#OBSERVATION POINT TRAIL FULL#

The trail climbs out of Echo Canyon and winds uphill along the mesa’s east side. Hikers cross this short, concrete bridge heading toward Observation Point. This 50-yard section of trail passes under a sandstone overhang and above a steep slot canyon. Though GPS reception is unreliable in this narrow, canyon environment, the trail is signed and easy to follow. Be diligent with your footing and stand clear of cliff edges. Signs near the trailhead warn of potentially dangerous trail conditions. The point itself is often crowded, but equally stunning views can be had at more private picnic spots on the mesa edge to the north. Observation Point: This picnic-worthy point high above the canyon floor offers epic views of Zion Canyon’s dramatic sandstone features. This high-desert landscape is a dramatic change from the cliffside trail you’ve left behind. Stay to the left to follow the sandy trail west and south. The climbing is over by the time you reach this Y-junction. To stay safe, keep your eyes on the trail while moving and stay clear of the cliffside edges.Īfter the final rocky switchbacks, the trail turns away from the edge of the hillside about 0.75 mile from Observation Point. The trail leading uphill from this point is exposed and scary for some hikers unused to scaling such heights. This switchback corner rounds the south side of the mesa edge and offers the first panoramic views of Zion Canyon. There is room here for a rest break, but the outside switchback corners up ahead have better views of the slot canyon below. This small, metal disc marks the elevation inside the slot canyon at 5,194 feet.Īfter passing above the narrowest part of Echo Canyon and below an overhanging ledge above the trail, the canyon widens and continues switchbacking uphill.Ĭontinue straight on the well-defined, uphill trail at this 3-way junction. The trail squeezes into Echo Canyon and is lined by sheer sandstone cliffs above (on the right) and below (on the left). This stair-stepped switchback interrupts the paved, rugged ramp beneath Cable Mountain. Stay to the left at this T-junction, following the straighter trail toward Echo Canyon and Observation Point. After crossing this small footbridge, follow the Observation Point Trail to the right. There are pit toilets, handicapped parking, benches, and a map kiosk at the trailhead. To follow this mapped route and the Observation Point Trail, disembark at the Weeping Rock stop and head east through the parking lot. Zion’s canyon shuttle drops hikers, sightseers, and tripod-toting photographers along the canyon road. The trail tops the mesa, rolls over sandy desert singletrack and ends at a scrapbook-worthy panoramic lookout with birds-eye views of Zion’s sheer canyon walls. Watch your footing on these cliff-side switchbacks, but rest assured: the payoff is near. The trail is rarely less than 6-feet wide, but exposure on the last mesa-bound climb sends some hikers scurrying back downhill. Switchbacks continue as the trail turns uphill again cruising past rainbow-colored layers on the way to the East Mesa’s southern edge and your first sweeping view of Zion Canyon just before mile 3. This 10-minute section winds past red-tinted curves in the aptly-named slot and offers a brief respite from the climb.

The paved trail climbs 1,000 feet in two miles-skirting steep sandstone walls and abrupt trailside edges-before turning to sand near the mouth of Echo Canyon. The strenuous 2,148-foot climb from the Weeping Rock Trailhead begins with a steady, switchbacking uphill beneath Cable Mountain’s sheer, eastern face. This 8-mile out-and-back offers some of Zion’s best up-close canyon views and definitely the best birds-eye views in the park.

#OBSERVATION POINT TRAIL FULL#

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Observation point trail