Monuments to Stone Beauty in Utah’s Canyon Country

Monumental stone cathedrals and spectacular cliffs in brilliant oranges and reds await hikers in the Kolob Canyons, the northwestern corner of Zion National Park in Utah, which offers the region’s natural wonders minus the crowds.

The Finger Canyons of the Kolob, as they’re sometimes called, have some of the most spectacular scenery in the Southwest, but many visitors to Zion never see them because they’re not accessible from Utah Highway 9 and the central part of the park.

The Kolob Canyons may appear remote, but they’re actually easily accessible via Interstate 15 and Kolob Canyons Road. Motorists can stop at a visitor center staffed by rangers, then continue past turnouts and trail heads to reach magnificent Kolob Canyons Viewpoint.

Of the two major trails into Kolob Canyons, the more family-friendly is Taylor Creek Trail. (The other path, La Verkin Creek Trail, is perhaps the park’s best backpacking route, a 15-mile round-trip trek to 315-foot-wide Kolob Arch.) Red cliffs tower 1,500 feet above Taylor Creek. The trail crisscrosses the creek on the way to two old cabins, small waterfalls and Double Arch Alcove, a colorful grotto.

Directions to trail head: From Interstate 15 (about 34 miles north of St. George and 20 miles south of Cedar City), take Exit 40 toward Kolob Canyons. Inside the park, stop at the visitor center for maps and trail conditions, then drive two miles up Kolob Canyons Road to the signed Taylor Creek Trail parking area on the left.

The hike: Begin down a short series of steps to the canyon bottom, where the path meanders alongside Taylor Creek. Maple, birch, cottonwood and ponderosa pine offer sporadic shade, while strategically placed rocks make frequent creek crossings easier.

At the 1.2-mile mark you’ll spot the Larsen cabin, where homesteader Gustav Larsen raised pigs in the 1930s. The path continues another quarter-mile along the juniper-dotted canyon floor to the confluence of Taylor Creek’s three forks and an eye-popping view of 7,817-foot-high Paria Point on the right.

From this point, experienced hikers can take a scenic detour along the trail-less north fork of Taylor Creek, which runs into a narrow canyon beneath 8,926-foot Horse Ranch Mountain, Zion’s highest summit. Figure about two hours round trip for this side trip.

Most hikers, though, will want to stay on Taylor Creek Trail. It continues straight up the middle fork and arrives at some lovely, 5-foot seasonal waterfalls at the 1.6-mile mark.

Two miles from the trail head, you’ll spot another 1930s cabin, this one the former home of Arthur Fife, who raised goats and taught agriculture at a college in Cedar City. Golden columbine adds another hue to this colorful hike, which ends at tranquil Double Arch Alcove.

Taylor Creek Trail appears to continue past the alcove, but rock falls lie ahead. Rangers recommend that you venture no farther.

For more of John McKinney’s tips, visit https://www.thetrailmaster.com.

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Taylor Creek Trail

WHERE: Kolob Canyons area, northwest corner of Zion National Park.

DISTANCE: 5.4 miles round trip with 300-foot elevation gain.

TERRAIN: oaring red-rock canyon walls, lush Middle Fork of Taylor Creek.

HIGHLIGHTS: Fantastic stone formations and exceptional trail in crowded part of park.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Zion National Park, tel. (435) 772-3256.