Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the first 6 miles from the south end. The easiest way to do this is to leave your car
at the south end (lowest point) and get a shuttle to the top to begin your hike.
Over half of this very popular hike is spent atop the Horse Pasture Plateau, a
finger of land pointing toward Angels Landing, which affords incredible vistas all
along the trail. The plateau boasts a wide range of plant life, and consequently, a
fascinating variety of birds and animals. The many blackened trees attest to the nu-
merous lightning strikes that have occurred here. You'll also find stark reminders
of a 1980 wildfire.
At the southern end of the plateau, you can choose to take the
Telephone
CanyonTrail
or stay on the Rim Route; the first is a little shorter, and they come
together again at West Rim Spring Junction, just before the steep descent into
Zion Canyon. The climb down takes you around and behind Mount Majestic and
Cathedral Mountain, following part of Refrigerator Canyon, and connects to
An-
gels Landing Trail
before depositing you at the Grotto Picnic Area. See “Kolob
Plateau Area” map in chapter 3.
29 miles RT. Difficult. Access: Lava Point Trail Head. From Virgin, take Kolob Terrace Rd. north about
21 miles, turn right toward Lava Point; after about a mile, there's a fork: If it's dry, take the left fork
and drive about 1 1/3 miles to the trail head; otherwise, take the right fork to Lava Point Campground,
where there's a connecting trail to the trail head.
Biking & Mountain Biking
Although bikes are forbidden on almost all trails, and cross-country biking is pro-
hibited within the national park boundaries, Zion is among the West's most bike-
friendly national parks. The bike-friendly
Pa'rusTrail
runs a little under 2 miles
along the Virgin River, from the south park entrance and South Campground to
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, crossing the river and several creeks, and providing
good views of the Watchman, West Temple, the Sentinel, and other lower-canyon
formations. The trail is paved and open to bicyclists, pedestrians, pets on leashes,
and those with strollers or wheelchairs, but is closed to cars. See the last paragraph
of this section for information on where to rent bikes.
From April through October, the
ZionCanyonScenicDrive,
beyond its intersec-
tion with the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, is closed to private motor vehicles, with
the exception of motorists who have reservations at Zion Lodge. However, the road
is open to hikers and bicyclists, as well as shuttle buses. Bicyclists should pull to
the right road shoulder and stop to allow shuttle buses to pass.
