Exploring Utah - Zion National Park: Weeping Rocks and Hidden Canyon

In our final day at Zion National Park we had about a half day to hike and decided to check out Hidden Canyon, which was recommended to us by some nice folks we met on the park shuttle system a couple of days prior.

The Hidden Canyon trail starts at the Weeping Rock Trail head and shuttle stop -- and I'd recommend hiking Hidden Canyon and Weeping Rocks in the same hike. In full disclosure, we actually hiked Weeping Rocks a couple of days prior so astute observers will notice the time of day differences in the photos.

And one other note on the photos. I found hiking and photographing Zion National Park to be quite a challenge. We visited in late September and the days were still very hot -- so hiking was better in the early mornings. And while the park is BEAUTIFUL early in the morning before the big crowds arrive, the high canyon walls cast very dark shadows that make photography a huge challenge until mid-day.

Because of this, you'll likely note that some of these photos appear a little out of sequence - -and that's because I took some photos on the way down the mountain that I'm using to describe the hike up.

The trail begins at the Weeping Rock shuttle stop and heads up the hill and to the right from the old parking lot. As noted previously, during most of the key season, auto traffic is not allowed in Zion Canyon and you must take the shuttles to the destinations. While this at first seems like it would be a hassle, the shuttles are efficient and timely, and really make the park more enjoyable than if there were hoards of automobiles. It also makes some of the old parking areas be completely empty when they would otherwise be completely crowded and adds sort of a surreal feel to some areas.

A few hundred yards up the trail and the trail splits. The trail to the left leads to Weeping Rock.

Weeping Rock is a unique and popular attraction in Zion. Essentially, water has seeped into the ground high above this spot in Echo Canyon. However, the water hits a very dense rock layer and has to find a way to escape and it does here at Weeping Rock causing a slow and steady trickling of water from the rock surface.

The view from Weeping Rock is also quite nice.

Weeping Rock is only .2 miles from the parking area and a 100 foot elevation change -- so it's a common destination (for good reason!) for families with young children and those who don't have the ability to hike long distances.

Back down to the main trail, begins the hike up to Hidden Canyon. The early part of this trail is actually a part of three trails: Hidden Canyon, Observation Point and the East Rim Trail -- and is a steep climb and heads up more than 850 feet in total elevation. Take your time and again note that the early morning shade makes for more pleasant hiking.

After a fair amount of climbing, there is another trail intersection. Hidden Canyon is to the right. The other two trails go left.

From here, the trail curves around the side of the mountain and continues up (but at a more leisurely pace than before).

The trail turns to the right here and continues up the side of the next bluff. This section of trail is VERY interesting. It mostly follows a relatively thin ridge along the bluff that has a VERY steep and deadly drop to the right. There are chains along the left hand side that help provide support.

This section of trail somewhat resembles the adrenaline of the climb at Angel's Landing, except that it is less traveled, maybe a little smoother, and the trail itself is more photogenic.

After the trail follows some pretty challenging sections for about .2 miles, it eventually arrives at the canyon level -- allowing you to breath a bit more normally for awhile. This section is very cool and has amazing views of the canyon below.

From here, the trail heads back into hidden canyon.

It's a really pretty area, and if you keep your eyes peeled, you never quite know what you'll find.

From here, the trail mostly follows in between two canyon walls and is mostly on the level -- although, at times, there are obstacles that you have to climb over to continue.

The trail continues on the level for quite awhile. It includes a lot of really interesting high canyon walls, and and occasional glimpse of more mountains in the distance.

There is also a really interesting 12 foot tall natural arch in the middle of the canyon.

Eventually, the maintained part of the trail ends and the hiking becomes more challenging. At one point the boulder-hopping became a bit too much for us (along with having many miles of hikes under our belt for the week and we were tired), so we used this as an excuse to turn back; although several others continued on from here.

The trail then follows back the way it came. As noted previously, the lighting for photography was a lot better on the way back which allowed for some better photo ops.

This is a beautiful trail and I greatly enjoyed the views of the steep drop-offs and the valley below.

And this comes with a major disclaimer. This is a national park. They've put in a LOT of precautions to help people remain safe. And most people remain safe on these trails. But they are wild areas and one slip would almost assuredly mean death -- so make smart decisions accordingly, including watching your step, being sure your feet are set before taking a photo and don't shuffle your feet while looking through a camera lens and holding onto the chain when it is available to you.