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.
Beta: Coordinates and other trail and canyoneering information by Zion Park search and rescue veteran team member Bo Beck and www.zionnational-park.com author Tanya Milligan.
To post trip reports, offer corrections, updates, or for more information please visit the Zion National Park Forum
Suggested Equipment: Wear sturdy shoes with good quality sticky rubber to hike the slickrock in Zion . Those that like low tops will enjoy a good quality rubber shoe like the La Sportiva Exum River shoes.
Checkerboard Mesa Summit
Checkerboard Mesa stands as an icon in the towering, majestic slickrock mountains that abound in Eastern Zion National Park. Tourists get off the Zion Canyon Shuttle in droves to visit the main canyon of Zion National Park. There they view such landmarks as Angels Landing, Zion Narrows, Great White Throne, Weeping Rock and Emerald Pools but the east side of the park holds many treasures and they are there to enjoy without the crowds and shuttle busses. The east side of the park is less frequented, but nonetheless spectacular, and in some ways even more majestic than the main canyon. For those that enjoy hiking, there are fewer established trails but the opportunity for backcountry exploration is now opened up because of the somewhat less vertical nature of the terrain. The view from the Checkerboard Mesa viewpoint just inside the east entrance is awe inspiring, however the view from the northern tip of Checkerboard Mesa looking down and to the east, north and west is a vista that few have the opportunity to see. The hike is short but steep, and although it has a bit of bushwhacking the rewards are worth it!
See our vacation planning section for classic Zion National Park trails or glance at our favorite Zion National Park trails list or choose from a complete Zion National Park hiking guide.
Checkerboard Mesa Summit at a Glance
Photo Album: Checkerboard Mesa Pictures
Trail Map: Checkerboard Mesa Summit Map
Day Hike: Yes Distance: 2 miles round trip Average Hiking Time: 4 hours Equipment: Sturdy hiking shoes with sticky rubber soles are a must when hiking on slickrock. Emergency equipment, plenty of water and energy snacks.
Difficulty: Strenuous, but short. Navigation skills are required. Permits: weather report. Trailhead: Checkerboard Mesa Viewpoint parking lot. Trailend: Same as the trailhead. Trail Access: Highway 9, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway is open year round. Off the Beaten Path: Yes Classic Zion Hike: No Best Season: Year-round as long as the rock is dry. Elevation Gain: 600' Hazards: Call the Zion Canyon Visitors Center for weather conditions prior to the hike: (435) 772-3256. The Zion Narrows is a slot canyon and like any slot canyon there is 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. Flash flood danger is high.
Parking
Park at the Checkerboard Mesa viewpoint parking area and walk west alongside Highway 9, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, until at the base of Checkerboard Mesa.
Hiking the Wash
There is a drainage on the east side of the mesa that follows the slickrock and bypasses several desert tanks. Soon the path to travel becomes a sandy wash that winds southerly and begins its ascent to the saddle between Checkerboard Mesa and another caprock mesa to its east. Travel in the wash as much as possible past the various social trails that split off to the left and into the shrubbery on the hillside above. Staying up against Checkerboard Mesa slickrock is generally easiest travel and will prevent unnecessary erosion to the hillsides above. There will be a few dryfalls within the wash that can be negotiated, generally by going left and up and around.
Near the Top
As the top of the saddle becomes more apparent, travel becomes much steeper and will leave the wash as a visible trail emerges and ascends through the trees. Keep an eye open for a trail that branches to the right before reaching the actual saddle summit. The trail scrambles steeply and climbs a short (8') cliffband. It then arrives at the forested ledge just below the Checkerboard Mesa tabletop. Now travel is done to the north on the sloping, forested ledge in the direction of the ridge and buttress. Staying to the right and close to the developing cliff affords the least vegetation and offers a game trail that is simpler than trying to ascend to the base of the caprock that comprises Checkerboard Mesa. Travel continues north for several hundred yards before the ridge that is just north and below the actual Checkerboard Mesa tabletop.
Checkerboard Mesa Tabletop
Soon the terrain will level out and spectacular views appear. There is a good flat area to sit and have lunch. After lunch walk around and marvel at the expansive views of Zion's slickrock country!
The main route to Checkerboard Arch is also part of one entrance to the magnificent Parunuweap Canyon route that leads through Fat Man's Misery and to the East Fork of the Virgin River.
The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many.
~Oliver Wendell Holmes
