Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Everything about this one is backwards from a normal Zion hike. You start on top of the plateau and walk mostly level through ponderosa and pinyon-juniper to the rim, so you get the long look down into Zion Canyon without the climb that used to come with it. The cost is the drive: the East Mesa trailhead sits at the end of high-clearance dirt roads off North Fork Road that turn to mud after rain and through much of winter and spring. Park only in the marked spaces, because they tow.
The Trail
Looks DOWN on Angels Landing. Via East Mesa trailhead while Weeping Rock side is closed.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Moderate)
2 liters water, trail shoes, sun layer, snacks, small first-aid kit.
Official figures differ. NPS lists the East Mesa route as 6.8 miles round trip with about 300 feet of gain (NPS). Our distance and gain come from GPS tracks, so treat both as approximate.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: South Campground (Zion) (Camping, 7 mi) · Watchman Campground (Camping, 8 mi) · Lava Point Campground (Camping, 10 mi) · Kolob Reservoir (Fishing, 14 mi)
More hikes nearby: Riverside Walk (Hike, 3 mi) · The Narrows (Bottom-Up) (Hike, 3 mi) · Angels Landing (Hike, 3 mi) · Emerald Pools (Hike, 4 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Observation Point (East Mesa) hike?
- 7 miles round trip with 695 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Observation Point (East Mesa)?
- Moderate. Kid rating: 2 out of 5.
- When should I hike Observation Point (East Mesa)?
- Best season: Spring-Fall.
- Why hike Observation Point (East Mesa)?
- Because the view is the one people used to earn on a long switchback climb from the canyon floor, and from East Mesa you mostly walk to it. The tradeoff is a rough dirt approach and no shuttle, so you need the right vehicle and dry weather. Budget about three hours on foot.