are abundant on this hike, with a wonderful rock nest at the trails end that serves as a perch to look down into the canyon.

East Rim

The East Rim is often considered one of the "best hikes in Utah." This trail begins at the east entrance of Zion National Park, just off the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, and ends in Zion Canyon. Other close contenders for best hike are the Zion Narrows and Angels Landing. Zion Narrows however, is a trek through the water that only the most hardy individuals do in the off-season. Angels Landing is incredible, but the narrow ledge and sheer sandstone walls are not for everyone. The East Rim trail, on the other hand, can be hiked throughout much of the year and even those with a fear of heights should enjoy it. The trail begins at the east entrance to the park and climbs uphill. Once up on the mesa it is obvious why the trail is one of Utah's best. The trail follows along Echo Canyon for much of the way, with towering monoliths in constant view. For those who want to see impressive views of Zion Canyon without a grueling climb, this is the direction to go. East Rim connects with Observation Point, travels through a short section of Echo Canyon and then descends in Zion Canyon.

These are fairyland-like rock outcroppings of twisted and manipulated sandstone sporting various shapes and sizes. The hoodoos of Zion National Park are much different than the more uniform limestone hoodoos of Bryce Canyon. Hoodoos are seen throughout the park, but they are in abundance on the east side. There are several pull-outs along the Zion-Mt. Carmel Hwy that offer good views of them without heading for the trails.

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there is a severe and settled majesty in woodland scenery that enters into the soul, and dilates and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations. -- Washington Irving Photo: Pine Creek Waterfall © Photography by Tanya

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