Zion National Park: Lower Emerald Pool Trail (Blog Hike #198)

Trail: Lower Emerald Pool Trail

Hike Location: Zion National Park

Geographic Location: north of Springdale, UT (37.24918, -112.95709)

Length: 1.2 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: May 2006

Overview: A moderate walk on paved trail to the lowest of the Emerald Pools.

Park Information: http://www.nps.gov/zion

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=441961
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: The trailhead is accessible only by the free Zion National Park shuttle.  Board the shuttle at the Visitor Center.  Ride the shuttle up canyon to Zion Lodge.  Depart the shuttle.  The trail to the emerald pools begins across the road from the lodge.

The hike: For my general comments on Zion Canyon, see the previous hike.  Across the Virgin River from Zion Lodge, a small stream trickles into the river from the west canyon wall.  Along its descent, the stream pauses three times as it is dammed (by natural forces) to form a small pond.  These three ponds are called the Emerald Pools.  The name comes from an algae that turns the color of the ponds to a bright green.

All three of the Emerald Pools are easily accessible on foot by trail.  The Middle and Upper Emerald Pools are only 0.3 miles apart, but reaching them requires a 1.3 mile hike involving some precarious cliff edges.  At only 0.6 miles one-way, the shortest and easiest hike, the one described here, will take you to the Lower Emerald Pool, a pleasant pond surrounded by sheer cliffs and three waterfalls, in season.  For those who do not have the time, energy, or toleration of heights to see all three Emerald Pools, this lower one will do nicely.

Begin on the blacktop path that heads across the grassy area in front of the lodge.  The trail crosses the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive at a designated crosswalk and then crosses the Virgin River on a nice, broad, metal footbridge.  You can still hear the river cascading below, but it is much tamer than it is further up the canyon.

At the far side of the bridge, the trail comes to a T-intersection.  The dirt trail to the Middle and Upper Emerald Pools goes left, while our hike remains on pavement and goes to the right.  The trail climbs gradually as it clings to the hillside.  The canyon wall lies behind the hill to the left and the river runs sharply downhill to the right.  At 0.3 miles, the trail curves left as it leaves the Virgin River behind, opting instead for the small canyon containing the stream flowing out of the Lower Emerald Pool.

Lower Emerald Pool

            At 0.5 miles, the trail reaches its highest point near a bench for the weary.  After a short descent, the Lower Emerald Pool comes into view downhill to the right.  The first thing to catch your eye is, of course, the bright green color.  The color looks unusual without appearing dirty or polluted.  The pool is surrounded on three sides by 40-foot red sandstone cliffs.  A few small waterfalls, in season, drop over the cliffs into the pool.  The trail stays along the cliffs and passes behind the waterfall, allowing you to view the pool and waterfalls from every angle.  You can proceed along the cliffs as long as you like and enjoy the view, but you will eventually have to retrace your steps back to the bridge to complete the hike.