Wasatch National Forest: Donut Falls Trail (Blog Hike #580)

Trail: Donut Falls Trail

Hike Location: Wasatch National Forest, Big Cottonwood Canyon

Geographic Location: southeast of Salt Lake City, UT (40.63945, -111.65122)

Length: 1.6 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Date Hiked: June 2016

Overview: A short out-and-back, easy until almost the end, to unusual Donut Falls.

Area Information: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/uwcnf/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=9109&actid=50

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=941840
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the east side of Salt Lake City, take I-215 to Road 6200 S (exit 6).  Exit and go east on Road 6200 S.  Road 6200 S becomes Wasatch Boulevard.  Drive a total of 1.7 miles from I-215 to SR 190 (Big Cottonwood Canyon Road) and turn left on SR 190.  Drive SR 190 8.9 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon to FR 19, which is reached just before mile marker 11.  There is a sign for a trailhead but no sign for Donut Falls at this intersection.  Turn right on FR 19, which starts as asphalt but turns to gravel.  Drive FR 19 0.8 miles to the unsigned but obvious trailhead parking area on the left.  A restroom building and trailhead sit at the rear of this parking area.

The hike: The Wasatch Mountains directly east of Salt Lake City are famous for their rapid elevation gain, world-class ski resorts, and deep, narrow canyons.  Several of these canyons are used by major highways as passages through the Wasatch Mountains.  Interstate 80 uses steep Parley’s Canyon, while Interstate 84 and a railroad use more gradual Weber Canyon.

            Slightly more serene than either of those options is Big Cottonwood Canyon, which is another fairly steep canyon used by SR 190.  The road’s 17 miles through Big Cottonwood Canyon are lined with picnic areas, campgrounds, and trailheads, one of which is the Donut Falls Trailhead where this hike starts.  At roughly 7500 feet in elevation, the Donut Falls Trailhead is more than 3000 feet higher than downtown Salt Lake City, and this elevation difference can make a big difference in weather.  On my visit, when I left the Utah State Capitol building it was 63 degrees and cloudy, but when I arrived at this trailhead less than an hour later it was 46 degrees and raining.  Be sure to plan and dress accordingly.

            Due to the unusual waterfall and the brevity of this hike, Donut Falls is one of the most popular destinations in Wasatch National Forest.  The hike is entirely family-friendly except for the bit at the very end, as described below.  Although the waterfall is on national forest land, the drive to the trailhead passes through private land.  In times past the private landowners refused to allow public access, effectively closing the falls to the public.  Such disputes have been resolved for now, and hopefully if waterfall visitors will respect private property rights they will stay that way.

Donut Falls Trailhead (in the rain)

            The trail starts at an information board that sits between two boulders at the rear of the parking area.  The steepest part of the hike comes in the first 0.2 miles.  Indeed, the trail gains 150 feet of elevation over the first 0.15 miles as it climbs through a forest of aspen and pine trees.  Rocks, some of which feature some interesting calcite deposits, appear in the wide unmarked path.

            At 0.15 miles, you reach a trail reroute where a brown carsonite post directs you to turn right.  This option looks inviting considering the very steep and rough old route that continues straight.  The Mill D South Fork Creek, which flows through one of the larger side canyons in Big Cottonwood Canyon, soon becomes audible on the right.

Climbing toward Donut Falls

            0.4 miles into the hike, you cross the creek on a wooden footbridge to reach an intersection of old forest roads.  As directed by another sign, turn left to keep heading toward Donut Falls.  The trail now climbs gradually through a meadow with the creek audible but not visible on the left.  Ignore unofficial trails that exit right.

            Just shy of 0.7 miles, you reach the top of a small rock outcrop, the bottom of which lies in the creek bed.  What has thus far been a fairly easy hike now may become problematic depending on the weather conditions.  The rock outcrop can be slippery when wet, and once you climb down the rock you have to hike a few hundred feet upstream in the creek to reach Donut Falls.  The unofficial trails mentioned above lead to some side views of Donut Falls, but the unofficial viewpoints are very blocked by pine trees.

Rock outcrop near Donut Falls

Given that I was solo-hiking in the rain with an arm injury, I decided that climbing down the outcrop was too risky and turned around here, so I never got to see Donut Falls.  This rough area near the waterfall makes a rather disappointing end to what is otherwise a nice family-friendly hike.  The trail does not loop, so everyone will eventually need to retrace their steps 0.7 miles back to the trailhead to complete the hike.

Red Butte Garden: Natural Areas (Blog Hike #579)

Trails: Seepy Hollow, Sidewinder, Bennett Vista, Zeke’s Mountain, and Creekside Trails

Hike Location: Red Butte Garden

Geographic Location: east side of Salt Lake City, UT (40.76538, -111.82387)

Length: 2 miles

Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: June 2016

Overview: A loop hike through the natural areas of a botanical garden with fantastic Salt Lake City views.

Garden Information: http://www.redbuttegarden.org/

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=529841
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the east side of Salt Lake City, take SR 186 to Wakula Way.  This intersection is located 3 miles east of downtown Salt Lake City or 2.9 miles west of I-80, exit 129.  Go east on Wakula Way.  Drive Wakula Way uphill to its end at the Red Butte Garden parking lot.  Start at the Visitor Center, where you must pay a medium-sized entrance fee to enter the garden.

The hike: Owned and operated by the University of Utah, Red Butte Garden consists of 100 acres that are also known as Utah’s Botanical Garden and State Arboretum.  The garden opened in 1985, and 21 acres of the garden’s property have been developed into formal demonstration gardens.  The developed area features a stage that hosts an annual summer concert series, a large collection of daffodils, a collection of 450,000 springtime blooming bulbs, and award-winning horticulture-based education programs.

            The garden’s remaining 79 acres have been preserved in their natural state, and the 5 miles of trails winding through the natural areas make for excellent hiking.  The natural areas’ hillside location offers fantastic views of Salt Lake City.  Though many routes are possible, the route described here explores the natural areas’ ridges and valleys while passing some of the best view points without pegging the difficulty meter.  One word of warning: whenever you are hiking in the Rocky Mountains, be wary of the weather.  I started this hike under mostly sunny skies and finished it an hour later in a thunderstorm.

            From the patio behind the Visitor Center, choose the manicured trail that heads uphill along the right side of a mowed grass area.  Interpretive signs point out some of the plants on display in this part of the developed garden.  At the top of the hill, angle right to cross a dirt maintenance road and enter the natural area.  A sign with a trail map marks your entrance to the natural area.  Other than a few signs such as this one, none of the trails in the natural area are marked, so the Visitor Guide and Map you received at the Visitor Center comes in handy throughout the hike. 

Entering the natural area

            The initial segment in the natural area passes through Seepy Hollow, a small ravine with lots of shrubs and grasses.  Rectangular rock blocks act as stepping stones through wet areas.  At 0.15 miles, a short spur trail exits right to quickly end at a bench.  On the other hand, the main trail switchbacks to the left and climbs out of the hollow.  Continue straight when you meet another dirt maintenance road, which is actually an old access road for a closed quarry that sits just east of here.

            At the next trail intersection, turn right to begin climbing on an unmarked trail the trail map calls Sidewinder.  True to its name, Sidewinder climbs the hillside using 4 switchbacks.  Impressive rock walls border some of these switchbacks.  The low vegetation up here is more of the semi-desert variety including creosote, sagebrush, and grasses.  Although some Salt Lake City views start to appear, the views will get better as you climb higher.

Switchback on Sidewinder

            At 0.35 miles, you reach the top of the switchbacks, another bench, and another trail intersection.  Angle left to begin the Bennett Vista Trail.  The climb continues on a moderate grade past more benches.  Where other trails exit right to loop back downhill, keep left to stay on the higher ground.

View along Bennett Vista Trail

            0.6 miles into the hike, you reach the ridge crest at an elevation roughly 400 feet above the Visitor Center.  Angle left again to begin following the ridgecrest on a fairly level trail.  A metal fence to the right marks the garden’s eastern boundary, and deer stiles built into the fence allow animals free passage across the boundary.  I saw a lot of lizards but no large animals on my hike.

            At 0.75 miles, you reach the short spur trail to Canyon Overlook, the highest point on this hike.  This rocky west-facing overlook gives a fantastic view of Red Butte Canyon with its bare-looking walls directly below you, downtown Salt Lake City in the middleground, and the jagged Oquirrh Mountains in the background.  Sit at the bench for a few minutes and enjoy the view, which on my visit included a thunderstorm coming in from the west.

Canyon Overlook

            Past Canyon Overlook, the trail immediately begins a moderate descent into Red Butte Canyon.  This descent involves a large number of switchbacks, so the grade is not too steep.  The vegetation grows taller and denser as you descend.  Just shy of 1 mile, where another trail continues straight and levels out at a switchback, turn sharply right to continue descending on a trail the map calls Zeke’s Mountain Trail.

            1.2 miles into the hike, you reach the very wet and very green corridor along Red Butte Creek.  The trail curves left to begin a gradual descent along the creek, which lies usually out of sight to your right.  The rain started falling harder as I passed an outdoor classroom that sits right beside a small cascade in the creek.

Cascade in Red Butte Creek

            Now on what the garden map calls the Creekside Trail, you soon pass through a tunnel of oak trees and a small meadow as you approach the canyon’s mouth.  At 1.6 miles, the dirt natural areas trail ends at a paved trail at the edge of the developed garden.  The shortest route back to the Visitor Center turns left on the paved trail and goes gently uphill past the fragrance, medicinal, and herb gardens.  To see a little more of the developed garden, turn right on the paved trail to explore the water pavilion garden, the very popular Rose House, and the amphitheatre/stage area.  Whichever choice you make, be sure to check out the Orangerie and gift shop in the Visitor Center to close out your day at Red Butte Garden.

Golden Spike National Historical Park (Blog Hike #357)

Trail: Big Fill Trail

Hike Location: Golden Spike National Historical Park

Geographic Location: northwest of Brigham City, UT (41.63729, -112.49155)

Length: 1.7 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: July 2011

Overview: A sunny hike on historic railroad beds.

Site Information: http://www.nps.gov/gosp/index.htm

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=133900
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From the north and west, take I-84 to SR 83 (exit 26).  Exit and go south on SR 83 14.1 miles to Golden Spike Drive.  To reach Golden Spike Drive from the south or east, take I-15/84 to SR 13 (exit 365).  Exit and go west on SR 13.  In the town of Corinne, continue straight on SR 83 17.4 miles to Golden Spike Drive.  Turn onto Golden Spike Drive and continue 3.7 miles to the signed trail parking area on the right.

The hike: The year was 1869 when Promontory, Utah became the center of America’s railroad universe.  The transcontinental railroad had its origins in the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, which regulated certain aspects of the railroad’s construction.  Shortly thereafter, the Central Pacific Railroad, organized in Sacramento, California, and the Union Pacific Railroad, headquartered in Missouri, began building railroad toward each other.

            Railroad building occurs in several stages.  First surveyors arrive to find a workable route for the railroad.  Next the railroad bed is graded using blasting powder, picks, shovels, and scrapers as needed.  Next tunnels and trestles are constructed where needed, and finally the track is laid.  The two railroad companies were uncertain where they would meet, and each company wanted to own as much of the transcontinental track as possible to maximize their land subsidies.  Thus, the two surveying and grading teams constructed parallel railroad beds for over 200 miles before the two companies agreed to set the transfer point at Promontory, Utah.

            For the next 36 years Promontory bustled with activity.  People and goods traveling from east to west rode the Union Pacific to Promontory and later to Ogden before walking across the railroad yard to the Central Pacific.  In 1905, a new trestle over a southern arm of the Great Salt Lake reduced a train’s travel time through Utah by 2 hours and cut Promontory out of the main railroad line for good.

            Travelers today reach Promontory via a narrow, sparsely traveled asphalt road.  A Visitor Center contains an interesting film and exhibits about railroad construction, and visitors can drive down gravel roads that occupy the beds of their railroad ancestors.  Interestingly, this area is still on the frontier of transportation: the ATK facility you drove past on your way in makes parts for the United States space program. 

For hikers, the Big Fill Trail described here is the only hiking trail in the park, but it’s a good one allowing you to walk on both the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad grades.  One word of caution: unlike many other hiking trails, there is absolutely no shade to be found on the Big Fill Trail.  Despite the short length, you should prepare for the elements by wearing a hat to protect you from the sun and bringing plenty of water.

Trailhead: Big Fill Trail

            Begin at the rear of the parking area; an excellent interpretive guide published by the Western National Parks Association may be available for purchase.  The single-track gravel path lined with rocks descends gently to reach the Central Pacific grade.  Where you intersect the grade, a sign commemorates the Orange Special train wreck of 1888.  The east slope of Promontory Summit was one of the steepest grades on the entire transcontinental railroad, and on this occasion a train carrying oranges derailed, sending crates of oranges tumbling down the mountain.  Turn left here to begin your hike along the Central Pacific railroad bed.

Central Pacific Railroad grade

            The wide two-track gravel railroad bed makes for easy hiking as you descend gently with rocky, grassy mountain rising to your left and falling to your right.  Most of the vegetation here consists of dry, yellow prairie grass, but a few pockets of sagebrush add variety to the landscape.  At 0.3 mile, you pass a spoils pile on the right created from rock debris blasted during the railroad’s construction.

Deep rock cut on Big Fill Trail

            After passing through a deep rock cut, you reach the Big Fill at 0.7 miles.  When building the railroad, engineers faced the challenge of how to cross 500-foot Spring Creek Ravine, which lies before you here.  The Central Pacific chose to build a fill by hauling rock and dirt to the ravine by mule-drawn dump cart.  2 months of this hauling led to the structure you see today.  A side trail leads across the fill, so take a minute to examine the fill’s construction.  Also, looking downhill from the fill gives a great view of salt flats around the Great Salt Lake.

The Big Fill

            The trail going across the fill leads to a dead end, so to continue the hike you need to take the narrow gravel trail that leaves the Central Pacific grade and heads downhill.  About half way down the hill, a sign to your right points out an area of rock that was blasted by accident during railroad construction.  Railroad building in the wilderness was not an exact science, and this area has come to be known as the False Cut.

Very quickly the narrow gravel trail intersects the Union Pacific grade.  We will eventually turn right to begin heading back to the trailhead, but first turn left and see the Union Pacific’s solution to crossing Spring Creek Ravine, or at least what is left of it.  While the Central Pacific chose to build a fill, the Union Pacific chose to build a wooden trestle.  The flimsy wooden structure was intended to be temporary and hence was built in only 36 days.  When the transfer point was moved to Ogden, the Central Pacific made the obvious choice to use the fill rather than the trestle, and the trestle was disassembled.  Today, only the gravel trestle abutments remain of the original structure.  You can walk out on the abutment, but keep children firmly in tow: there are no railings at the edge of the loose gravel, and the drop-off is steep and long.

Abutment for Union Pacific Railroad trestle

            The Big Fill Trail continues by following the Union Pacific grade westbound and uphill.  Not only is the Union Pacific grade narrower, but trail conditions are significantly poorer here compared to the Central Pacific grade because the former was abandoned 36 years earlier than the latter.  1 mile into the hike, you pass a small rock shelter on your right, one of many such natural structures found in these mountains.  Also in this area lies the remnant of an old telegraph pole.  Telegraphs provided instant communication from coast to coast; their routes frequently followed railroad routes to make for easy-access maintenance.

Union Pacific Railroad grade

            At 1.2 miles, a sign directs you to leave the Union Pacific grade by turning right and hiking the short distance back to the Central Pacific grade.  Turn left on the Central Pacific grade to head back to the trailhead.  At 1.45 miles, the original entry trail exits to the right just before you reach a vehicle gate, thus signaling the end of the hike.

Bryce Canyon National Park: Rim Trail to Sunset Point (Blog Hike #200)

Trail: Rim Trail

Hike Location: Bryce Canyon National Park

Geographic Location: Bryce Canyon, UT (37.63104, -112.16444)

Length: 1.4 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: May 2006

Overview: A fairly flat rim walk offering spectacular views of Bryce Canyon.

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

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=133380
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: You can begin the Rim Trail at many locations, but this blog describes the short section of trail between Sunrise and Sunset Points.  To reach Sunrise Point, take the main park road south from the Visitor Center for 0.5 miles to the signed road leading to Sunrise Point.  Turn left at this intersection, and 0.2 miles later, turn left again.  Park in the large blacktop parking lot marked for Sunrise Point.  The trail to Sunrise Point begins along the right side of this parking lot.

The hike: Some places such as the Grand Canyon impress you with their marvelous grandeur.  Other places such as Carlsbad Caverns impress you with their delicate beauty.  But few places combine marvelous grandeur with delicate beauty as well as Bryce Canyon National Park.  In fact, on my recent tour of western canyons (Zion, Bryce, Grand, and a few other lesser-known attractions), I was just as impressed with the scenery at Bryce Canyon as I was with that at Grand Canyon.  The next time you are in the Canyonlands area of the United States, make sure not to miss all that Bryce Canyon has to offer.

Of particular interest is the fact that Bryce Canyon is not really a canyon.  Rather, Bryce Canyon is simply an 18-mile long escarpment rock.  Parts of this rock are easily eroded, while other nearby parts are less easily manipulated by wind, rain, thawing, and freezing.  Over thousands of years, the forces of erosion have removed the more easily eroded Cretaceous rock, leaving first ridges and then pillars of the more resistant sandstone.  Thousands of these pillars, called “hoodoos,” remain today, and offer, against the dark orange backdrop of the softer rock, the famous scenery of Bryce Canyon.  Even today, new formations are being created, as older ones become completely removed by the forces of erosion.  The scenery is in a constant state of evolution.

While the main park road passes some nice viewpoints, the best way to see the hoodoos is along the 11-mile Rim Trail that connects Bryce Point in the south with Fairyland Point in the north.  While the trail is linear and distance one-way, hiking the entire trail in one day is not impossible thanks to the park’s shuttle bus.  The best way to accomplish this feat is to park at the Visitor Center, ride the bus to Bryce Point, hike the trail north (losing 400 feet in elevation) to Fairyland Point, and then hiking along the road to the Visitor Center.  Fortunately, you do not have to hike the entire trail to get a good flavor for Bryce Canyon.  Hiking just the short 0.7 mile segment connecting Sunrise and Sunset points offers spectacular views that are not encumbered by large crowds at the more accessible overlooks.

From the parking lot at Sunrise Point, hike the well-marked path out to the rim where you will intersect the Rim Trail.  Immediately the orange and white striped hoodoos come into view in the canyon below you.  Notice how they all look the same at first, but as you examine each one individually, subtle differences in coloration and formation emerge.  Unlike the factories of man that spit out near-identical copies of the same item, nature’s factory molds each formation separately, with different ingredients (i.e. rocks) and different processes over long periods of time.

Sunrise Point, looking toward Bristlecone Point

Bryce Canyon wall at Sunrise Point

            Many people stop when they reach the rim, figuring they are at Sunrise Point.  In fact, the concrete overlook platform designated as Sunrise Point lies about 100 feet to the right down the Rim Trail.  Take an extra minute to observe the canyon from the platform, and then continue down the Rim Trail.  The trail proceeds in a southerly direction with the canyon ever-present to your left and the mountain forest on your right.

Who-dos near Sunset Point

            At 0.4 miles, the trail curves gradually to the left and climbs slightly as the overlook platform at Sunset Point comes into view.  All along the trail has stayed right along the rim, treading on top of the rock that, in a few thousand years, might have been eroded into new hoodoos and other formations.  You will soon arrive at Sunset Point.  Sunset Point gives the best view of Bryce Amphitheater, the largest collection of hoodoos in the park.  Make sure you do not make the mistake I did and use all of your film on your way down the Rim Trail, leaving nothing in storage for your final destination; with the canyon visible all along the trail, it is an easy one to make.

View from Sunset Point

            If you have some extra time, you can continue down the Rim Trail, which now climbs away from Sunset Point, heading for Inspiration Point.  For a different point of view, Sunset Point is also the trailhead for the Navajo Loop Trail, a 1.3 mile trail that represents the easiest trail to take you under the rim into the canyon itself.  If you choose to hike this trail, make sure to bring some drinkable water, as the word “easy” is very much relative.  In the end, you will have to retrace your steps along the Rim Trail to your car at Sunrise Point to complete the hike.

Zion National Park: Pa’Rus Trail (Blog Hike #199)

Trail: Pa’rus Trail

Hike Location: Zion National Park

Geographic Location: north of Springdale, UT (37.21835, -112.97398)

Length: 1.75 miles ONE-WAY

Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: May 2006

Overview: A flat walk along a bike path allowing good views of the Virgin River and the canyon walls.

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

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=132346
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: To reach Canyon Junction, board the free Zion National Park shuttle at the Visitor Center.  Ride the shuttle to Canyon Junction.  Depart the shuttle; the hike heads back down canyon, starting on the west side of the road.

The hike: For my general comments on Zion Canyon, see the Riverside Walk hike.  The Pa’rus Trail is a bike path connecting the Visitor Center to Canyon Junction, the point in Zion Canyon when SR 9 departs the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and heads east toward famous Zion Tunnel.  While the scenery on this hike does not quite rival that found on other trails in the park, the ease of walking makes up for the difference.  In addition to a little extra exercise, if you rode the park shuttle, as is required most of the year, you have to get back to your car at the Visitor Center somehow: may as well see more of the canyon on your journey back.

East wall of Zion Canyon

            You could start this trail at either end, but this description will proceed down canyon, starting at Canyon Junction and ending at the Visitor Center.  The wide, paved trail begins at the southwest corner of Canyon Junction and descends toward the river, leaving the road above you and to the left.  The trail passes under the road and then reemerges into the sunny canyon bottom.  There is very little shade on this trail, so make sure you bring plenty of water.  Desert wildflowers will be splendid in May and June.

Cactus in bloom along Pa'Rus Trail

            In quick fashion the trail crosses a pair of sturdy metal bridges over the Virgin River.  With the road disappeared on the far side of the river, great views of both the east and west canyon walls can be had along this section of trail.  At 0.9 miles, the trail crosses the Virgin River for the final time.  Due to the trail’s close proximity to the river, you will sometimes see people carrying canoes upriver seeking a pleasant ride back down to either the campground or the Visitor Center.

Virgin River

            The trail stays along the river as the South Campground comes into view on the right.  While several trails depart toward various points in the campground, stay on the main trail, as you will soon pass through the campground and arrive at the park road that gives access to the Visitor Center.  Turn left to return to the Visitor Center and complete the hike.

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.

Zion National Park: Riverside Walk (Blog Hike #197)

Trail: Riverside Walk

Hike Location: Zion National Park

Geographic Location: north of Springdale, UT (37.28497, -112.94743)

Length: 2 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: May 2006

Overview: A flat, paved walk along the wild Virgin River.

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

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=441964
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 its final stop, the Temple of Sinawava.  Depart the shuttle; the trail begins just left of the permanent restroom building.

The hike: Although native people had known about the canyon for hundreds of years prior, it was not until the 1860’s when the first white men, Morman pioneers, arrived at Zion canyon.  In fact, the name Zion comes from these pioneers who saw the canyon as a sanctuary or place of refuge.  In their theology, the word Zion was a fitting name for such a place.

It did not take long for Zion’s scenery to begin attracting more visitors.  In 1909, the canyon entered what would become the national park system as the Mukuntuweap National Monument.  The designated land holding was expanded twice, once when the name was changed to Zion National Park and became an official part of the national park system in 1919.  The second expansion came in 1937 when the Kolob area, located off of I-15 northwest of the main canyon, was added to the park.  The total area now stands at 147,000 acres of desert and canyonland.

With 65 miles of trails to choose from, ranging from easy to extremely difficult, hikers will find plenty of options in Zion National Park.  While several long trails lead hikers from canyon to canyon, most hiking trails depart from on or near the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which is accessible only by park shuttle for most of the year.  Perhaps the most popular of these trails is the Riverside Walk.  At only a single paved mile in length, the trail is walkable by most people yet allows intimate access with the wild, beautiful Virgin River not found elsewhere in the park.

Exiting the Temple of Sinawava, heading upstream

            The trail begins to the left of the orange-colored permanent restroom facility in the Temple of Sinawava.  The Temple of Sinawava is a large cove located at the north end of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.  Shuttles use this point as a layover before heading back south to the Visitor Center, so expect large crowds near the trailhead.

Immediately the trail begins to interact with the river, as the first of several designated areas for river access appears to the left.  Make sure you take advantage of at least one of these opportunities.  When I hiked this trail in mid-May, the air temperature was in the mid-90’s and the river water, kept cool by the melting snow from the higher mountain elevations to the north, was a refreshing shock to my system.  While many will enjoy wading in the water, keep a firm handle on kids, as the current is very swift for most of the year, i.e. until the snow has all melted.

Virgin River

            The paved trail stays on the right (east) side of the river as it undulates upstream with a little more up than down.  Low brick walls on the left separate the trail from the river in spots.  At some points the canyon walls close in very tightly and the trail is pressed against the towering red sandstone wall of the canyon, here over 1000 feet in height.  At 0.5 miles, pass a small waterfall on the right as a small stream comes down from the canyon walls and enters the river.

Zion Canyon walls

            The trail undulates for another half-mile mostly in warm sunshine, though occasionally shaded by a small tree or the canyon walls.  One particularly nice river access features a small gravel “beach” at a flat spot right beside the river.  1 mile after leaving the Temple of Sinawava, the Riverwalk Trail ends unceremoniously where the canyon wall completely closes in on the right bank of the river. 

If you notice some people wading upstream in the river at the end of this trail, they are attempting to reach the Virgin Canyon Narrows, a spectacular stretch of canyon less than 20 feet wide and more than 1000 feet high.  Unfortunately, the canyon is so narrow that, in order to reach “the narrows,” one must hike in the river itself.  Such a trip should not be attempted without sturdy boots (to support your ankles on the rocks in the bottom of the river) and a hiking staff (to give you a valuable “third leg” to keep your balance when walking on the rocks).  Also, a trip to the narrows should only be attempted in late summer, after the snow has melted, so the river depth is minimized.  Most visitors should be content with the section of “the narrows” traversed by the paved Riverside Walk, turning around at the end of the paved trail and retracing your steps to the Temple of Sinawava to complete the hike.