Northgate Peaks Trail
A flat, forested walk through Zion's high country to a volcanic-rock viewpoint between two sandstone peaks.
Trail Information
About
Northgate Peaks Trail sits in the Kolob Terrace section of Zion, about 3,000 feet above the main canyon floor. The trailhead starts at roughly 7,000 feet, which means summer temperatures run 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Springdale. While most visitors sweat through the shuttle lines in Zion Canyon, this trail offers ponderosa pine shade and an actual breeze.
How to Get There and What to Expect
The hike begins at the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead, 15.5 miles up Kolob Terrace Road from the town of Virgin. Follow the Wildcat Canyon Trail east for about 1.2 miles through open meadow and scattered pines, passing the Connector Trail junction. Turn right at the signed Northgate Peaks Trail split. From here, the trail heads south through a mix of grassy clearings and pine groves for another mile before ending at a cluster of dark volcanic boulders.
The Viewpoint and Surrounding Landscape
That volcanic knob is the payoff. The viewpoint sits between East and West Northgate Peaks, two rounded Navajo sandstone domes flanking the trail's end. Straight ahead, the 7,395-foot North Guardian Angel rises above the twisting canyon of the Left Fork of North Creek. The Subway, one of Zion's most famous canyoneering routes, cuts through the drainage below, hidden from view but close enough to make the landscape feel layered and alive.
Trail Difficulty and Distance
The trail is nearly flat the entire way. Total elevation change is minimal, roughly 150 feet of gentle undulation across the 4.2-mile round trip. The surface is mostly packed dirt with some rocky patches near the viewpoint. No exposed sections, no scrambling, no real navigational challenges on the maintained trail.
It is one of the few hikes in Zion that works well for families with younger kids, though the total distance may tire small children under five.
Rules and Resources
This area falls within the Zion Wilderness, so group size is capped at 12 people. No dogs are allowed. No water is available on the trail, so bring everything you need. The trailhead has pit toilets and a parking area with space for roughly 20 to 25 vehicles. Mornings can be busy during summer because the same trailhead serves hikers heading to the Subway top-down route, but the Northgate Peaks trail itself stays relatively quiet.
Road Access and Seasonal Closures
Kolob Terrace Road is paved but closes seasonally when snow makes the upper sections impassable. Access is generally reliable from March through November. If you are visiting in late fall or early spring, check current road conditions with the park before driving up. Cell service is unreliable along the road and nonexistent on the trail.
Why It's Worth the Drive
The drive from Springdale takes about 40 minutes each way, and the scenery along Kolob Terrace Road is worth the trip on its own. This part of the park feels completely different from the red-walled canyon most visitors picture when they think of Zion. Open plateaus, white sandstone formations, and tall ponderosa forests replace the narrow canyon and shuttle buses. If your Zion trip has room for a quieter half-day, Northgate Peaks is a strong use of it.
Best Time to Hike Northgate Peaks Trail
The trail is accessible from March through November; the high elevation and Kolob Terrace Road closure make it a three-season rather than year-round route. Summer is the most popular window, with the elevation providing meaningful relief from the canyon-bottom heat that makes lower Zion trails uncomfortable in July and August. Cell service is unreliable along Kolob Terrace Road and nonexistent on the trail itself; download offline maps and check conditions before driving up. Fall visits offer quieter conditions, and the open meadows along the route take on different character in autumn light. Early morning visits in summer give the best chance of parking without competition from other hikers using the same trailhead for different destinations.
Trail Tips for Northgate Peaks Trail
- Dogs are not allowed on this trail — Northgate Peaks lies within the Zion Wilderness, and the no-dog rule applies. Plan accordingly if you are traveling with pets.
- Group size in Zion Wilderness is capped at 12 people; this applies to the Northgate Peaks Trail from the point it enters wilderness designation.
- No water is available on the trail — bring everything you need from the start. Despite the trail's easy rating and modest elevation gain, the distance and remote setting demand adequate hydration.
- The trailhead has pit toilets; download your maps and check nps.gov/zion for road and trail conditions before making the 40-minute drive from Springdale, which saves a wasted trip if conditions have changed.
Getting There
The trail begins at the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead, reached by driving 15.5 miles up Kolob Terrace Road from the town of Virgin. This is not a shuttle-accessed trailhead — access is by private vehicle only, and the drive up Kolob Terrace Road is itself a scenic experience worth taking slowly. An entry fee is required for this Zion National Park trailhead. Kolob Terrace Road is paved but closes seasonally when snow makes the upper sections impassable; access is generally reliable from March through November. Check current road conditions with the park before visiting in late fall or early spring. Parking at the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead holds roughly 20 to 25 vehicles and can fill on summer mornings, when the same trailhead also serves hikers heading toward other routes in the area.
What to Expect on Northgate Peaks Trail
Northgate Peaks Trail covers 4.2 miles out and back with only about 150 feet of gentle elevation change — an unusually flat route for a Zion wilderness hike. The trailhead sits at roughly 7,000 feet on the Kolob Terrace, a high plateau section of the park that looks and feels entirely different from Zion Canyon below. Temperatures here run noticeably cooler than the main canyon, and the terrain moves through a mix of open meadows and scattered pines rather than the red walls most visitors associate with Zion. The route follows the Wildcat Canyon Trail before splitting south toward the Northgate Peaks themselves — two rounded sandstone domes flanking the trail's end. The destination is a cluster of volcanic boulders with views of the surrounding canyon and plateau. The trail surface is packed dirt with some rocky sections near the viewpoint; no scrambling or exposed ridgeline.
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