August 11, 2018

Utah – Zion’s Hidden Canyon Hike

We went to Zion in hopes of hiking Angel’s Landing and the Narrows. However, with the closure of Angel’s Landing (check conditions before you go), we decided to try out the Hidden Canyon Trail and LOVED IT! This trail has surprises, so it is aptly named Hidden Canyon. There are drop-offs, there is a canyon, there is some scrambling, and there is a freestanding arch! Although not a replacement for Angel’s Landing, it is a great alternative and I would recommend it for those looking for an adventurous hike in Zion. You also have the option to pair it with Observation Point and Weeping Rock to make it even more of a rounded experience.

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Zion’s Hidden Canyon Hike

Let’s get right into it with what to expect on the trail. It seems short with a total distance of 2.5 miles, but the first surprise is how much elevation you will gain on the trail. At 850 feet in 1.25 miles, you will be huffing and puffing on the switchbacks, which make up the first section of the trail. The switchbacks are fairly even made of compacted dirt, making them easy to traverse. This is also a great warmup for the next couple sections.

The Drop-Offs

After a while, you will reach a series of stairs in a lush little switchback. Following the stairs is the section with the steep drop-offs. Like the NPS website, I would not recommend this hike for people who are not fearful of heights. The ledge that you stand on is wide and is a chain available when the trail is narrow, which is handy. When the trail gets busier, people will pass you in the opposite direction. It was when people were not holding onto the chain and trying to pass that I got a little nervous… for them. The chained/drop-off area only lasts a small portion of the hike. After a bit more climbing there is a beautiful view, where you should definitely take pictures. Some people opt to turn around here, but I recommend to continue on.

At a Glance:

Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, would definitely go again
Intensity: Hiking Shoes, Hiking Clothes
Location: Southern Utah
Cost: $25 per private vehicle, but if you are visiting more than one National Park, I recommend getting the annual “America the Beautiful Pass” for $80.
Restrooms: Non-flushing toilets are available at the trailhead
Distance: 2.5 miles roundtrip, .4 miles round trip to weeping rock (recommended to cool off after the hike)
Timing: 2-3 hours

Highlights:

Crazy drop-off with view of Zion Canyon
Freestanding natural arch
Light scrambling and exploration of narrow canyon

Lowlights:

Trail can become busy

Stairs carved into the rock that lead you up to the Hidden Canyon. Though we are in the desert, there are still many trees, making the trail feel lush.

Hanna standing relaxed on the steep drop-off section of the Hidden Canyon Hike in Zion. She is smiling and looking off camera to the left. The high canyon walls that make up Zion National Park are in the background.

Rebecca climbing the steep section of Zion's Hidden Canyon trail. You can see the chain she is holding onto here with steps to climb and ledge to walk on. She is focused and looking down at her hiking boots to ensure she does not make a wrong step.

Picture of Hanna from above while looking out onto Zion Canyon from the Hidden Canyon Trail overlook destination. There is a steep drop-off just beyond her feat. She has her hands on her hips with a backpack and bandana on.

Hanna standing casually on the steep drop-off section of the trail and smiling toward the camera. In the background are the high canyon walls of Zion National Park in Utah.

The Hidden Canyon

Beyond the viewpoint, the trail leads you into a canyon, which seems blocked off and many people turn around here. However, if you can scramble above, around, or through these boulders and trees, there is more of the canyon to discover. There are flat sandy areas, lush tree-filled areas, and a freestanding arch. When you get to the freestanding arch, it may feel a little small. But you can stand under it, take a picture, and marvel at its creation in this narrow canyon with very tall canyon walls. Eventually, you get to an area that is extremely blocked off with a sign that says, “Trail End”. This is where we decided to turn around, but we saw a few guys thinking of going further. We found a nice shady spot in the canyon on our way back to enjoy lunch and marvel at the high walls.

Prepping for the Hike

The National Park website categorizes this hike as strenuous, which I think is due to the elevation gain, steep drop-off section, and light scrambling. Personally, I loved the challenges of the drop-offs and scrambling, but I can see how people would underestimate this hike. I recommend bringing at least 24 oz of water per person, healthy snacks, sunscreen, and solid shoes with grips.

Also, try to get there as early as possible. We were coming from Bryce Canyon National Park and needed to check out gear for our Narrows hike the next day, so we started the trail at about 11:00 am. This is also after taking the shuttle to the Weeping Rock stop inside the canyon. The trail was busy at this time and if truly want a quiet experience, I recommend taking the first shuttle into the canyon. You can pair this hike with Observation Point and Weeping Rock. We opted not to do Observation Point during this trip, but would love to do it in the future. Here is the Zion Canyon Shuttle Map with hiking trails partially shown.

Pack this for Hiking in Zion!

Hanna walking through one of the lush, green areas of the Hidden Canyon Hike. Who would have thought all this greenery would be found in the Canyon. The canyon walls are visible and hanna is small in the distance. Hanna standing casually on the steep drop-off section of the trail and smiling toward the camera.

At the end of the Hidden Canyon trail there is large boulder with a sign that says, "End of Canyon Trail, Turn Around Here".

Rebecca with her hands on her head while looking out on Zion National Park from the Weeping Rock viewpoint. There are green trees in the foreground and the canyon walls beyond.

Rebecca standing under Zion's Hidden Canyon freestanding Arch, which is surrounded by trees and dappled in light. The arch is immediately in front of the canyon wall.

Rebecca standing and smiling at the camera while on the steep drop-off section of the Hidden Canyon Hike in Zion National Park, Utah. You can see the ledge she is standing on and the canyon floor far below.

View of Zion National Park as seen from the Weeping Rock with red canyon walls jutting up in the distance and green trees in the foreground.

Rebecca walking along the Hidden Canyon Trail in Zion on a steep area with canyon floor far below. Rebecca is wearing a backpack, hiking shoes, and is looking down at the trail.

Views of the high orange canyon walls, Virgin River, and road that make up Zion National Park.

Weeping Rock

Okay, it might be a little silly, but Weeping Rock was super fun! After our Hidden Canyon Hike, it was the perfect way to cool off. Weeping Rock trailhead is near the shuttle pickup and at the bottom of the Hidden Canyon Trailhead. The trail is steep, but paved and only about .2 miles each way. We didn’t know what to expect, but what we found was a spring coming through the solid red rock. You can walk behind the drips or stand under them to cool off. It is a pretty neat experience in what feels like the desert. We took some slow-motion videos and took our time at Weeping Rock before heading to camp.

Getting to the Trailhead

We drove to Zion National Park using googlemaps. However, there is a lot of signage to get to Zion and the main entrance. Once in the park, there is not many ways to go and there will be signage for the campgrounds. Parking will be the most difficult thing to find, which is another reason to get there early. We parked near the South Campground the first day, until our camp spot became available, and picked up the shuttle at the Zion Museum. For detailed directions, you can take a look at the National Park website.

On the Hidden Canyon Hike, there are large obstacles to climb over or through that make it difficult to walk through the canyon. It also makes for a really fun hike. Here, Rebecca is walking toward the obstacle with people walking above it on the side of the frame.

Rebecca walking in between the narrow canyon walls that make up the Hidden Canyon Hike in Zion National Park in Utah.

Hanna standing under the weeping rock in Zion National Park. The wall behind is dripping with water and mosses from the spring that comes through the rock to make it look weeping. Hanna has her hand out to catch the drips while she smiles to the camera with sunglasses, a maroon shirt, black shorts, and a backpack on.

Camping at Zion

It was not easy to reserve a campsite in Zion. Currently, campsites in the South Campground are released 14 days in advance for the next two weeks. So if you want to book a campsite on March 13, you will need to book at 7:00 am on March 1. In the midst of summer, you will need to book exactly at 7:00 am because they sell out super fast! I couldn’t believe how fast the sites were going when I was booking, but we ended up getting a spot. The Watchman campground has campsites available 6 months in advance. Check out Recreation.gov for more information on how to book the campsites because it may change in the future.

We got site 063 and loved it – it’s a great spot with access to the virgin river and a good distance, but not too far from the bathrooms! The bathrooms do not have showers, which is a bummer. After the Hidden Canyon Hike, we did cool/rinse off in the Virgin River, which flows just behind the campground. The temperature of the campground was cooler than Lake Powell, but much warmer than Bryce Campground. We slept with sheets and light clothes. The feel was very casual with people playing music and hanging out during the day. They got quiet at night, but it is not a peaceful nature experience that we got while camping in Bryce.

I would not recommend risking the first come-first served approach in Zion. The park is just too crowded and unless you get to the campground very early, it is unlikely you will get a spot. We saw a line of people just waiting around hoping to get a spot. Overall, camping in Zion was a great call because our campsite was $20/night and we saw parking spots outside the park going for $20/day… which is crazy, but I guess it does get that busy.

Overall Thoughts: Zion’s Hidden Canyon Hike

I didn’t have any expectations of Zion’s Hidden Canyon Hike, but the hike was a phenomenal way to experience Zion and narrow canyons that make up the beautiful area. Paired with weeping rock, the hike makes for an excellent introduction to Zion. I would have loved to stay longer in Zion to do Observation Point and some of the other lesser known trails. Oh well, more to discover in the future. I loved the Hidden Canyon trail for its variety and because many people would turn around at various points on the trail, making it quieter the further you went.

Before we went to Zion, everyone we knew told us how busy it would be. I am not going to lie, yes, it was very busy. Do not expect a peaceful reprieve in nature in Zion. But if you go early in the morning to your priority hikes, you can avoid a lot of people. The longer and more strenuous hikes will also allow you some distance from the crowds, but it is inevitable. Knowing it was going to be crowded before going into the experience helped a lot. We expected to never be alone and were able to marvel at the incredible structure of the National Park on our hikes. Hopefully a little mindset shift will help you too.

Have you been to Zion National Park before? Did you think it was way too crowded? What hikes would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Travels,

Hanna