The Canyon Overlook Trail has to be on your list when you visit Zion National Park. The trail is short, but oh so adventurous! This trail surprised us with its ledges, the lookout and the cave. We hiked the trail in the early evening with the glow of the evening sun. We would have hiked this trail twice if we didn’t leave Zion National Park the next day ! Do not pass up this trail when driving on Mount Carmel Highway as it is worth your effort!

General information

Distance roundtrip : 1.0 mi / 1.6 km

Duration: 1 hour

Classification: moderate

Elevation change: 163 ft / 50 m

Shuttle stop: No shuttle stop. The trail entrance is near the east entrance of the Zion Mount Carmel tunnel. 

Best time to hike: year round

Permit: No permit needed

Look for more information about the trail on the Zion National Park website.

What to expect of the Canyon Overlook Trail

This was such a fun trail to hike and a must-do for everyone visiting Zion National Park. When you enter Zion via the east entrance, you will drive on the Mount Carmel highway. This is a scenic drive through the canyon with steep switchbacks.

You will find the entrance of the Canyon Overlook Trail right before entering the Zion Mount Carmel Tunnel (coming from the east entrance) or right after you exit the tunnel (coming from Zion National Park/Springdale). 

There is not much parking space as you can see on the map, but you might be lucky to find a spot! We found parking immediately during the evening time after hiking Angels Landing.

The trail feels adventurous as the path isn’t fully paved. You might even question yourself if you are hiking the right way! You will find logs and big rocks on your path and walk on narrow ledges (with railings!).

The coolest part of the hike was the hidden cave, which is larger than you think. The temperature is cooler in the cave which provides a break from the desert heat.

The trail leads to the Canyon Overlook which offers amazing views of the Canyon. You go back the same way you entered the trail. If you are one of the lucky ones, you might see goats on the trail. Unfortunately, we did not see any wildlife on the Canyon Overlook Trail.

Who can hike the Canyon Overlook Trail?

We would advise to be in good physical shape. You will walk up some steps, big rocks and logs. There are also steep parts on the trail and you will gain some elevation.

We did see families with children on the trail who enjoyed the adventurous parts of the hike. The trail is shorter of duration and you can always turn around and exit the trail easily.

Let yourself be heard!

Let us know if you have any questions about the trail or feel free to comment on your experience of the amazing hike!