Observation Point via East Mesa Trail Hiking Guide
Observation Point looks down the full length of Zion Canyon, over the top of Angels Landing. The old route up from Weeping Rock has been shut since a 2019 rockfall, so today the way in is the East Mesa Trail: a mostly level walk through pines that starts high on the plateau east of the canyon. The catch is getting to the trailhead.
Permit: There's no entrance booth on the East Mesa approach, but the park says anyone who enters Zion needs a recreational use pass. A 7-day pass is $35 per private vehicle or $20 per person 16 and older on foot; the $70 Zion annual and the $80 America the Beautiful pass also count. Non-US residents 16 and over owe an extra $100 each unless they carry one of the annual passes. No hiking permit is needed for a day hike.
Distance and Terrain
AllTrails puts the out-and-back at 7 miles with 656 feet of gain and two and a half to three hours on foot. The park calls it 6.8 miles round trip with about 300 feet of elevation change and about three hours. The trail rolls through ponderosa and pinyon-juniper forest with glimpses into side canyons, joins the East Rim Trail, and follows it another 0.4 mile to the point. There are a few short sandy or rocky stretches, but no big climb in either direction.
Why Not From Zion Canyon
In August 2019 a large piece of Cable Mountain broke loose roughly 3,000 feet above Weeping Rock and hit the East Rim Trail. The park still lists the trail as partially closed: Observation Point cannot be reached from Zion Canyon, and Hidden Canyon, which branched off the same route, is closed. Anyone selling the classic canyon-floor climb to Observation Point is describing a trail you can't currently hike.
Getting to the Trailhead
The East Mesa Trailhead is reached only by high-clearance or four-wheel-drive dirt roads off North Fork Road, east of the park's East Entrance, through the Zion Ponderosa area. The park warns the roads can be extremely muddy and impassable in winter, in spring and after storms. Park only in the designated spaces; the land around the trailhead is private, and vehicles left elsewhere can be cited or towed. There's no water at the trailhead, so fill up beforehand.
Current Road Situation
After a large rockfall on September 30, 2026, the park closed the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway between Canyon Junction and the Great Arch pullout with no date for reopening, while keeping the stretch from the East Entrance open. That doesn't touch the East Mesa side directly, but it means you can't drive from Springdale or the main canyon over to North Fork Road through the park. Approach from outside the park to the east until the park reports the highway open again.
Season and Group Size
The park describes the East Rim area as sitting at a much higher elevation than Zion Canyon, which takes the edge off summer, but AllTrails reviewers still report heat exhaustion on hot afternoons. Snow and mud often shut the access roads in winter and spring. The trail is in Zion Wilderness, where groups are capped at 12 people sharing an affiliation, and pets aren't allowed.
Hiking tips for Observation Point via East Mesa Trail
- Check the road before you commit: after rain, the clay on the approach roads can stop even capable vehicles.
- No high-clearance vehicle? AllTrails reviewers suggest booking a shuttle to the trailhead rather than gambling a low car on the dirt roads.
- Carry all your water from town; nothing is available at the trailhead or on the mesa.
- Start early and bring more water than the modest climb suggests; much of the mesa trail is open to the sun.
- Pack out human waste and toilet paper; this is designated wilderness with no facilities along the trail.
Nearby trails to explore
- Canyon Overlook Trail (Zion)
- Angels Landing Trail
- Scout Lookout via West Rim Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Sharing a high-clearance ride is the easiest way to reach the East Mesa Trailhead. Use TrailMates to find Zion hikers heading to Observation Point. Download the TrailMates app to connect.