The Two Zion Scenic Drives You CAN’T Miss!

Come and see Zion National Park in all its glory! While hiking can give you certain vantage points that you won’t see any other way, the scenic drives cutting through the canyon and over the mountains are how you’ll find the hiking trails to begin with.

The two major scenic drives in the park: Zion Canyon and Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, both offer amazing views of the beautiful and characteristic rock formations you come to Zion for in the first place. We’ll dive into both trails to give you an idea of the hikes you’ll be able to explore and the fun things you’ll find on the road.

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive

Zion Canyon is a beautiful and secluded environment, making it perfect for people looking to get away for a weekend. Stare in awe at the massive canyon walls on both sides of you as you navigate the twists and turns people have created. Zion’s most famous hikes will be found on this short yet scenic drive.

From March - August you won’t even need to drive yourself, as the shuttles are the only thing allowed on this ride during this busier season. Just open your eyes and look around!

Emerald Pools

Distance: 3 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

One of the most popular hikes in the park is Emerald Pools. This one connects with the Kayenta Trail, and any age can do it so long as they bring their walking poles! Along the trail you’ll see three different green-water pools because of the unique material in the water here. It’s definitely worth a walk!

Try this Hike!: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/emerald-pools-trail 

Weeping Rock Trail

Distance: 0.3 miles

Difficulty: Easy

While Weeping Rock Trail is closed at the moment, it’s become a must-see attraction and one of the favorites in the park for many. Water streaming out of what appears to be solid rock? Is this magic, or science? Learn about the porous stones that are common around Zion, and see it with your own eyes.

Try this Hike!: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/weeping-rock-trail--2 

Sand Bench Trail

Distance: 5.6 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Perhaps the least-talked about hike in the park, Sand Bench is a highly recommended trail by many people who feel that they’ve seen the major attractions in the park. It’s a deep sand hiking experience, which for many may sound miserable, but it’s a great workout and the views are out of this world. It’s an excellent alternative to Angels Landing.

Try this Hike!: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/sand-bench-trail 

Learn more about the drive: https://www.intrepidscout.com/scenic-drive-zion-national-park/ 

Zion-Mount Carmel Highway

While the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive has a lot more stops and hikes to explore, Zion-Mount Carmel Highway is a more traditional scenic drive, with only a couple of major headlining hikes along the path, but with more scenic moments and beautiful geological formations to score pictures of.

The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel

After climbing up the switchbacks that grant you a higher lookout point of Zion Canyon, you’ll eventually come to a tunnel, and boy is it a long one! Carved into the mountain in the 1920s, this 1.1 mile tunnel adds a bit of history and mystique to the drive.

Checkerboard Mesa Canyon Trail

Distance: 8 miles

Difficulty: Hard

Checkerboard Mesa is the most prominent hike on this trail, but it is not for the faint of heart. You’ll walk through the canyon created by Checkerboard Mesa and find beautiful canyon vistas along the riverbend. Bring your map, sunscreen, and bug spray for this one.

Try this Hike!: http://alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/utah/checkerboard-mesa-canyon-trail 

Wildlife

While you can see plenty of common western wildlife in the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, we find that the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway offers more opportunities to see wildlife because the road is longer. One ride we went on a herd of mountain goats were climbing on the cliffside next to the road! 

Check out the Zion National Park mammal guide for an idea of the critters you might see.

Read the Guide: https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/nature/upload/Mammals.pdf 

Relax with the Tyler Inn at Zion

Our adorable inn just outside of Springdale is the perfect place to stay for tourists looking to explore every nook and cranny of Zion National Park. We have comfortable rooms, are a five minute drive to the park entrance, and offer delicious breakfasts to get you energized and on the road early. Check out our accommodations today!