Kolob Canyons

How to Get There

From Cedar City (20 mi): Follow I-15 south to Exit 40, then drive east a short distance to the Kolob Canyons entrance station and continue along the scenic Kolob Canyons Road into the heart of the canyon system.

Overview

The Kolob Canyons section occupies the northwestern corner of Zion National Park and showcases some of the highest and most dramatic sandstone cliffs in the entire park. Deep finger canyons cut through layers of Navajo Sandstone, creating a landscape of soaring red walls, narrow ravines, and expansive desert vistas. Although often overshadowed by Zion Canyon, this region offers many of the same geological wonders while attracting significantly fewer visitors. A five-mile scenic drive provides access to overlooks that reveal the immense scale of the terrain, making the area ideal for travelers seeking breathtaking views without the crowds commonly found elsewhere in the park.

The region also serves as a gateway to outstanding hiking opportunities, including trails to Timber Creek Overlook, Taylor Creek, and remote backcountry destinations. Along these routes, visitors encounter pinyon-juniper woodlands, seasonal streams, colorful wildflowers, and wildlife ranging from mule deer to soaring raptors. The rugged topography tells a story of millions of years of uplift and erosion that helped create one of the most spectacular canyon landscapes in the American West. Whether experienced from a scenic overlook or explored on foot, the area delivers a memorable combination of solitude, geology, and natural beauty.

Kolob Canyons Wilderness Hiking Trails

Timber Creek Overlook Trail

The Timber Creek Overlook Trail follows a small ridge with spectacular views of the Kolob Canyons, the Kolob Terrace, and the Pine Valley Mountains. Looking south on the far horizon, visitors may see Mount Trumbull, 100 miles away at the north rim of the Grand Canyon. During the spring and early summer months, the Timber Creek Overlook Trail is covered in a beautiful display of desert wildflowers. The dirt trail is often muddy when wet. A small picnic area is located a short distance from the trailhead.

La Verkin Creek Trail

The trail begins at Lee Pass with stunning views of the Kolob Canyons as it crosses Timber Creek and continues to descend toward La Verkin Creek. After seven miles a spur trail leads hikers to a viewpoint where they can see the Kolob Arch. With a span of 287 feet and a thickness of 75 feet, the Kolob Arch is one of the world's largest natural arches.

Taylor Creek Trail

Description: The Taylor Creek Trail leads hikers deep into a narrow box canyon toward the Double Arch Alcove, where erosion has carved out natural openings in the Navajo sandstone. As the trail reaches the mouth of the canyon it enters the Zion Wilderness and begins to crisscross Taylor Creek. The trail passes the geologic formation of the Kanarraville Fold and two historic homestead cabins built in the early 1930s before arriving at the Double Arch Alcove.

Kolob Arch

Kolob Arch is a natural arch in Zion National Park, Utah, United States. According to the Natural Arch and Bridge Society (NABS), it is the sixth-longest natural arch in the world. In 2006, the Society measured the span at 287.4 ± 2 feet (87.6 m), which is slightly shorter than Landscape Arch in Arches National Park. Differences in measuring technique or definitions could produce slightly different results and change this ranking.

Kolob Arch can be reached via one of two hiking trails, either of which is approximately seven miles (11 km) long and results in a round trip of fourteen miles (22 km). The arch can also be reached from Ice Box Canyon, a canyoneering route in this section of Zion National Park. The arch is high above the ground and close to a cliffside that it frames.

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