Watchman Trail

The Watchman Trail climbs out of the Zion Canyon Visitor Center area to a viewpoint over lower Zion Canyon — the Watchman peak itself, the Towers of the Virgin, and the town of Springdale spread out below. It's one of the few trails in the main canyon you can reach without riding the shuttle, since the trailhead sits right by the visitor center and South Campground.

What to know before you go

• About 3.3 miles round trip, roughly two hours for most hikers, over sandy, rocky, uneven tread with some moderate drop-offs near the top.
• Completely exposed to the sun — plan for early morning, evening, or a cloudy day if you're hiking in summer.
• No bikes allowed; restrooms and water fill stations are back at the visitor center.

The visitor center lot fills by around 7:30 a.m. most mornings in season, and overflow parking goes fast after that, so this is a hike worth starting early regardless of the heat.