Things to do nearWest Rim Trailhead

The West Rim Trailhead sits near the base of Zion Canyon in Springdale, Utah, and marks the beginning of one of Zion National Park's most celebrated long routes. The trail has been traveled for generations, following corridors through Navajo sandstone that were once used by Indigenous peoples and later by early settlers navigating the canyon country of the Colorado Plateau. Today it remains one of the park's most rewarding and demanding hikes.

From the trailhead, the path climbs through a series of tight switchbacks before opening onto the broad, wind-scoured terrain of the West Rim itself. Hikers pass through zones of pinyon pine and juniper, then into more exposed high desert where manzanita and cliffrose take over. The panoramas from the rim stretch across Zion Canyon and toward the Kolob Terrace, offering a perspective on the park that few visitors see.

The West Rim Trailhead also provides access to Angels Landing via the Scout Lookout junction, one of the most iconic viewpoints in the American Southwest. A permit is required for the final chain-assisted scramble to the summit, but the views from Scout Lookout alone justify the climb. Backcountry campers continuing along the full West Rim Trail will find designated sites with views that make the effort worthwhile.

For anyone drawn to high-desert landscapes, dramatic elevation change, and a genuine sense of wilderness within a national park, the West Rim Trailhead is an essential starting point.