Observation Point (Zion National Park, Utah)

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Distance: 8 miles
Rating: strenuous

After our visit to Bryce Canyon, I admit that I was a little concerned about potential let-down at Zion, our original destination. Bryce Canyon was so amazing that I wasn't sure whether or not Zion could actually top that experience. Adding to my concern was the forecast that called for cold weather and even some snow at the higher elevations. Well, I'm happy to say that my fears were alleviated as soon as my dad and I approached the park's entrance from the east. As my dad will attest, I probably looked a little like an excited puppy staring slack-jawed out the window as the landscape of Zion National Park unfolded in front of us. Everywhere I looked, there were new things to see, like the aptly named Checkerboard Mesa and the Great Arch of Zion. From the north, the road travels through one of the larger peripheral canyons on its way into the center of Zion’s main area. On the way in, cars pass through a long, dark tunnel that offers occasional glimpses of the landscape outside through large windows cut into the rock. The weather on this particular day created some absolutely incredible scenes as clouds obscured the tops of many of the higher peaks, evoking images of volcanoes or perhaps Mt. Olympus. As we wound our way down to the valley floor, I had no doubts about why this place was called Zion.

As we got up the next day at our hotel in Springdale, we were very excited to see that the clouds had cleared and the air had warmed up substantially. We were lucky enough to get more seasonal temperatures for our first day of hiking. Given that the forecast called for a return to the rain and cold the next day, we decided to choose from one of several tougher hikes and leave several of the shorter ones for the next day. We settled on Observation Point as it doesn’t tend to be as popular as some of the other more difficult hikes.

Before I get to the hike itself, I need to do my best to describe Zion Canyon. Simply put, I’ve never seen anything like it before. The canyon is comprised of thousands of vaguely cone-shaped towering rock pillars carved out by the Virgin River, its tributaries, and run-off. As the water has cut its way through the rock over the millennia, it has exposed various different layers of sediment. Darker reds and browns dominate the lower elevations while white sandstone caps the higher formations. Zion Canyon is essentially a geological history book for the Colorado Plateau, the dominant feature through much of the Four Corners region. Bryce Canyon, Canyon Lands, Arches, Capital Reef, The Colorado National Monument, The Grand Staircase, and The Grand Canyon are all part of this tremendous land mass. Most of the water that continues to carve out Zion begins its journey far to the north and eventually ends up in the Colorado River running through the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Observation Point offers one of the tougher day hikes easily accessed in Zion Canyon. The roughly eight-mile round trip hike takes visitors to one of the park’s greatest canyon overlooks. Along the way, travelers are treated to a nice taste of many of the park’s geological features such as unique slick rock patterns on the hill sides and narrow slot canyons.

This hike begins at the Weeping Rock bus stop (all areas north of Canyon Junction can only be accessed via shuttle bus from spring to fall). We decided to take the short, half-mile detour to Weeping Rock before starting our actual hike. Weeping Rock is an arch-shaped formation, and has earned its name due to several springs that empty over the rock. This drainage creates a very lush environment in the shade of the arch. The Weeping Rock trailhead offers great views of the Great White Throne and Angel’s Landing on the other side of the canyon.

The Observation Point trail is a fairly difficult hike. The trail begins with a series of switchbacks climbing up a steep wall of the canyon. Starting this hike early is strongly recommended as this first part will be shaded by the towering rocks above. After a little over a mile of climbing, the trail finally levels out for a time as it enters the aptly named Echo Canyon. This part of the trail allows hikers to get a closer look at the unique geology of the mountains. There are several smaller slot canyons visible along this section. Slot canyons are formed as rocks are worn down by rushing water over many years and are—by definition—significantly deeper than they are wide. The unique patterns of these canyons are due to characteristics of the rock that they usually form in (sandstone or limestone). Antelope Canyon in northern Arizona is easily the best known (and certainly the most photographed) slot canyon in the U.S.

As the trail exits the Echo Canyon area, it starts yet another steep and exposed climb. Notice that the trail is starting to enter the higher elevations of Zion Canyon as the rocks take on a lighter color. This part of the trail offers great views of the canyon below, unique back-country landscape, as well as a different perspective of the Great White Throne directly to the south. After another roughly 1.5 mile climb, the trail levels off again and follows a ridge for another half mile before reaching Observation Point. The Point itself can be seen as a large white outcropping with rust-colored streaks running down the side. This part of the hike offers the first of several incredible views of Zion Canyon and the Virgin River below. The trail passes through a small burn area before turning south and reaching its destination. Observation Point provides some shade, but more importantly, spectacular views of the canyon. Look down on the left side to see the steep switchbacks at the beginning of the hike. Below and to the right is a great view of Angel’s Landing (you may even be able to make out people climbing it). To the north are great views of the white and green temple cap formations that look like mushrooms on the mountain tops.

In addition to Observation Point, the Weeping Rock trailhead offers access to several other popular hikes including the Hidden Canyon and East Rim Trails. The East Rim Trail heads to the park’s eastern side and eventually connects up with the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway (UT 9). For longer and more challenging hikes, the East Rim Trail can be used to reach Deer Trap and Cable Mountains. Near Observation Point, the trail branches off into the East Mesa Trail which offers great views of the mesa tops along the park’s north-east side.

A few words of caution about this hike: Most of the trail is exposed to the elements, so it is best to come prepared with plenty of sun screen on warm days. If you plan to do this hike during the hot summer months, I recommend starting very early in the morning (see my other Zion entry for more details on weather conditions). The trail itself is actually paved in most places (although the pavement is cracked and warn) which is nice during dry conditions. However, rain and ice can make the trail pretty slick.

Directions to Zion: There are a variety of ways to reach Zion National Park. The fastest and most direct ways are from I-15. If you are travelling from Denver and don't plan to stop at Bryce Canyon, follow I-70 west until it dead-ends at I-15. Follow 15 south to Exit 27 and follow UT 17 to the town of La Verkin. At La Verkin, connect with UT 9 and follow it to the park entrance. The I-15 route also provides access to the less popular Kolob Canyon section of the park. For a slower, but more scenic drive, take I-70 west to US 89 south (see my Bryce Canyon NP entry). Follow 89 south to its junction with UT 9 (the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway) which heads into the park's eastern side.

Directions to the trailhead: Like most of the popular destinations in the Zion Canyon section of the park, the Weeping Rock trailhead is only accessible via shuttle bus during the peak season (spring to fall). Pick up the bus at the visitor center just inside the park's southern entrance. While the bus system is great for cutting down on pollution in the park, you will have to wait in line for a seat or standing room on the bus. Fortunately, the buses run every few minutes during the day, so the wait shouldn't be too bad. Weeping Rock is the fifth stop up from the visitor center. The drive offers great views of some of the park's most famous sites including the Towers of the Virgin and the Court of the Patriarchs.

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Comments

[Billy L]

Great shots
I was in Zion in March 2007 and i going back in March 2008. I am not much of a hiker due to 2 bad knees.