Nung’wu Poa (Paiute) Trail - East Loop

Nung'wu Poa, "the Paiute Trail," is a roughly 2-mile shared-use trail that climbs about 300 feet onto a mesa just west of Zion Canyon, starting from Springdale's George A. Barker River Park. The entire route sits on land belonging to the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, not the national park — access exists because of a 2021 trailblazing agreement in which the tribe donated the right to build and use the trail.

The East Loop

• This eastern section, part of the trail's Phase II build completed in fall 2023, branches off around the 0.4-mile mark on the downhill side and traverses the mesa edge with views into Zion Canyon's ramparts.
• The loop eventually drops back down to connect with the Springdale River Trail, which follows the Virgin River back toward town.
• Access and parking are free and open to the public, at the tribe's invitation — there's no park fee or NPS pass involved since this ground isn't inside Zion National Park.