Zion’s West Rim Trail passes by some of the National Park’s most iconic sights – including the famous Angels Landing and Walter’s Wiggles – before descending into the main canyon at the Grotto. Though most day hikers only see the final two and a half miles between Zion Canyon and Scouts Landing, the entirety of the West Rim Trail hike continues a full 14 miles to the Lava Point Trail Head.
Without question, this trail is my absolute favorite hike within Zion National Park. From the eagle eye views over the sandstone landscape down into the cool evergreen forests shaded by the sheer canyon walls, this trail offers a wealth of geologic and ecological diversity. Better yet, this hike doesn’t require a permit!
This trip report covers the section of the West Rim Trail from Campsite 6 to the Grotto, and is from our most recent visit to Zion National Park in late May 2024, as the final leg of a four day/three night backpacking trip across the western portion of the Zion Traverse. The first 6.5 miles of portion of the West Rim Trail is covered in our previous post.
Read all our backpacking trip reports from the Zion Traverse for photos and insights!
- Day 1: La Verkin Creek Trail through Kolob Canyons
- Day 2: Hop Valley to Wildcat Canyon
- Day 3: Hiking and Camping along the West Rim Trail
- Day 4: From West Rim to the Grotto – that’s this trip report!
- Day 5: East Rim and Observation Point
Table of Contents
Camping Overnight on the West Rim Trail
We set an alarm for the early dawn hours, knowing we’d regret missing the sunrise from the amazing viewpoint behind the campsite if we slept in. I’ve been sleeping inexplicably well in the backcountry since upgrading my sleep system, and once the winds calmed down after sunset, last night was no exception. It took a minute to convince myself I really did want to crawl out of my sleeping bag and make our way to the rim, but I knew the memories would be worth it.
The trail, appropriately, follows close to the western rim of Horse Pasture Plateau, providing endless unobstructed views across the Right Fork to Navajo sandstone peaks of Ivins Mountain and the adjacent Inclined Temple. For every named structure we can identify there are half dozen more that remain relatively unknown to all but the most intrepid canyoneers and climbers.
Roughly a mile down the trail we reach West Rim Camp 5 and another spectacular lookout. I had read good things about this campsite and had debated whether it was worth trying to switch to Site 5 as a walkup instead of Site 6 which I had secured online, so was eager to compare the two. Camp 5 faces east but is mere steps away from a large western facing viewpoint. It’s a great spot, but we unanimously agreed that we preferred our campsite from the previous night. Phew! FOMO averted.
It was another half mile to campsites 3 and 4, and then the trail curved around on the approach to the main Zion Canyon, though from this elevation it looks completely different. It’s another reminder that while a labeled map, either topographical or even a 3D artistic map, isn’t necessary for navigating the Zion Traverse, finding the trail, or locating the campsites (everything is clearly marked), it’s invaluable when it comes to orienting yourself.
Walking atop a sea of sandstone cliffs is beautiful and impressive, but it becomes more meaningful when you can affix a position to a place – when the “big rock in the distance with that looks like it has a wedge cut out of it” transforms into the megalith that towers over Zion Lodge, it put things into a different perspective.
Click on the images within the galleries to expand to full screen and view the captions with formation names
Descending the White Cliffs to Behunin Canyon
The trail had, until now, proceeded in a continuous south-south east line along the edge of the escarpment, but just before we reached the final campsites on the rim it curves east before heading into a forest of ponderosa pine. We thought we’d somehow missed Camp #2 since we encountered the marker for Camp #1 and the route to Cabin Spring first, but that’s because Camp #2 is located right along the West Rim Trail whereas you have to hike a short distance up the Telephone Canyon trail in a counterclockwise direction to get to the first camp. Either of these campsites would make really nice overnights if hiking from the bottom-up direction from the Grotto.
Cabin Spring is most reliable water source along the West Rim Trail, but it’s just a trickle of a seep that comes out of the ground a few steps up past the Telephone Canyon trail junction.
Past Cabin Spring, the trail goes down, down, down as it traverses the face of the White Cliffs. This was easily my favorite section of the West Rim trail hike as it’s literally carved into the side of the rock. This section of trail was constructed under the “Rustic Design” ethos of the 20s and 30s – wide trails with shallow to moderate grades that blended into the natural environment were all hallmarks of the this system. This came at a significant financial and labor cost. The West Rim Trail was constructed in 1925, and was accomplished by using precision dynamite and then ‘benched’ – leveled out by back-filling a supporting wall on the downhill slope. It’s absolutely mesmerizing to hike.
I felt very safe and secure in my footing, and you’d have to be particularly careless to fall off the established trail in good, dry conditions. That said, one member of our group did get vertigo on the way down. There’s ample space to sit down and rest, which we did, and then continuing on we put another hiker out front to ‘guide’ the way day. Between the hiking poles for stability and the visual reference of another hiker out front, everyone made it down without any incident. If you are exceptionally sensitive to heights you’ll want to take your time and avoid hiking alone.
At the base of the White Cliffs we reached the head of Behunin Canyon and a patch of evergreen forest known as “Little Siberia” which holds onto snow and ice much longer than elsewhere in the park at this elevation. The temperature instantly dropped in this shaded enclave cloistered away from the sun and we spent some time watching birds dart in and out of holes, presumably nests, hollowed out of the sheer cliff face.
After passing over a small footbridge we entered a massive valley of sandstone as the trail wrapped around the base of Mount Majestic and Cathedral Mountain. It was here that we finally started to encounter the first day hikers, already hot and exhausted, seeking information on how much further to Cabin Springs. They thought we were joking when we pointed straight up to the top of the rock wall behind us and said “it’s at the top of that” because the trail was so well concealed you’d think it impossible to get there.
Cabin Spring itself honestly isn’t a very satisfying destination, especially not for the work involved to get there. If they could make it that far, they really ought to walk at least another half a mile and 250 ft elevation gain to get the views, and we told them as much, suggesting the head of Behunin Canyon as an alternative destination. It is not an easy hike in the bottom-up direction starting from the Grotto.
As it was, we were enjoying the mild descent over the slick rock. There were a few places where the trail wasn’t entirely clear, but closer examination would reveal a few sticks placed over the side spurs attempting to the signal the wrong direction. Had it been necessary, it would also have been easy enough to navigate our way back to clearly indicated sections of the trail, and by this time of day there were enough day hikers coming in that you could just look for where they were.
The prickly pear cactus were in full bloom all along the trail – there were yellow, magenta, light pink and even one salmon colored. Then it was a final uphill climb to the ridge where we stopped for what we call “snack lunch” (eating whatever ready-to-eat foods remain in our pack, rather than prepare a meal) with a view of Cathedral Mountain.
Angels Landing and Walter’s Wiggles
It was nearing the heat of the day as we hit the final stretch of the West Rim Trail. There was another impressive slab of slick rock sandstone that we traversed high above Zion Canyon, following the marked signs indicating the trail. Despite knowing that we had descended close to 2000 ft already (with evidence of the elevation loss clearly visible in the surrounding cliffs) you really feel like you’re walking on top of the world.
From the edge of the sandstone slab, you can look down on Scouts Lookout, Angels Landing and the floor of Zion Canyon. From this vantage point, Angels Landing looks so small compared to its surroundings, even though it looks so imposing from the trailhead! It’s fin-like shape is unmistakable.
I had also read that there was an angle from which you could see Walter’s Wiggles looking straight on across from Refrigerator Canyon while you were up on the sandstone above Scouts Landing. I was eager to locate it, but ultimately think I missed the best viewing location. We followed the trail on the east side of Refrigerator Canyon, but you actually need to walk around on the slick rock to the other side (taking a right if headed top-down, or walking all the way around the canyon if headed bottom-up).
Despite missing this unmarked turnoff, I was still able to see the Wiggles by heading towards the far right edge of the sandstone ledge (a bit too close for the comfort of my more height adverse husband; I had good traction and wasn’t that close to the edge, but I certainly would’t have wanted to slip) but the better (and safer!) Wiggles viewpoint would have been on the other side of the canyon.
On the paths above Scouts Looking out we suddenly encountered crowds of people. It was a bit jarring given that we had been hiking more or less alone for the last four days, and suddenly there are people everywhere. Most were crowded right around the base of Angels Landing. I had originally planned for us to climb Angels Landing on our way out (in March, I had secured an Angels Landing advanced lottery permit that coincided with our hike out from the Grotto) but because I’d missed the permitting window for this quarter we had to make due without. Honestly, I’m not sure it would have added much more to our backpacking trip; it’s popular for a reason, but there are plenty of other epic spots in Zion to explore.
The retaining walls of the 21 switchbacks that compose Walter’s Wiggles, named for Zion National Park’s acting supervisor at the time, Walter Reusch, are another CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) project completed in 1935. The CCC was part of Roosevelt’s New Deal program to provide economic recovery and employment following the Great Depression. So much of the park service trails enjoyed by thousands today are the legacy of these 18-25 year old men who were provided housing, meals, and paid employment for their manual labor across America’s public lands.
Once we hit the Wiggles, we knew it was nothing but a long knee-pounding decline to the Grotto trailhead and our finish line.
Completing the Zion Traverse Hike
We took our celebration photo right before we crossed the bridge across the Virgin River.
We continued our celebration at the Zion Brewery, the first microbrewery in Utah, just steps away from the the footpath into Zion National Park. Lemonades, ice teas and prickly pear margaritas toasted the successful completion of the 36 mile western portion of the Zion Traverse (the the longest continuous path in the park since the rock slide indefinitely closed the switchbacks by Weeping Rock).
One of the vehicles was still parked at the Wildcat Canyon TH after we used it to cache food/water and transport those in our party who needed a shorter second day from Hop Valley. That plan had worked brilliantly. But when we decided it was time to go get the car – shuttling ourselves back by driving the vehicle parked a the hotel up to the TH – the plan fell apart. Somehow the keys had gotten swapped: the keys to the car in Springdale were accidentally left behind in the car parked the trailhead, and it was the trailhead car keys that were mistakenly carried out in the pack! Total disaster!
There are no Ubers or ride share available in Springdale, period. Adding insult to injury, it was Memorial Day. After more than a few phone calls, we finally arranged for a cab to drive all the way from St George, pick us up at the hotel, then drive us back to the TH. It was a pricey mistake (about $200, since we had to pay for the driver from the moment he left St George, 40 miles away), but three hours later we finally had the car and could rest up into our hotel rooms in preparation to tackle the East Rim the following day.
What to Know Before you Hike the West Rim to the Grotto
Day Hiking the West Rim Trail Top-Down vs Bottom-Up
The full span of West Rim Trail is a 14.5 mile point-to-point hike between Lava Point TH on Wildcat Canyon Rd and the Grotto TH in Zion Canyon. To day-hike the entirety of the West Rim Trail, I recommend starting at Lava Point TH and then hiking back down to the Grotto; this is known as “top down.” We’ve used Red Rock Shuttle to shuttle throughout Zion several times; keep in mind that for all shuttles, there’s generally a minimum number of paid seats that need to have booked in order for the shuttle to operate.
On the top-down route, the majority of the roughly 3000 ft elevation change will be downhill, and condensed in the final few miles. This also means you are hiking towards the impressive views of Zion Canyon.
Starting from the Grotto in Zion Canyon, or hiking “bottom-up” means you don’t have to arrange for private transportation to the trailhead since the Grotto is one of the main stops along the Zion Canyon Shuttle System provided by the park service. This trailhead is busy. Hiking this direction front-loads almost all the elevation gain out of the gate; there’s the initial 1500 ft climb up to the plateau above Scouts Landing, then the second 2000 ft climb up to the rim atop the White Cliffs.
This route could be preferable if planning an out-and-back, assuming you have the stamina and endurance for a nearly six mile continuous uphill hike (shortly followed by a continuous descent for six miles on the return).
How to Get Camping Reservations on the West Rim Trail
There are nine campsites located along the West Rim Trail. Sites 1 – 6 are located along the Rim, Sites 7-8 are located in Potato Hollow, and Site 9 is located near Lava Point. If hiking bottom-up, I’d recommend campsites 1 or 2 and if hiking top down, I’d recommend sites 5-6. Sites 3 and 4 also have nice views that could work in either direction. I wouldn’t recommend sites 7-9 if hiking out and back from the Grotto, and would only recommend camping at site 9 if hiking the entire Zion Traverse.
Sites 2, 4, 6 and 8 reservable for advanced online reservations. The remaining sites are only available for first-come, first-serve walk-up permits no sooner than 24 hrs in advance from the Wilderness Desk.
How Strenuous is the West Rim Trail Hike?
The level of difficulty for the West Rim Trail varies considerably, so any measure of average level of difficulty is somewhat deceptive. From Lava Point TH to the first Viewpoint, the trail is easy. It is wide, mostly level and has minimal exposure. Even continuing on to the campsites along the West Rim the trail difficulty is moderate: there is some elevation gain/loss and the additional mileage requirements increase the difficulty. From Cabin Spring to the Grotto the hike is considered strenuous, especially if hiking in the bottom-up direction. You are either hiking uphill or downhill for extended stretches on areas of exposed rocks. Depending on the season, you may also need to consider increasing temperatures, sun exposure and limited water sources.
Dealing with a Fear of Heights on the West Rim Trail Hike
There are certainly places along the West Rim Trail where you can choose to get close to the edge and look down upon the sheer 2000 ft drop offs. Presumably, if you have a fear of heights will opt not to do that; it’s entirely optional. There is, however, one stretch of unavoidable exposure found along the White Cliffs (pictured).
The majority of the West Rim Trail is no worse exposure-wise than your typical switchbacks and especially in the more heavily trafficked areas, the trail is quite wide. If you find yourself needing to ‘hug the inner wall’ to get through a short section, do it! For what it’s worth, I encountered far fewer people doing that on the hike up to Scouts Landing that I have seen on other “fear of heights” inducing trails.
The photos I’ve included in this post show a fairly accurate representation of what the trail looks and feels like on foot. I haven’t included anything carefully angled to appear more extreme and neither have I omitted photos from the steeper parts to create a false sense of security.
What to Bring on a West Rim Trail Hike
- Hiking poles. There is significant elevation gain/loss on the West Rim Trail, particularly between Cabin Spring and the Grotto. I rely on hiking poles to take the weight off my knees during the descents and they can also be helpful to engage the upper body when climbing uphill. After witnessing a pair of expensive Z-fold hiking poles become completely useless through normal use a day into a twelve day backpacking trip around Mount Rainier, I’ll never trust anything other than the carbon fiber traditional telescoping variety.
- Water bladder. Carrying extra water is essential when camping at a distance from one of the springs, such as along the West Rim, and can be handy if hiking long distances in the heat. We each carry an empty 2L Platypus for this purpose, which only weighs 1.3 oz (36g).
- Wag bags. There is only one outhouse along the West Rim Trail at Scout Lookout. If planning an overnight on the West Rim Trail, know that packing our your waste is not optional and digging catholes is not permitted. A wagbag is a type of sealable toilet kit that contains enzymes, allowing you to safely depose of it in the trashcans located at the trailheads. The standard estimate is to pack one wagbag per person, per day.
- Water filter. All water from the springs must be filtered before drinking. We recommended a pump filter, like the MSR Miniworks EX, for the springs that are more like seeps forming small pools in the ground, such as those at Potato Hollow and Cabin Springs. You do not need to purify for viruses in Zion when filtering from a spring.
- Food. We make our own light weight backpacking meals using easily obtainable freeze-dried ingredients for all our backpacking adventures, which can be quickly rehydrated with boiling water from our Jetboil.
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Planning your own hike in Zion National Park? Check out our Guide to Backpacking the Zion Traverse
Let us know what further questions or comments you have about hiking the West Rim Trail and backpacking Zion Traverse in the comments!