Introduction:
What? :
Kolob Canyon is
in the northwest corner of Zion National Park and is a less visited section of
the popular overcrowded park.
Located on the
western edge of the Colorado Plateau, you can find here narrow box canyons cut
into the red rocks and majestic panoramic landscape of 2,000-foot cliff walls
and mountain peak.
There is a good
reason why Zion National Park is getting over four million visitors a year, the
park has few of the best’s views and famous hikes in America. If crowed is not
your game than Kolob section is the place for you.
This blog is
about challenging 22 miles out and back day hike leading 10 miles deep into LaVerkin
Creek Wilderness box canyon, deep narrow canyon curved in the red Navajo sandstone.
As part of the hike,
I also took a short side hike to view Kolob Arch up in the mountain.
This strenuous
22-mile-long hike took me 10 hours to complete.
Most people are
doing this hike as multi-days backpacking hikes into the Zion Wilderness, we
did exactly that 25 years ago as 3 days hike.
Where? :
The entrance to
Kolob Canyon section of Zion National Park is located just off I-15 between
Cedar City or St. George area (approximately 45 minutes north of St. George).
Take exit 40 on
I-15 and head to the park entrance and the small visitor center.
Kolob Canyons
is about 50 minutes’ drive from Zion Canyon section of the park.
LaVerkin Creek
Wilderness Hike trailhead start from a road-side parking lot on the left side
of the road, this will be Lees Pass viewpoint, 3.9 miles from the visitor
center and park entrance.
Google Map Link
When? :
The Kolob park
section is open year-round, but it often closes during the winter months due to
snow and ice.
Check in
advance by the park website or call 435-772-3256.
Because it is
at a higher elevation than Zion Canyon or St. George area it usually less hot
during the summer months but still it can get hot and summer month mid-day reach
100 f.
Seasonal winter
snow can close the road leading into Kolob section.
Due note 1:
This is a
national park, so your America the Great year pass is in effect here. The park
$35 per vehicle entrance fee is good for 7 days.
Due note 2:
There are
restrooms near the visitor center and in several large parking lot along the
park single road (no restroom at this trailhead).
You can fill up
water at the visitor center.
Due note 3:
When hiking
always remember to bring plenty of water, sunscreen & hat, maps, insect
repellent and good footwear. The LaVerkin Creek has running water year-round so
you can filter them for drinking.
Additional
sources of clear water are a small stream crossing the trail near campsite 7 as
well as the stream in Kolob Arch Canyon. Beatty Spring (.2 miles east of the
Hop Valley Trail junction) is also an option.
Due note 4:
The Timber
Creek overlook features a picnic area with table and trees for shade.
Due note 5:
Pets are not
permitted on any trails in the National Park.
Due note 6:
Kolob Canyons
does not have a shuttle system so you can drive your car up the road.
Due note 7:
There are no
campgrounds in Kolob Canyons section of the park.
The only option
to stay the night here is by backcountry camping.
Due note 8:
Backcountry
camping must have a wilderness permit that can be reserve online at
recreation.gov or in-person at the Zion visitor centers.
Along the trail
there are only 13 designated campsites.
Campsites, 1-3,
may not have water if Timber Creek is not flowing.
Due note 9:
The Kolob
Canyons Visitor Center, open daily (from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), has a small
bookstore, some interpretive exhibits, and an information desk.
Due note 10:
There are no
services at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, so Cedar City (20 miles north) or
St. George (31 miles south) are the best place to start your trip, gas, lodging
and restaurant, grocery stores and more.
Due note 11:
Depending on
the time of the day much of the hike will be in full sun, bring a lot of water,
you can use LaVerkin river water after filtering, and start early in hot times
of the year.
My thoughts:
If you want to
experience the lesser-visited corner of Zion National Park but still enjoy the
picturesque panoramic view of the red cliff mountains and have long hike than
Kolob section of the park should be high on your to-do list.
I started this long
hike very early in the morning and I saw only 2 other cars in the road-side
parking.
The hike itself
was extra challenging and involved with water crossing as well as very long
climb out of the creek back to the trailhead.
During all my
day hike I saw only one other hiker walking in the opposite direction, so I had
the canyon to myself.
After reaching
the end of the official trail I explore the two canyon forks, one is nicer and
more impressive and end by a small waterfall and the left side is continue forever.
It was a strenuous
hike, especially on my way back, it was hot and the climb up the trailhead was
brutal.
I did this hike
25 years ago but back then I did it over 3 days, 2 nights, as a backpacking
hike, this time I did it over one long hiking day.
The Hike:
When driving up
the road from highway I-15 exit 40 you will reach the small visitor center.
Here you need to stop to pay the Zion National Park entrance fee or to show
your annual pass.
It is also a
good place to get park information or trail conditions.
The only road
entering Kolob Canyons is the five-mile Kolob Fingers Road Scenic Byway.
The road climb
up the ridge and offer few trailheads and several viewing points that offers
sweeping panorama of the red cliff walls, canyon, and mountains.
The road ends
at the Kolob Canyons Viewpoint parking lot.
This end of the
road parking lot is also the trailhead for the Timber Creek Overlook Trail. A half
mile each way to the overlook.
Kolob Arch and LaVerkin Creek
Wilderness Hike:
This is a long hike,
and I will describe it by the following hike sections:
·
Trailhead to LaVerkin Creek
·
Along LaVerkin Creek river until
arch trail fork
·
Arch fork along LaVerkin Creek to official
trail end
·
Trail end - explore the two canyons
·
Trail end walking back to arch
trail fork
·
Arch trail fork to arch viewing
point and back
·
Arch trail fork to trail start
Trailhead to LaVerkin Creek:
Park your car
along the road and before starting your hike enjoy the panoramic view in front
of you.
The trailhead
is located on the left side of the parking (when looking at the view).
I started my
hike early in the morning, around 7 am, and the sun was still behind the large red
mesa tops start to light the top of the mountains above me.
From the
trailhead the trail start with steep descent into the creek below following the
ridgeline. the ridge is covered with small trees and brushes, and you can enjoy
the view as you are descending into the creek.
After exactly 1
mile of steep descending, you will reach Timber Creek. Remember this section as
you will need to climb it on your way out.
Here the trail
start to follow the large and deep Timber Creek where you will find and walk by
many large cottonwood trees.
The trail
progressing along the creek, and you will cross it several times. When I was
here (Aug) the creek was completely dry.
After 3 miles
of hiking, passing on your way campground 1, the trail leaving Timber Creek to
the left, soon after you will pass campground 2.
The trail
heading left after passing around Gregory Butte, after short climb crossing a nice,
small pine wooded section you will start descending to La Verkin Creek.
At mile 4.6
from the trailhead, you will reach La Verkin Creek.
You can access
it right where the trail turn slight left, you will see it on the opening to
your right. Remember this point, when going out this will be your last point
for water access.
La Verkin Creek
should always be flowing, water filtering or treatment is needed before
drinking.
From here the
trail heading east, follows the sandy banks of the river along the creek,
although it looks like flat overall this section slowly climb up.
Trail condition
in this section is very good, clear to follow and you can’t go wrong.
There are some
sandy sections, but they are not too long.
For most hours
of the day this section is completely expose to the sun, drink a lot of water,
wear a hat and use sunscreen.
Keep hiking
along the river on the left bank, passing campsites 4 and 5 on your left and
campsite 6 on the other side of the river.
At this section
the wide creek start to narrow, and you see in front of the mighty red cliffs
starting to close from both sides.
The trail is not following near the river but rather more to the left, at some point you will cross campsites 7,8,9 and reach the trail junction that mark the arch fork.
This will be after hiking 6.4 miles from the starting point.
I visit the
arch on my way back because I want to make sure that I will have enough time at
the end of the trail but if you are doing this as multi-day hike you can visit
the arch now.
This is a good
place to rest in the shade.
The next hike
section will be
Arch fork along LaVerkin Creek to
official trail end:
From the trail
fork to Kolob Arch keep hiking on the main LaVerkin Creek trail.
Soon after passing
campsite 10 you will need to cross the river to the other side for the first
time.
When I was here,
early Aug. 2024, the river level was not high but there was no option to cross
the river without getting wet. I decided to walk without taking my shoes off,
their will many more river crossing on this hike.
After passing the trail to the other side the trail climb, and you will reach the trail junction with Hop Valley Trail (cross park trail that leads up and away from Kolob Canyon).
This will be about 0.3 miles from the arch trail junction.
This section of
the trail has cottonwoods lower near the river mixed with ponderosa pines trees
that shade the trail.
In some
sections the trail climb to the right side of the creek in other section it is going
down to the creek riverbank itself. There are several river crossings in this
hike section, so you will keep your shoes wet.
When I hiked
here it looks like that during a rainstorm there was a major flood in the
canyon and low-level section of the trail were run over. Look for the trail and
“discover” the trail on the other side when you are crossing the river.
After one of
the rivers crossing, you will see campsite 11 on your left and after that also
campground 12.
I find that in
this trail section the most use path is not following exactly the alltrail but
you can’t get lost as long as you are using the main path.
The trail continues
to follow the river as it heads northeast into the narrowing canyon. This
section is not becoming canyon walls like the narrows but the mountains and
cliffs on both sides of the river are getting closer as you progress.
Although you
are walking in the canyon following the river this section of the hike climb up
and down and you are gaining high as you progress up the river.
Probably all
the up and down as well as river crossing and the milage I was start getting
tired here.
The nice part
of this hike section that you are in full shade, by the trees and by the mountains
above you.
The canyon is
getting narrower and after 9 miles from the starting point (2.5 miles from
Kolob Arch trail) you will reach the canyon marge of LaVerkin Creek to your
left and Beartrap Canyon to your right.
This is also
the end of the official trail and campsite 13.
It took me 3
hours and 45 minutes to reach this point from the trailhead.
From here start
the fun section of the hike.
Explore the two canyons:
I rest at the
canyon confluence, LaVerkin Creek to your left and Beartrap Canyon to your
right.
Even in
midsummer both creeks had good amount of flowing water.
Important note:
I saw that my two
GPS devices (phone and Garmin watch) did not manage to properly get GPS signal
in the deep canyon. They were bouncing from side to side and can’t hold the
exact location.
It was not so
important because you can’t get lost in the canyon, but this increase overall hiking
milage.
I decided to
first get into Beartrap Canyon because I remembered vaguely from my trip 25
years ago that it is the impressive canyon of the two.
When you are
walking into Beartrap Canyon there is no trail, you simply walking inside the
river. The riverbed is easy to walk on, no big rocks or boulders.
This is amazing
canyon !
The narrow
red/orang cliffs are closing the canyon, and the river is flowing gently
between large cottonwood trees.
The combination
of the red sandstone cliffs, the green color from the tress and the river water
is so relaxing to experience. I was the only one here, so I had this beauty all
to myself.
Here the canyon
become more slot-like and dramatic where it turn to different direction as you
walk. From its mouth, it is half a mile hike upstream to Beartrap Canyon Falls.
This is 30-foot-high
waterfall and alcove with narrow pool below it.
The waterfall and
the rock cliffs from both sides prevents any way to hike further up this
canyon.
You need to return
the way you came to the confluence.
From here I turn
into La Verkin Creek.
This is
completely different canyon; it is not as narrow and different rock colors as Beartrap
Canyon.
I follow trail
section on the right side of the creek but looks like that the floods, falling
trees, overgrown, and the fact that it is unmaintained trail with few hikers,
cause it to almost disappear.
In some section
I walk on the riverbank and in other I walk in the creek itself.
La Verkin Creek
river water level were not high, but this creek riverbed is different from Beartrap
Canyon, here the river was rocky with slippery sections and cover with silt and
falling trees.
Even if La
Verkin Creek canyon is less impressive compared to Beartrap Canyon, the view
was rewording, the mountain slops on both sides had steep cliffs with trees,
this and the very bad trail conditions and the fact that I was the only one in
miles, gave me the feeling of real wilderness experience.
I saw in the
map the there supposed to be a trail leading 2.5 miles all the way to the park boundary,
but this was too far for me.
The progress
here was slow and I start to be tired, and I still have a long walk back a head
of me.
After about ¾
mile of slow progress into La Verkin Creek I decided that it is my point to
turn around.
I walk
carefully back to the canyon confluence and rest, eat and drink before starting
to head back.
Exploring the
two canyons took me somewhat more than one hour but this mainly depending on
how far you are progressing into La Verkin Creek.
Trail end walking back to arch
trail fork
After some rest
at the canyon confluence, I started my way back.
Although I was
after 5.5 hours hiking, many rivers crossing, up and down climbing, I think
that the trail familiarity, my regain energy level after resting, and the fact
that overall, you are going down and losing height I walk fast down this section.
The hike back
was at mid-day and the temperatures reach 100f, it was hot and less shade
because the sun position was already up in the sky.
After one hour
of hiking, 2.5 miles, I reach back to the trail junction that leading to Kolob
Arch in the side canyon.
Arch trail fork to arch viewing
point and back:
I was already
tired when I came back here and debating with myself if I want to see the arch.
I did not plan
so I was not sure how it is, but I told myself that I do not want to come back
in another time just to see the arch. So, if I’m here adding additional 1 mile
is OK.
From the main trail
junction, you are getting into side drainage known as "Icebox Canyon".
It is 0.5 miles distance, and a few hundred feet of elevation gain up the trail
to Kolob Arch viewpoint.
The trail along
the creek is clear but it is not a flat one and more rugged, you need to climb
some rocks and boulders.
The trail cross
the creek (some very low level of running water) several times but you do not
need to get wet.
At the end of
the trail, you will do final creek crossing and reach a small forest opening,
from here you can have a view of the arch in the mountain above you.
Kolob Arch.
With a span of 287 feet and a thickness of 75 feet is one of the world's
largest natural arches, it considered to be the second longest spanning arch in
the world, behind Landscape Arch (306 feet opening) in Arches National
Park.
I must admit
that I was not so impress from the view. The arch is very high and quite a way
off in the distance, there is only one place that you can spot the arch between
the big pine trees.
There are clear
signs that you can’t hike up and closer, this section is close so please
respect this.
I really like
to see arches wherever I can but because the arch view far in the distance I do
not see it is a must-see landmark.
But good that I
was here because otherwise I would have to come back to this far place just to
see what I missed.
I turn around
and went back to the La Verkin Creek trail junction.
Overall, I saw
that this was 1.3-mile side hike, and it took me 40 minutes to do, looks like I
was getting tired.
Arch trail fork to trail start
It was mid-day
and very hot, I was after about 15 miles hiking and I still need to hike 6.5
miles out of the canyon, back up to the trailhead.
This section of
the trail is completely expose to the sun. I walk here relatively slow,
especially in the sandy sections of the trail.
When the river
was close or when I cross the side spring, I took a rest, drink, fill my filter
bottles water and wet my heat to somehow cool my body temperature.
I was not in a
harry and I want to be safe, especially concern from “heat stroke meltdown”.
You need to
know what you are doing and “listening” to your buddy.
I was walking
down the river and after one hour of walking I reach the point where the trail
start heading up and to the right way from La Verkin Creek river. I went to the
river and fill enough water for the climb up, there are no water source after
this point.
It was very hot,
and I made many stops, making sure I reduce my heart rate and recover. Strong heart
beet and fast recovery is also a good indication that you are “OK” and the body
manage to regulate the physical activity and the heat.
On the way out,
save enough water for the last uphill push out of the canyon to get to the
parking lot.
It took me 2
hours and 10 minutes to climb from La Verkin Creek river all the way to the
trailhead, this is 4.6 miles with more than one thousand feet of elevation gain,
and I took it slow with many rests along the climb.
Summary:
For me this
hike was special, reviving very old memory from our family first overnight
backpacking trip in the US. Back than it was 3 days / 2 nights with my 2 years
old kid on my back together with all our camping equipment.
Today it was
very long 22 miles in one day hike.
I'm in relatively good hiking shape and use to long distance hike with more climbing but it was challenging hike.
The high temperature make it challenging, especially
the climb back up in the mid-day high temperatures… but as it was challenge it
was rewording hike.
Although La
Verkin Creek trail pass in a dramatic landscape, taking you deep into the
wilderness, tall cliffs and rivers canyons and with almost no other hikers.
The best part
of the hike is by far Beartrap Canyon.
The steep red
sandstone narrow canyon cliffs, the running water, trees, and the small
waterfall at the end reword you for the effort getting here.
Kolob arch on
the other hand is less impressive because you see it from far away.
www:
https://www.nps.gov/places/kolob-canyons-visitor-center.htm
https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/laverkin-creek-trail.htm
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