Kolob Canyons in Zion: Best Things to Do & Is It Worth It?

Kolob Canyons is a small, remote section of Zion National Park. Located in the northwestern area of the park, Kolob Canyons is known for its quieter hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and narrow canyons. For those looking to escape the crowds of Zion, or those who want to thoroughly explore this national park, Kolob Canyons is worth adding onto your Utah itinerary.

On our first few trips to Zion, we had limited time in Zion and chose to focus that time on the park’s iconic spots, hiking Angels Landing, the Narrows, Observation Point, and checking off the classics. It wasn’t until our third visit to Zion that we made it to Kolob Canyons.

Tim and I very much enjoyed our time here, hiking a few trails and driving the stunning 5-mile scenic drive. This part of Zion still felt busy (our visit was in early May) but not overly crowded, like the main section of the park.

In this guide, we will cover the best things to do in Kolob Canyons, how to get here, how much time you will need, and whether or not a visit to Kolob Canyons is worth it.

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Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.

Best Things to Do in Kolob Canyons

Go for a Scenic Drive

There is only one road that runs through Kolob Canyons and that is Kolob Canyon Road.

This 5-mile road twists and turns through the sandstone canyons that makes this part of the park unique. Along the way are turnouts, where you can safely snap a photo or two, and a few parking lots for trailheads.

Unlike the main area of the park, there is no need to ride a shuttle here, so you can drive the scenic drive at your own pace. Just be aware that 10 am to 3 pm is the busiest time to visit Kolob Canyons, so some parking lots and turnouts could be full.

Hike the Timber Creek Overlook Trail

Distance: 1.2 miles (1.9 km) | Difficulty: Easy | Total Ascent: 200 feet (60 meters) | Time: 30 to 60 minutes

This is the shortest, easiest hike in Kolob Canyons. The trailhead is located at the end of Kolob Canyon Road. There is an overlook next to the parking lot (Kolob View Point), which is well worth it, before or after hiking this trail.

Kolob View Point

Most of this trail runs along a ridgeline, offering sweeping views of the sandstone cliffs.

This was the busiest trail we hiked in the Kolob Canyons. After recent rainfall, parts of the trail can be very muddy.

Note: Kolob Canyons is designated as a wilderness area. Hiking groups that are over 12 people are only permitted to hike the Timber Creek Overlook Trail.

Hike the Taylor Creek Trail

Distance: 5.1 miles (8.1 km) | Difficulty: Moderate | Total Ascent: 800 feet (245 meters) | Time: 2.5 to 4 hours

This was our favorite experience in Kolob Canyons.

The Taylor Creek Trail runs alongside the Middle Fork of Taylor Creek, making many, many creek crossings. Most creek crossings are very easy to do (you can jump across the creek in some spots) but in others you will using steppingstones in the water. If you’re not confident navigating stone creek crossings at the start of the hike, don’t worry—you’ll have plenty of chances to practice along the way.

The trail is mostly flat, with a gentle uphill slope leading to Double Arch Alcove. The incline is so mild, you’ll barely notice you’re gaining elevation as you walk. Along the trail are two historic cabins, Fife Cabin and Larson Cabin.

Larson Cabin

The trail ends in a narrow box canyon and Double Arch Alcove. It is a gorgeous, tranquil spot and well worth the hike to get here.

To complete the hike, you’ll return on the same trail. Looking for a way to make it more interesting? Tim and I each made a guess to the number of creek crossings on the trail and then kept a count on the return hike.

About Our Experience: We started this hike at 8:20 am and were one of the first on the trail. Even in early May, it was very chilly when we got started, with temperatures in the low 40’s. We arrived at Double Arch Alcove at 9:30 and had it all to ourselves for about 15 minutes, before starting the return hike. By this point, there were a lot more hikers on the trail and at 10:45 am, once we made it back to the parking lot, the lot was completely full. There were a few cars circling the lot and some people chose to park at an overflow lot farther down the road.

South Fork of the Taylor Creek Trail

This trail is much more off the beaten path than Timber Creek or Taylor Creek. This rugged, hilly trail runs through a canyon. We hiked the first half of this trail and then turned around because we were getting short on time. From the little bit we saw, it wasn’t very interesting, mostly with views of the forest. However, we were the only two people on this trail.

If you hike the full trail, it is 2.7 miles (4.3 km) with just over 1,000 feet of total ascent. The trailhead is located on the hairpin turn of Kolob Canyon Road. There is a large parking lot here, with a picnic area and restrooms.

La Verkin Creek Trail

This is another lesser traveled trail. The trail runs through the Zion Wilderness to Kolob Arch, one of the world’s largest natural arches. This hike is 14 miles (22.5 km) round trip. The National Park Service website recommends budgeting 8 hours to complete this hike.

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Getting Here

Kolob Canyons is located in the northwest corner of Zion National Park. No road connects Kolob Canyons with Zion Canyon and the main area of the park.

To get to Kolob Canyons, it takes 45 minutes to drive here from Springdale. The Kolob Canyons Visitor Center is located on Interstate 15.

How Much Time Do You Need?

A half to a full day is all the time you need, depending on how much hiking you plan to do.

On the quickest of visits, drive Kolob Canyon Road to the very end, enjoying the views along the way, and then hike the short but sweet Timber Creek Overlook Trail for more views of the sandstone cliffs. This will take 2 to 3 hours.

For the best experience in the park, hike the Taylor Creek Trail to Double Arch Alcove. This takes 2.5 to 4 hours. It’s also well worth it to drive the full length of Kolob Canyon Road and add on the Timber Creek Overlook Trail. Depending on how fast you hike, this can take a half day to 6 hours.

For those who want to go deeper into Kolob Canyons, you can add on the South Fork of Taylor Creek or add on an additional day to hike the La Verkin Creek Trail to Kolob Arch.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: For the best experience, plan on getting to Kolob Canyons no later than 9 am (although a little earlier is better). An early start makes it more likely that you will get a parking space for the Taylor Creek Trail, plus avoid higher temperatures, especially for visits from May through September.

Middle Fork of Taylor Creek

Is Kolob Canyons Worth It?

We enjoyed our time at Kolob Canyons. With lower crowds, this part of the park feels a lot more peaceful than Zion Canyon. The Taylor Creek Trail is a nice little hike, but it does lack the ‘wow factor’ of some other trails in Zion, like Angels Landing and the Narrows.

Kolob Canyons is worth it for those who prefer smaller crowds, those who want to do one or two relatively short hikes without the hassles of permits or riding the park shuttle, and those who have already experienced Zion’s iconic trails.

With that being said, the views, the hikes, and the scenic drives along Zion Canyon (the main area of the park) are popular for a reason…it is a gorgeous part of Utah, home to some of the very best hikes in the US national park system. If you are an avid hiker or if you want to experience Zion’s top trails, put Angels Landing, the Narrows, Observation Point, and the Canyon Overlook Trail on the top of your to-do list, plus a scenic drive through east Zion. If you still have time in your itinerary, then add on Kolob Canyons.

Zion National Park

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Plan Your Visit

Park Hours: The park is open 24 hours a day 365 days per year.

Park Fee: $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days; this fee includes all of Zion National Park, including Kolob Canyons (there is not a separate fee for Kolob Canyons)

Get updates on trail closures, road closures, and park conditions as you plan your trip and just before your visit on the National Park Service website.

If you have any questions about how to visit Kolob Canyons, or if you want to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.

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