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
Plan your Zion National Park Vacation with our Utah Maps and
Information
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.
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.
GPS coordinates are only references and may or may not be accurate. Do not rely on GPS coordinates as the sole method of navigation. Always have an accurate, detailed map at hand and have the proper map reading and navigation skills before setting out on any hike. Many of the hikes listed in this guide travel into canyons where a GPS has limited capabilities. Always check your position with a detailed map before dropping into a canyon.
East Fork Virgin River
The East Fork of the Virgin River is 50 miles/80km in length
and runs south, then west through the southeast corner of Zion National Park.
The head of the east fork begins just west of Alton, Utah, runs through Mount
Carmel Junction, then the right fork and left fork join right behind the Tree's
ranch and fruit stand in Springdale. Checking the Alton weather prior to hiking
the East Fork is important to get the report for the head waters.
North Fork Virgin River
The North Fork of the Virgin River is 40 miles/64km in length
and runs through Zion Canyon then joins with the east fork in Springdale. The
head of the north fork is near Navajo Lake on the Markagunt Plateau.
Virgin River
The Virgin River is made up by the east fork and north fork which
meet in Springdale behind the fruit stand. The water flows to the far corner
of Utah in the booming city of St. George. It then runs across the northwestern
corner of Arizona, near Littlefield. The water continues its flow into southern
Nevada, at the mini gambling mecca of Mesquite and then dumps into the Colorado
River at the Lake Mead reservoir.
Canyoneering: Never enter a technical canyon without the knowledge and skills needed to safely explore and return. Rappelling and downclimbing skills are required to navigate through Fat Man's Misery. Do not jump. Jumping in Zion's canyons have resulting in many broken bones. Many technical canyons, such as Fat Man's Misery, also require gps skills or excellent map reading skills to navigate.
Beta: Coordinates and other trail and canyoneering information
by Zion Park search and rescue veteran team member Bo
Beck.
Suggested
Gear: Rope, webbing, harness and rappelling device. A sturdy pair of
shoes are recommend for canyoneering in Zion. Quality shoes will help grip the
rocks and prevent injury. Experienced Zion hikers and canyoneers like the Sportiva
Exum Ridge. This shoe is great for hiking, bouldering and canyoneering.
To offer corrections, updates, etc... or for more information
please visit the Zion
National Park Forum
This is the ideal slot canyon adventure and one of the most
beautiful places in Southern Utah. The hike in is decorated with charming water
filled pot holes. which summer months bring canyon tree frogs to the pools displaying
all stages of development. The slot canyon lures canyoneers to its bowels. Fat
Man's Misery twists, turns and winds, offering rock slides, a couple of interesting
rappels and enough difficulty to keep even hard core canyoneers interested. The
narrow slot canyon has it all: trees wedged between the falls, bouldering, slides,
warm pools, cold pools, sandy bottoms, towering canyon walls and a couple of
fun rappels. The East Fork of the Virgin River (Parunuweap Canyon) is as impressive
as the popular Zion Narrows but set in a more remote and wild environment. There
are few adventures that can compare with a trip through Parunuweap, one of the
Southwest's most outstanding canyons. However, this canyon is not the place for
those without rappelling, adownclimbing, rope and route finding skills. This route
is through a wilderness area offering little hope of running into other humans.
Know your limits.
Parunuweap Canyon at a Glance Photo Album: Approach PhotosMore
Photos
Trail Maps: Hiking
MapElephant
Butte Map
Day hike: Yes, but would be a nice backpack. Distance: 9 miles from Checkerboard to the Elephant
Butte Exit. Average hiking time: 12 hours Equipment: 100' rope, webbing, harness, rappel device,
map, dry bag, helmet, emergency supplies and lots of water. Technical: At least 4 short rappels or downclimbs.
One optional rappel is 50'. The required rappel is 35' and overhanging'. Two
shorter rappels can be downclimbed with a hand-line. Difficulty: Strenuous hiking, river hiking. Technical
canyoneering through Fat Man's Misery Slot Canyon. Downclimbing skills are required. Permits: No permit is required because the technical
section is outside Zion National Park on BLM land. Check the weather report
before hiking this trail. Do not hike if it looks like rain or rain in the Alton
area, which is near the head of the East Fork of the Virgin River. Trailhead: The pullout just southwest of the
main Checkerboard Mesa viewpoint. Trailend: Elephant
Butte Trail access: The Zion Mt. Carmel Hwy is open year-round.
Cold river temperatures and heavy current can deter most hikers in the winter
months. Off the Beaten Path: Yes Best season: mid-June to mid-September when the water
is warmer. Hazards: Call the Zion Canyon Visitors Center for weather
conditions prior to the hike: (435) 772-3256. Hiking in slot canyons presents
a very real danger from flash flooding. Do not hike this trail if it is raining.
Remember a storm far off can trigger a flash flood. Poison Ivy is present in
many places along the river and in the exit canyon.
Elephant Butte Exit
If you can set up a 4WD shuttle this is a great way to end this hike. Drive to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes toll booth. The dunes are 11 miles from Mount Carmel Junction which is located on the east side of Zion National Park. Drive 4 miles past the rangers station (toll booth) and turn right at the gravel pullout. Follow the sandy road. Ignore the off-shoot roads, staying right (north-northeast). At 3.5 miles from the turn off from the Sand Dunes Road, turn left at sign post K1265. At 4.2 miles, at the junction, go to the right. There is a good view of Zion's West Temple from this point. At 7.2 miles is another intersection. Turn left here. At 9 miles there is another junction and sign: K1290, go right at this junction. The roads will begin to twist and turn sharply through the junipers. At 10 miles is another intersection, stay to the left. Soon you will be able to see Parunuweap below. At 11.5 miles is a wilderness study area sign. At 12 miles is a dirt parking area and the exit for Parunuweap Canyon. Elephant Butte Map
Trailhead - Park at the second pullout southwest of the main
Checkerboard Mesa viewpoint located at the far east section of Zion National
Park. Cross the highway and look for the path of use along the narrow drainage.
There are some fun pot holes and slick rock at the start of the hike.
Trail Beta - Follow the drainage that runs next to the west
side of Checkerboard Mesa. Crazy Quilt Mountain will be on your right.
Follow the wash until the beaten dirt path become obvious on the left. The climb
gets steep as the one mile mark and the head of the canyon is approached. The
saddle is summited (5920'/1804m) at the one mile mark, where Parunuweap is seen
to the south. Hike down hill about 150 vertical feet to the bottom of the saddle
and back into the wash. A slick rock bowl is in view. At the slickrock bowl start
heading southeast for about .25 miles and then bear east southeast. Crossing
the first drainage, still maintaining an east-southeasterly direction. Continue
east-southeast and cross the second drainage. After topping out the ridge after
the second drainage steer further to the east and then head southeast to the
bottom of the third drainage. Scramble up the slickrock to view the fourth drainage
which is the west fork of Misery Canyon. It's about 3 miles from the trailhead
to Misery Wash. Follow the wash into the west fork of Fat Man's Misery.
Fat Man's Misery Slot Canyon (West Fork)
Rappelling and excellent downclimbing skills are required to
navigate through Fat Mans Misery. Remember slot canyons can change dramatically
in a short time due to flash floods and water levels in this canyon change. These
directions are only a general reference. Be prepared for variations in the canyon.
Obstacle or Rappel - Once at the bottom of the Misery wash
follow it downstream for a short distance where the canyon soon narrows to a
very narrow slot with an immediate 12' drop which can be down climbed or there
is a single bolt which can be used to set up a hand line or rappel line located
on the left side of the wall. Don't be lured to the slings that may still be
wrapped on a tree trunk above and to the left of the slot.
Obstacles - Continue down the slot canyon negotiating boulder
downclimbs. The canyon will open up periodically, then narrow down again presenting
more boulder problems and slickrock slides.
Obstacle or Rappel - Once near an open area the canyon drops
abruptly out from under, and can be followed by a 50' rappel into potholes (May
present pothole escapes) or scrambling up and to the left to find a steep descent
(route finding skills needed) into the sandy bottom open wash below.
Rappel - The final narrow section that must be negotiated
will require rappelling 35' to the slot canyon floor using webbing that has been
slung around some boulders on the left side of the head of the drop. This is
an awkward overhang start with a free hanging finish. Conditions may change and
anchor building skills may be required.
Rappels or Obstacles - Once in the spectacular final narrows,
going down canyon reveals dark rooms with a double natural arch (technically
a bridge) overhead, and the final section has potholes fed with clear warm water
spurting (sulfur spring) from a small tube in the rock. Parunuweap and the East
Fork of the Virgin River now may be heard just around the next bend. There are
four sections of Fat Man's Misery to pass through on this route.
East Fork Virgin River - Barracks
Towering canyon walls enclose the East Fork of the Virgin River in much the
same manner as the Zion Narrows. The exit is to the left, but first head to the
upper narrows section of Parunuweap. This is the section of the river called
the Barracks and is BLM land rather than NPS land. The Barracks section is a
magnificent slot canyon. Hike about .5 miles to the right to explore the Powell
plaque.
Powell Plaque and ZNP Boundary
Reads as: "Major John Wesley Powell 1834-1902 explorer, scientist, Steven
V. Jones 1840-1920 teacher, topographer, Joseph W. Young 1829-1873 Mormon pioneer
leader, descended Labyrinth Falls 1/2 mile below Monday, September 30, 1872 during
first Parunuweap Canyon traverse. Powell named this canyon from the Paiute Indian
word 'Parunuweap' which means roaring water canyon. Dedicated September 30, 1972."
Labyrinth Falls: Beyond Labyrinth Falls, to the west, is officially off limits.
Parunuweap Canyon Exit
The following exit requires a car shuttle, but its a great way to exit the
canyon.
Exit to Elephant Butte/ Elephant Gap Road: Once at the East Fork of the Virgin
River, after exiting "Fat Mans Misery", bear left (upstream) on the
Virgin River for 2.5 miles. (Note: Poverty Wash enters from the north, left side,
at the 2 mile mark). At the 2.5 mile mark you'll see a prominent wash entering
from your right (south) side and this is the exit canyon to arrive at the Elephant
Butte - Elephant Gap Road. Turn right into this canyon and hike upstream (beware
of the poison ivy on your right) for .35 of a mile. The slot canyon ends at a
seemingly impassable dryfall. At this point bear right up the steep vegetated
dirt slope until level with the top of the dryfall, then bear left and cross
over the slickrock dryfall aiming for the steep rock/dirt/vegetated hill in front.
Continue in a north-easterly direction up this slope until arriving at the cliff
base and a broken chute. Work your way up (northerly) this chute until arriving
on top of a ridge. You have traveled approximately .5 mile since you left Parunuweap
now, and will now steer to the south following the ridge for .75 of a mile until
it intersects with the Elephant Butte/ Elephant Gap Road.
Backpack from Mount Carmel Junction (on the east side of Zion
National Park).
Hike in and out avoiding Fat Man's Misery. The entrance for this hike would
be at the Powell Plaque. Exit the way you entered or set up a shuttle at Elephant
Butte.
