Observation Point Trail: Zion's Best View (Without the Permit Crowd)

Most people who visit Zion come back talking about Angels Landing. The chains, the exposure, the views. What they don’t mention, because most of them haven’t done it, is that there’s a viewpoint looking directly down at Angels Landing from 1,000 feet above. No permit. No chain-assisted summit scramble. Just a longer, harder hike that delivers the best canyon view in the park.

That’s Observation Point.

The Case Against Angels Landing

Angels Landing gets the press. It gets the permits, the Instagram photos, the permit lottery that fills in minutes. And it deserves its reputation. But Observation Point is 6,508 feet above sea level, and Angels Landing is 5,785. When you’re standing at the top of Observation Point, you’re looking down at the Angels Landing summit. The hikers up there look small.

The full sweep of Zion Canyon opens in both directions from Observation Point. You can see the North Fork of the Virgin River winding through the canyon floor, 2,000 feet below. On a clear morning in October, you can see for 50 miles into the surrounding plateaus.

And you get there without a permit lottery.

The East Rim Trail approach is open to any visitor with standard park entry. No permit required. No checking an app at 7 a.m. hoping you get lucky. Just show up, catch the shuttle to Weeping Rock, and hike.

The tradeoff is real. This is 8 miles round trip with 2,148 feet of elevation gain. Angels Landing is 5.4 miles with 1,488 feet. You’re adding distance and climbing an extra 660 feet. For people who’ve been training, that’s a worthwhile exchange. For people who haven’t, Angels Landing is the right call.

The Route: Weeping Rock to the Summit

The East Rim Trail starts at the Weeping Rock shuttle stop, which is stop #7 on the Zion Canyon shuttle. The shuttle is free and runs from early morning to early evening in peak season. Catch it at the Visitor Center.

From Weeping Rock, the trail climbs immediately. The first mile gains about 700 feet on tight switchbacks through the canyon wall. It’s the most sustained climbing on the route. In summer heat, this section is where underprepared hikers turn around. Get here early, before the sun hits these slopes.

Around mile 1, you enter Echo Canyon.

Echo Canyon: The Section Most Visitors Miss

Echo Canyon is a mini slot canyon in the lower portion of the East Rim Trail. The walls narrow, the trail drops into shade, and for about half a mile you’re walking through red sandstone passage that’s sometimes only 8 to 10 feet wide.

Hikers who only know the western side of Zion, the Angels Landing and Emerald Pools side, never see this. It’s tucked into the eastern canyon wall and accessible only by the East Rim Trail. The canyon floor is sandy, the light comes down from above, and the walls are carved smooth by centuries of water.

It’s a legitimate highlight. Not a bonus feature.

After Echo Canyon, the trail climbs again through a series of switchbacks up to the Zion plateau. This is the longest sustained climb of the hike, gaining about 900 feet over roughly 1.5 miles. The trail is well-maintained with rock steps in the steepest sections. Trekking poles help here.

The Plateau Crossing

Once you’re on top, the character of the hike changes completely.

The Zion plateau is open, high desert terrain. The switchback grinding is over. You’re walking across relatively flat ground, 1,000 feet above the canyon floor, with scattered pines and wide views of the surrounding country. The trail follows the canyon rim, and you start getting glimpses down into the main canyon below.

This section covers about 1.5 miles from where the trail tops out to the Observation Point summit. It’s exposed to wind and afternoon storms, so watch the sky if you’re here in monsoon season (July through September). The plateau can go from calm to dangerous quickly when thunderstorms build over the canyon country.

The View

The summit is a broad sandstone platform. There’s room to spread out, sit on the rock, and actually spend time looking rather than jostling for position.

Angels Landing is directly below you, a knife-edge ridge pointing into the canyon. On busy days you can see the line of hikers on the final chains section, tiny against the rock. Below Angels Landing, the Virgin River makes its way through the canyon floor. The Narrows are visible to the north, the canyon opening to the south.

It’s the view that most first-time Zion visitors don’t know exists.

Budget at least 30 minutes at the top. Eat something. This is a significant climbing day and you’ll feel better on the descent if you refuel at the summit.

The East Mesa Alternative

There’s a back-door approach to Observation Point that most people don’t know about.

The East Mesa Trail starts outside the canyon, accessible by driving to Zion’s east entrance on Highway 9 and following Zion-Mount Carmel Highway to a trailhead near the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort area. The route approaches from the plateau side, traverses the plateau, and arrives at Observation Point from above.

Distance: roughly 4 miles round trip. Elevation gain: around 150 feet.

This route is genuinely easy by Observation Point standards. If the 2,148-foot climb from Weeping Rock isn’t realistic for you, the East Mesa approach gets you to the same summit. The tradeoff is you miss Echo Canyon and the dramatic canyon wall climb. You arrive at the view without earning it through the steep route, which some hikers prefer and others find unsatisfying.

Note that driving to the East Mesa Trailhead requires going outside the canyon and back in through the east entrance. If you’re already at the Visitor Center, that’s a 30- to 45-minute drive around.

When to Go

October is the best month to hike Observation Point. Temperatures on the canyon floor run 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, crowds are lower than summer, and the canyon walls catch fall light differently than any other time of year. The cottonwoods along the Virgin River turn yellow in late October.

Spring (March through May) is also excellent. The canyon is green, wildflowers appear in April and May, and the light is good in the morning hours.

Summer works if you start before 7 a.m. The East Rim Trail faces more sun exposure than the shaded Narrows, and the switchbacks above Weeping Rock get direct afternoon sun. A 6 a.m. shuttle catch puts you at the summit by 10 or 11 a.m. and back at the trailhead before 2 p.m. Carry at least 3 liters of water in summer and plan to drink all of it.

Winter is possible but check conditions. The upper plateau sections ice over after cold snaps. The NPS doesn’t close the trail in winter but microspikes may be needed from December through February. The canyon is quiet in winter, which some people love.

What to Bring

Water is the main thing. 3 liters minimum in summer, 2 liters in cooler months. This is 8 miles with significant climbing. Dehydration starts before you feel thirsty.

Trekking poles make the switchback descent noticeably easier on the knees. The downhill from the plateau back to Weeping Rock is 2,148 feet of descent, and it’s steep in places.

Sun protection matters on the exposed plateau section. A sun hoodie, hat, and sunscreen are worth packing even in spring.

Start early. That’s the single most important factor in having a good experience on this trail.

---

Trail status and shuttle schedules: Zion National Park NPS