Zion National Park is a beautiful place to visit. The Watchman Trail hike is no exception! We always have a fantastic time when we visit. If you are planning a trip, you will also want to view the Canyon Overlook trail, Riverside Walk trail, and then Emerald Pools trail.
The Watchman Trail is about 3.3 miles roundtrip. We didn’t go all the way to the end because it is a little tricky at the very end. But there are some nice big rocks you can sit on a little way back from the edge of the cliff and have a fun picnic with your family. The gorgeous views of Zion National Park are worth the trek up there. From here you can see the Temples and Towers, lower Zion Canyon, Watchman Peak, and Springdale.
Watchman Trail
To get to the Watchman Trailhead you will start at the east side of the visitors center. This is stop #1 if you are riding the shuttle. If you need to use the restroom, refill water bottles, etc. this is where you do it.
The hike should take about 2 hours, and has a gain of 368 ft in elevation. There are minor drop-offs, so watch your littles. Soak in the beauty of the trail. The rocks and cliff facings are amazing. You will doing some hiking along the river at the start of the trail.
This hike was fairly busy and so be considerate when passing, especially on the narrower areas. There are no pets allowed on this trail. Pets aren’t allowed in most places in Zion National Park, so it would be better if you could leave them home or find a sitter while you are visiting the park. It gets too hot to leave them in the car.
Zion National Park is packed with beauty and wonder. We have already shared the Emerald Pools Trail/Kayenta Trail hike, Riverside Walk hike, and the Canyon Overlook hike. While there are many other things to do, these are four of the main hikes that are great for families and kids. The other hikes like Angels Landing, Observation Point, etc. may or may not be open, so be sure to check and be VERY CAREFUL! You can read more here https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm
If you have any questions or comments leave a comment below. Happy hiking!
