Visiting Kolob Canyons
From Springdale, follow S.R. 9 to S.R. 17 and take I-15 north. From Cedar City, head south on I-15 for 25 miles. From either direction, you'll want to take exit 40 on I-15 toward Kolob Canyons.
There are no services at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, so Cedar City is the best place to start a trip or set up a comfortable base camp, if proper accommodations are more your style. Cedar City is home to a handful of grocery stores and outdoor gear retailers.
Visitors will need to stop at the visitor center to pay the Zion National Park entrance fee, annual national park passes are also accepted. The Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, open daily, has a small bookstore, some interpretive exhibits and an information desk, where a ranger is stationed to answer questions. Please note that the Kolob Canyons Wilderness Desk opens seasonally to issue permits. The NPS website also regularly updates the condition of various water sources in the park, so be sure to check whether your intended source is flowing before heading into the desert, especially for a multi-day trip.
Things to Do
-
Backpacking to Kolob Arch
Kolob Canyons is home to one of the longest natural arches in the world — at 287 feet long, Kolob Arch is second only to Arches National Park’s Landscape Arch, which is just a few feet longer. The hike to Kolob Arch is about eight miles each way; it’s a long day hike, but an excellent overnight backpacking trip. On an overnight trip to the Kolob Arch vicinity, take a spur trail to Beartrap Canyon Falls (about five additional miles round trip) or add an extra day to explore the Willis Creek area.
-
Hiking Taylor Creek
The Taylor Creek Trail, which heads up the middle fork of Taylor Creek, is the most popular trail in Kolob Canyons. Park at the obvious lot two miles beyond the entrance station, then head the 2.2 miles upstream to Double Arch Alcove, a Navajo sandstone formation sandwiched between the towering walls of Tucupit and Paria, which rise 1,700 feet above the trail. The trail also passes the historical Larson and Fife cabins, both built in the 1930s. For a unique experience, check out the north and south forks of Taylor Creek, both accessible from the main Taylor Creek parking area. These “finger canyons” are more remote than some of Kolob Canyons’ more popular hiking trails, but they’re still not quite slot canyons.
-
Kolob Fingers Road Scenic Byway
Get a feel for Kolob Canyons by taking the five-mile Kolob Fingers Road Scenic Byway, the only paved road in this section of the park. The road ends at the Kolob Canyons Viewpoint, which doubles as the trailhead for the Timber Creek Overlook Trail. It’s just a half-mile each way to the overlook, which offers sweeping vistas of brilliant red 2,000-foot cliff walls and a panorama of the canyon country that makes up this section of the Colorado Plateau — including, on a clear day, Mt. Trumbull, 100 miles away at the north rim of the Grand Canyon.
A Visitor's Guide to Zion's Kolob Canyons
In the Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park, you’ll find a scenic wonderland with an adventure for everyone. Learn more about this unforgettable attraction and plan a visit.
Nearby Basecamps
-
Cedar City
There are plenty of things to experience in Cedar City, Utah thanks to nearby ski resorts, a national forest, great national parks and a superb arts scene.
-
Springdale
As the gateway to Zion National Park and nestled along the North Fork of the Virgin River, Springdale is an ideal place to get outfitted for adventure not only in Zion, but to numerous other parks, monuments, and recreation areas of the western Colorado Plateau and desert southwest.
-
St. George
St. George is perfect for family adventures, luxury spas, extensive shopping, championship golf and nearby outdoor recreation assets.
