La Verkin Creek via Lee Pass - Kolob Canyon Area

Overview

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( Rated 3.6 / 5 Ratings )

9 Todo Lists / 3 Ticks

RATING: Long Dayhike / Easy Backpack

LENGTH: 1-2 days (To Willis 20.1 miles, Kolob Arch 15.3 miles)

MAPS: KOLOB ARCH, UT; KOLOB RESERVOIR, UT

SEASON: Spring, Summer, Fall (Hot in summer)

GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear

WATER: Filterable from about 4 miles in.

FLASHFLOOD: Low

NOTES:

Backpacking requires a permit. See the Zion National Park page for more information and to make a reservation.

WAG bags (human waste disposal bags) are required for overnight backpacking in the Zion Wilderness.

Check with the rangers to see if the water in Timber and La Verkin Creeks is filterable. Sometimes toxic cyanobacteria blooms make that water unusable even when filtered, and only Beatty Spring is safe to filter and drink.

Sun

52° | na°

Mon

55° | 39°

Tue

55° | 42°

Wed

56° | 43°

Thu

55° | 44°

Big views not far from Lee Pass Trailhead

The La Verkin Creek trail offers a stunning, and long day hike to the Kolob Arch viewpoint. Until the early 21st century, Kolob Arch was believed to be the worlds largest free standing arch. At 287.4 feet, the arch is now considered the second longest spanning arch in the world, behind Landscape Arch in Arches National Park. Reaching the viewpoint is a long hike, about 14 miles and 1000' of gain, and not a day hike to take lightly. Much of the hike will be in full sun, bring at least 3 quarts and start early in hot times of the year. The views of the arch and La Verkin Creek along the way are well worth it.

Unfortunately for day hikers, La Verkin Creek begins getting more and more stunning just when the view point junction is reached and most day hikers will want to turn around! Those more interested in backpacking can make a higly recommended 2-3 day trip and see most of the area. An itinerary I would recommend would be to hike down to about the junction on the first day, leave packs, explore up La Verkin Creek as far as desired, then visit the arch and hike out on day 2. Those with 3 days could easily spend an entire day exploring up La Verkin Creek to Bear Trap and Willis canyons, then hike out on the third day before it gets hot.

Note: Backpacking requires a permit, which can be hard to get in prime seasons. Some permits are available online in advance, while some are held back for walk-ins to be gotten one day in advance. I have had good luck with getting one a day in advance, however it requires some flexibility in case you show up and can't get one. In my opinion, the best campsites are 10-12, which offer more seclusion than the other campsites that are on the busier trail, and are within a good distance of the viewpoint junction.

The early campsites, 1-3, may not have water if Timber Creek is not flowing. Be sure to ask at the Ranger Desk if you reserve one of those campsites.

Distance Note: Our devices had varying distances on our hike, but all were a bit longer than the NPS signs indicated.

Backpacking To Hop Valley: If you have two vehicles and don't mind an hour shuttle each way, or if you hire a shuttle, backpacking from Lee Pass and out via Hop Valley is a stunning backpacking trip. The route covers a long chunk of amazing Zion backcountry. You could do the trip in either direction, but going from Lee Pass to Hop Valley is my preferred direction because the scenery gets better and better as you go. Most people do it as a 1-night backpack. With the Kolob Arch side trip, it seemed to be about 16 miles according to my device on our trip. We did it as a one night family backpack with our 9-year-old, and everyone loved it.

Kolob Arch

Cascade above Kolob Arch Viewpoint

Getting There

This canyon is in the Kolob Canyons area of Zion National Park, which is just off of exit 40 on I-15. This is about 20 miles south of Cedar City Utah. If coming from the main part of the park, go west on highway 9 about 17 miles to the town of La Verkin, then go north on UT-17 about 5 miles to I-15. Follow I-15 north for 12 miles to exit 40.

From the visitor center just off the highway, go into the park on the scenic drive for 3.7 miles to Lees Pass. The trailhead and parking area are on the left.

Dawn in La Verkin Creek

Towering Walls around La Verkin Creek

Route Description

To Arch Viewpoint Junction (6 miles)
From the trailhead, follow the trail as it descends the ridge to the bottom of Timber Creek. Most seasons the creek is not flowing. Follow it down, with the trail leaving Timber Creek and crossing the wooded shoulder to La Verkin Creek after a few miles. La Verkin Creek should always be flowing.

A small falls right near where the trail joins the creek is a nice break spot. The falls are short, but quite scenic. Walk down stream along the creek for about 5 minutes to see a second similar falls on a bend that are also quite scenic.

It is a couple of miles up La Verkin Creek to the signed junction to Kolob Arch. En route, just after campsite 7, a spring runs across the trail. On our visit, NPS was recommending this spring as a good place to filter in addition to Beatty. The better campsites begin in here, with 8 and 9 clustered right near the junction to Kolob Arch.

To Arch Viewpoint (0.5 miles each way)
From the junction it is 0.75 miles (the sign says 0.5, but we found it a little more) and a few hundred feet of elevation gain up the trail to the viewpoint for Kolob Arch. This section of trail, as described by my wife, is "rustic". A bit rougher than the rest of the trail. Keep an eye out, in spots it leaves or joins the creek which can be easy to miss on your return.

Kolob Arch: Kolob Arch has a massive 287-foot span. It is said to be the second-largest arch in North America, behind Landscape Arch in Arches National Park, and likely ranks 6th worldwide.

Motivated hikers can continue up the canyon bottom an additional 0.5 miles one way from the arch viewpoint to a series of picturesque cascades, though the going is rougher and requires scrambling and route finding around boulders. Day hikers will likely want to return the same way.

To Bear Trap / Willis Creek (2.5-3 miles)
Backpacking? Or a very motivated day hiker? Continuing up La Verkin Creek is a treat. The trail crosses shortly above Arch View junction.

Water Note: Just after crossing the creek, on the south side of the creek and a tiny bit downstream is Beatty Spring that comes down through some trees. This is a good place to get water.

The trail climbs out of La Verkin Creek a bit and reaches the junction that goes south to Hop Valley. Stay left here, and continue up along the creek. The trail crosses many times, with generally easy stone hops needed to stay dry. The higher reaches close in, and become very colorful.

Bear Trap Canyon is the first major side canyon on the right you will encounter several miles above the Hop Valley junction, and will likely be flowing. There is a waterfall a short distance up canyon that makes a good turn around spot.

If continuing up La Verkin Creek from Bear Trap, it isn't far to Willis Creek, where the trail bends to the right, ascends Willis, and ends at the National Park Boundary.