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By Jacob
By Jacob
There are four roads that enter or are located in Zion National Park. Kolob Canyons Road, Kolob Terrace Road, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and Mt. Carmel Highway. I am going to talk about the last of these roads. The highway enters Zion National Park to the east and exits to the south into the town of Springdale, Utah. The highway is the most popular entrance to the park. In our visit to Zion National Park we came in from the east entrance from Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. This article will cover the road itself, the vistas and trails along the road.
The road starts in the east at the Mt. Carmel Junction with Highway 36 between the towns of Orderville and Kanab. About 13 miles on the road, it changes color and to the right is the hanging sign for Zion National Park. We love to stop at these signs and get our picture at each of the national park signs around the country. Next, you arrive at the entrance gate for the park. $35 for private vehicles and $30 per motorcycle. These passes are good for seven days. To the right is a short dirt road leading to a parking lot; this is the trailhead of the East Rim Trail. There are several branches of the east trail leading to all kinds of backcountry sites. Go to the park visitor center of the website for more information.
Checkerboard Mesa
The road takes a brief turn towards the south and into a canyon. In front of you is the impressive checkerboard mesa. This impressive rock rises at a 45 degree angle with cracks creating rectangle shapes up its side. The road follows the path of the Pine Creek through this strange canyon. A pullout has a trail to Keyhole Canyon, not for in-expirenced hikers. The pullout is a great place to stop and take in the beauty of the steep faces of rock. Further along the road is a pullous for the Many Pools Trailhead. This is a popular moderate hike. The hike features many small pools with streams running between them showing the process of how water helped form Zion National Park. Just around the bend you enter the first of two tunnels, this one is short.
On the other side of the tunnel the scenery has changed from the white steep hills to large monoliths, not as tall as the ones in Zion Canyon but still beautiful. One of the most beautiful trails is just before the Zion Tunnel. It is called the Canyon Overlook. This short trail gives you your first glimpse of the enormous and spectacular Zion Canyon. Back in the car you enter the Zion Tunnel. The tunnel is 1.1 miles long with an amazing reveal. You exit the tunnel and you are suddenly in one of the most spectacularly beautiful places on the planet.
Towering monoliths of red rock stand before you, thousands of feet tall. You begin your descent down the six switchbacks that you saw from the Canyon Overlook. At the switchback I would encourage you to stop at the overlooks to take in the canyon. Gaze upon the Great Arch of Zion, a massive indent in a rock face. Once you have reached to the bottom there is the scenic drive, closed to private vehicles during the summer. Cross the Virgin River and head towards the town of Springdale. Above the Virgin River is the majestic monolith called the Watchmen guarding Zion Canyon. You finally reach the visitor center and the exit to the park. You are now in Springdale, Utah. Thanks for coming along on the Mt. Carmel Hwy.
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