The easiest hikes in Zion National Park, by the numbers
Of the 52 trails in Zion National Park in our dataset, 13 (25 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; all 13 are listed here, lowest rating first.
Telephone Canyon Trail has the lowest rating: 6 ft of gain over 1.9 miles, 3 ft per mile.
Across the 13, gain runs from 6 to 458 ft and distance from 1 mile to 4.4 miles; the median gain is 208 ft and the median distance 1.9 miles.
8 of the 13 are out-and-back routes; the rest are point-to-point (5).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telephone Canyon TrailSouthwestern Utah | 1.9 | 6 | 3 | 17% | 6,723 to 7,263 | 4.8 | |
| 2 | Northgate Peaks TrailSouthwestern Utah | 1.1 | 22 | 20 | 7% | 6,903 to 6,943 | 7 | |
| 3 | Timber Creek OverlookSouthwestern Utah | 1.2 | 112 | 93 | 12% | 6,237 to 6,331 | 16.4 | |
| 4 | Riverside WalkSouthwestern Utah | 1.9 | 75 | 39 | 4% | 4,446 to 4,521 | 16.9 | |
| 5 | Parus TrailSouthwestern Utah | 1.7 | 101 | 59 | 3% | 3,934 to 4,034 | 18.5 | |
| 6 | Sand Bench Trail | 1.2 | 223 | 186 | 37% | 4,227 to 4,492 | 23.1 | |
| 7 | Scoggins Wash Trail | 1.3 | 306 | 235 | 29% | 3,961 to 4,293 | 28.2 | |
| 8 | Middle Emerald Pools Trail | 1 | 458 | 458 | 41% | 4,298 to 4,631 | 30.3 | |
| 9 | Northgate Peaks Trail | 2.1 | 289 | 138 | 27% | 6,687 to 7,016 | 34.8 | |
| 10 | Holy GuacamoleSouthwestern Utah | 3.3 | 208 | 63 | 14% | 4,452 to 4,571 | 37.1 | |
| 11 | Northgate PeaksSouthwestern Utah | 4.4 | 183 | 42 | 7% | 6,904 to 6,988 | 40.1 | |
| 12 | Deertrap Mountain TrailSouthwestern Utah | 2.7 | 334 | 124 | 26% | 6,685 to 6,900 | 42.5 | |
| 13 | Emerald PoolsSouthwestern Utah | 2 | 457 | 229 | 33% | 4,282 to 4,709 | 42.8 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band easiest (under 50), 1 to 6 miles, no more than 500 ft of gain, ordered by rating asc, miles asc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Zion National Park" here means the 52 trails in Zion National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Zion National Park.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Telephone Canyon Trail.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.