how to live and travel the world from your van

Overview Who Needs This? Excerpts Order Book Pictures Chapters
Answers Reviews Destinations Free Stuff More Contact Us

Zion National Park Emerald Pools Hike

Zion National Park camping and hiking help including pool information. There are three loops among the Emerald Pools trails and graceful waterfalls. Being the most popular hike in the park, the Emerald Pools trails are the most crowded. These trails are rated easy to moderate and are some of the easiest hikes in Zion Canyon. The only hikes easier than this are on a concrete path. Even through the ascent is only 69 feet to the Lower Pool there are great picturesque views of Zion Canyon. The 3-mile loop containing the Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools trails combined with the Kayenta and Grotto trails is an easy enough hike so you don't see the same thing twice. But looking at the same thing twice in Zion is pleasurable.

The Lower Emerald Pool trail is paved but rugged. It continues behind the waterfalls that cascade from the middle pools into the lower pool. The trail to the Middle Pools is unpaved climbing to a sandstone ledge that parallels the lower trail but at a higher level. At the pools there are slippery cliff edges.

The 0.3 mile sandy and rocky trail to the Upper Pool ascends 200 feet. It is worth the extra effort for the 300-foot waterfall which runs out of Heaps Canyon. There is no swimming in any of the pools. The Kayenta trail is unpaved climbing 150 feet to a sandstone ledge, connecting to the Grotto trail which connects to the Zion Lodge.

zion virgin river from emerald pools trail picture

Jason's thoughts - Most people's favorite hike. There are three different ones, they are all easy. They are pretty but you can't swim at the end so what's the point.

Kelly's thoughts - This is a nice hike, though I like hikes that are more challenging. I suggest this one if you have limited time in the park. The Upper Pool is a nice place to take a break.

Ben's thoughts - It was boring at the beginning but then as we got higher it got better because the view was good. And when we got to the pools it was nice and cool. A squirrel tried to get in dad's backpack.

Map location of Zion National Park. Click for main Zion National Park or full-time rv diary. Visit Mount Charleston, Nevada just outside Vegas for more wonderful hiking trails.

click to buy Vanabode which shows you how to happily live, travel and camp in your van forever on $20 a day