EMERALD POOL UPPER – ZION NATIONAL PARK
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Distance: 2.2 miles
TRAIL SUMMARY
The Upper Emerald Pool Trail in Zion National Park has a lot to offer for being one of the shorter hikes in the park! This trail starts at the Virgin River bottom with views up and down Zion Main Canyon, then turns and continues up Heaps Canyon and affords views of hidden water falls and sheer Navajo Sandstone Cliffs. These water falls are all runoff fed, so depending on the amount of rain/snow fall, the waterfalls can be a gushing flow, slow and steady, or nothing but a drip. That said, there is typically enough flow during the year that each of the three pools along this trail has some water in it. In just a few hundred feet of elevation gain, the vegetation changes from cottonwoods to pines, and spotting local wildlife is common along this trail. Many travelers take a picnic with them to eat at the top of the trail as they enjoy the view of the Upper Pool and waterfall. This trail is a must on your next trip to Zion!
Alternative connection and route via Kayenta Trail.
TRAIL DETAILS
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Moderate
ROUND TRIP LENGTH
2.2 miles
AVERAGE HIKE TIME
2 hours
GPS COORDINATES
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Zion National Park
DISTANCE FROM ST GEORGE
50 Miles (1 hour 10 minutes driving)
RESTROOM FACILITIES
Flushing Toilets at Ranger Station/Lodge
HIKERS ALLOWED
Yes
DOGS ALLOWED
No
BIKERS ALLOWED
No
EQUESTRIAN ALLOWED
No
HIKE TYPE
Out & Back
BEST TIME OF THE YEAR TO HIKE
Great Year Round
BEST TIME OF THE DAY TO HIKE
Morning, Afternoon
GROUP LIMIT
No Limit
PERMIT INFORMATION
No Permit Required
WATER SOURCES AVAILABLE
Water Available at Ranger Station/Lodge
CAMP SITES
No Camping Available on Trail, Camping Available only in Designated Camping Area
TRAIL CONDITIONS
Dirt Single Track, Slick Rock, Asphalt, Concrete
SUN EXPOSURE
Partial Sun Exposure
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD
Directions to Trailhead. From St George, head north on I-15 for about 18 miles and take exit 27 to Toquerville. Turn right on UT-17 and follow it for 6 miles. Turn left onto UT-9 and follow it for approximately 20 miles until you come to the park entrance. If parking is full inside the park, you can park in the town of Springdale and ride the shuttle up to the park. If you visit the park during the time the shuttles aren’t running, continue into the park for a couple of miles and turn left onto Floor of the Valley Road and continue for 2.7 miles. Park in the Zion Lodge Parking lot. The trailhead is on the opposite side of the road.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Plants: Typical plant life for Southern Utah lowland hiking.
Animals: Typical animal life for Southern Utah lowland hiking.
TRAIL REPORT
Coming Soon!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim LeBaron
HikeStGeorge is a project that began as a seedling for Tim LeBaron in the early part of 2008, but really didn’t begin to blossom until the latter part of 2011. The original idea behind the site was to bring to light all of the harder to find, or “less known” hidden gems of the area. It was more of a pet project than anything. As excitement about the site began to spread, there was more of a push to develop information about all hikes in the Southern Utah Region.
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