Kolob Drive

Kolob Canyons Road is the scenic drive through Zion's separate northwest district, reached from Exit 40 on Interstate 15 — about 40 miles from Zion Canyon by road and 17 miles south of Cedar City. There's no route connecting the two districts within the park itself; this is its own entrance entirely.

The drive itself

• It runs 5 miles from the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center up to the Kolob Canyons Viewpoint, climbing about 1,000 feet along the way.
• The road cuts along a ridge between narrow, parallel red-rock box canyons with walls up to 2,000 feet tall — a quieter, less-crowded landscape than the main canyon.
• It provides trailhead access toward Kolob Arch, one of the longest natural stone arches in the world.

Snow and ice can close the road in winter, so check current conditions before making the drive, especially outside of spring and fall.