West Rim Trail (top down)
| DIFFICULTY | OUR RATING | ELEVATION GAIN | AVG TIME | ROUND TRIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strenuous | 4400 ft total descent and 1,000+ feet of ascent | 6-10 hrs with day-pack; 8-12 hrs with backpacking gear | 15 miles (point to point) | |
|
STARTING POINT: West Rim Trailhead
off Kolob Terrace Road (hike doesn't start in Zion Canyon, but it ends there) |
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| DIFFICULTY | Strenuous |
|---|---|
| OUR RATING | |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 4400 ft total descent and 1,000+ feet of ascent |
| AVG TIME | 6-10 hrs with day-pack; 8-12 hrs with backpacking gear |
| ROUND TRIP | 15 miles (point to point) |
Description
This is one of the top-3 hikes in Zion. If you are looking to do a classic hike that isn’t in the water e.g. The Narrows, then this is arguably the best hike in Zion. The views are beyond description and the crowds are close to non-existent (at least on the first 12 miles of the hike until you run into the Angels Landing hikers). This hike starts off casually, but then continues to build and finally climaxes with some of the most jaw-dropping views of the park of any hike. On this trail you get to see the upper sections of Zion that fewer than 1% of all visitors to the park ever get to see. I can’t recommend this hike enough. If you do the top-down hike, the route is almost all downhill which makes it considerably easier (unless you have bad knees and you’ll be feeling it by the end). One important note: there is a trail junction where you can choose to take Telephone Canyon—don’t take it—stay on the West Rim trail (to the right) or you will miss the best views this hike has to offer.
