Canyon Overlook Trail — Zion-Mt. Carmel Hwy

Utah
Region
Viewpoint
Stop type
Standalone stop
Atlas

The most accessible high viewpoint on the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (UT-9). The trailhead sits immediately east of the 1.1-mile Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel; the half-mile paved path ends on a sandstone ledge with an unobstructed western view across Zion Canyon and the Towers of the Virgin. No fee to park at the roadside lot (Zion entrance fee still applies).

Once you roll out of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel on your bike, the trailhead parking lot is immediately on the right — a natural place to cut the engine and stretch your legs. The trail itself is a one-mile out-and-back that the National Park Service rates as moderate, beginning with sandstone steps and a metal handrail above a dark slot canyon, then tracking along ledges and a short plank bridge before opening onto a fenced overlook above the main canyon. At that fenced edge, an interpretive display marks out the landmarks spread below: the Towers of the Virgin, the West Temple, Bridge Mountain, and the Streaked Wall. You're standing above the Great Arch here — the same arch you passed beneath on the switchbacks coming up from the canyon floor.

A few practical notes for riders stopping here. Parking is small and fills fast, particularly through summer; arriving early or later in the afternoon improves your odds. The shuttle that serves most of Zion does not stop at this trailhead — private vehicles only, which is exactly what you're already in. The trail is open year-round, though ice and snow can make the slickrock sections treacherous in winter. There are exposed sections with significant drop-offs, so watch your footing; the terrain is sandstone, not pavement.

UT-9 through Zion is one of Utah's premier rides. Note: motorcycles may pass through the tunnel freely (no escort fee unlike oversized vehicles), making this the logical first stop after emerging on the canyon floor side.

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