Five favorite hikes to check out in Zion National Park with your free entrance

The Independent

These are The Independent’s five favorite hikes in Zion National Park that range from strenuous and extremely difficult, to easy and enjoyable. There is sure to be something for all levels of hikers here so take a look and then enjoy your free visit to the Park.

MANY POOLS

Trekking above the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel is the Many Pools trail. A short distance off the road, filled pools carved into the rocks started to appear, most of them frozen solid. Ponderosa Pines and Juniper trees, twisted by the wind are a good backdrop to the reds and whites ribboned through the rocks.

CHINLE TRAIL

The Chinle Trail, located outside of the main tourist areas of Zion Nation Park, is one of those great, backcountry winter hikes. Chinle Trail is an off-the-beaten-path trail located in the lower elevation, west desert wilderness area, offering wide open vistas (that I particularly love), unique desert landscapes, and a reprieve from the more touristy trails in the Park.

LADY MOUNTAIN

Lady Mountain is a very difficult and strenuous 1.9 miles of near vertical scrambling and climbing, with an elevation gain of 2,345 feet in that relatively short distance. The narrow trail has a couple of sketchy 5.7 climbs on sheer walls with high altitude drop offs, as well as several steep pitches. This is a hike for the experienced back country hiker.

HIDDEN CANYON

This classic Zion Canyon Trail was developed  in 1928, a year after the “hanging canyon” – dubbed Hidden Canyon – was discovered. William Evans tried to climb the Great White Throne in 1927 but fell during the attempt. While searching for the climber, who was miraculously found alive, rescuers discovered a secluded oasis. Today, a well-traveled path takes trekkers between sheer sandstone walls rising up hundreds of feet, made up by some of Zion’s most famous landmarks: Cable Mountain and the Great White Throne.

CANYON OVERLOOK

This delightful adventure is located immediately east of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. It begins with charming steps carved into sandstone that rise above the long tunnel, allowing hikers to mosey along the easy half-mile path to a spectacular high elevation view of lower Zion Canyon. If your timing is right you may even see some bighorn sheep, which characteristically are fond of this slickrock side of Zion.