Canyon Overlook Trail

Canyon Overlook Trail

The walk up the Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion National Park is short sweet and to the point… or overlook. The half mile trail climbs up some stairs cut into the sandstone, then traverses under  rock and over open sandstone to an incredible vista of Zion Canyon.

Kristen and I drove from Springdale through the amazing Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel to the East Entrance to get to the Canyon Overlook Trail. The small parking lot for the trail was full, so we continued driving, then turned around and found a spot to park on the westward side of the road with a bigger parking lot.

We followed the sandstone steps up and began traversing along a cool slot canyon. Across the canyon, desert bighorn sheep were feeding and lounging. Parts of the traverse involved some catwalks and a sweet overhang area which was a nice place to get out of the sun.

From there, it popped out onto sandstone and gave previews to the amazing vista to come. At the end of the trail, you stand over the Great Arch (out of view) and look thousands of feet down to Pine Creek trickling out from the Pine Creek Gorge. Often you can hear climber’s voices echoing out from the gorge as they drop down the creek.

The vista is truly breathtaking with Bridge Mountain and the East Temple framing part of Zion Canyon as the road winds below you. Cars look like toys and people, ants. The red and white layering of the sandstone is apparent and the scope is unreal.

Overhang along Canyon Overlook Trail

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