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
Gear: A sturdy pair of shoes are recommend to hike the trails in Zion National
Park. Many quality shoes will help grip the rocks and prevent injury. Experienced
Zion hikers and canyoneers like the La Sportiva Exum Ridge. This shoe is great
for hiking, bouldering and canyoneering.
Parunuweap Pass
Zion's backcountry is a eclectic display of fossilized dunes, dramatic stone pillars, buttes, crevices, slot canyons, valleys, rock rimmed pot holes, creeks as well as an occasional desert waterfall. It's a place where hikers can inhale amazingly clean air while exploring little known hidden day hikes and backpacks. The route we present today, Parunuweap Pass, begins by scrambling through a drainage on the east side of the park and then topping out on several slickrock vantage points that give way to impressive views in all directions before ending with a nice stroll through Gifford Canyon.
Parunuweap Pass at a Glance Photo Album: Parunuweap Pass Pictures Trail Maps: Parunuweap Pass Topo Map Day Hike: Yes Distance: 4.5 miles one-way. Average Hiking Time: 8 hours round-trip. Equipment: Sticky rubber hiking shoes and good route-finding skills are required. The USGS 7.5 Minute, Springdale East, Topographic Quadrangle contains the terrain to be traveled. Be sure to take at least 2-3 quarts of water for each person and plenty of energy snacks, sun protective clothing and emergency first aid supplies. A 50 foot section of rope or webbing will be useful. Difficulty: This route gains and looses considerable elevation, in addition it has sections of exposed fourth class scrambling and the earth tends to be loose along some steep hillsides. Sun Exposure: You will be in full sun during most of the route, therefore this is not a good trip to attempt in the heat of the summer. Trail Usage: Low Permits: Not required.
Trailhead: East side of the smaller tunnel.
Trailend: Canyon Overlook parking lot. Trail Access: The Zion-Mt. Carmel Hwy (SR-9) is open year-round, but occasional flowing water or snow may be present in Clear Creek rendering it dangerous if not impassable to cross. Best Season: Fall, spring and winter bring cooler temperatures making this a more enjoyable hike, but it should only be attempted when the slickrock is dry. Highest Elevation: 6250 feet Lowest Elevation: 5100 feet Elevation Gain: 1150 feet Off the Beaten Path: You begin just off busy SR-9 in Zion, but you will quickly head to where few ever venture.
Trailhead - Drive 1.3 miles east of the eastern end of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel and Canyon Overlook Trailhead and park on the cutout road in front of the small tunnel. Follow the path of use visible immediately south of the parking area and then descend into the small drainage below the highway. Follow it about 100 yards until it intersects with Clear Creek. Walk downstream about .6 miles to "Parunuweap Pass Wash" which enters into the creek from the south or left. If there is water or ice in the waterway, it may be easiest to go west on the shoulder of the highway for .4 miles then drop into Clear Creek and locate the wash as you enter from the north. An uphill trek now begins.
The first half-mile of hiking is relatively easy up to "halfway falls," a dryfall on the left that presents the first obstacle. With careful scrambling and use of natural rock features, the upper section comes into sight about 60 feet from the canyon floor. A rope belay from the top can assist weaker climbers through the steeper part of the nearly vertical rock face. The canyon will open up and close as it exposes unique sculpting in the sandstone. Gradually the narrow slot gets steeper as it nears its end, soon requiring a scramble up to the slickrock saddle known as Parunuweap Pass. Look for weaknesses that present themselves on the right side of the drainage. After completing about a quarter-mile climb you will reach the saddle. In the center is a blob shaped hoodoo that makes an inviting rest area as well as providing an ideal location to see into Crawford Wash and Parunuweap Canyon far below. To the north are impressive peaks dotting Zion's eastern terrain and to the east and west is a grand display of massive sandstone mountains and hoodoos that are the characteristic formations setting the east side of Zion apart from Zion Canyon.
From the saddle, travel west-northwest for about a quarter-mile to get to the top of a small slickrock ridge. Once there, steer southwesterly, aiming for the slickrock bowl. From the head of the drainage veer to the right side of the dryfall and scramble up the ramp until you are able to step left and above it. At the top of this obstacle, once again head northwest and follow the fault to the top of the ridge. Less than a quarter-mile separates peak 6310 from the "twin hoodoos" peak to the south. Far below to the west, but not yet visible, is Gifford Canyon. From the 6200 foot elevation a vista of distant mesas delight the senses as layers of orange rock and bright blue skies shine from the unobstructed panorama. Try to identify Zion's East Temple, Mountain of the Sun and Progeny Peak. From this point most of the hiking is now downhill, but route-finding will be necessary. Go south, bypassing the "twin hoodoo" spires on their right side. Follow the ridge in a generally south direction aiming toward another rolling, wooded peak. Head for the western flank of this distant summit.
Once near the peak, go southwest and down toward the head of Gifford Canyon. From the top of the knoll it will be less than a half-mile to a large 250 foot dryfall spilling into Gifford Canyon. By walking to the west side of the dryfall and hiking north, route-finding becomes the faire. Stay somewhat close to the cliff edge for easier going. At one point you will need to scramble up a small ramp to a shoulder and then carefully continue down the opposite side to the large slickrock bowl below. Skirt to the north side of it and then traverse weaknesses until the Gifford Canyon bottom becomes a reality. Hiking down the canyon is uncomplicated for the next half-mile until you reach the second dryfall. Again, by staying above and to the west of the canyon below, a weakness can be found leading to the canyon floor. Look for cairns at this point because this route is sometimes used by those hiking to and from Crawford Arch and Hepworth Wash. Now it is a pleasant one-mile walk down Gifford Canyon and to the Canyon Overlook parking lot.
Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble.
Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.
