View from Canyon Overlook in Zion National Park, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of National Park Service/ Abby Furnish, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Visitors to Zion National Park this summer can expect to see changes to the Canyon Overlook Trail.

According to a press release issued Monday by the park service, visitors who use the trail this summer will find an improved trail tread, rehabilitated masonry and new or rehabilitated handrails. The park service planned this work to protect the trail’s historic, rustic appearance and enhance safety for hikers.   

Work is underway, and park officials say they anticipate completing the project in early June. In order to keep the trail open for as many hikers as possible, the park service is scheduling work Monday to Thursday each week. While park officials may need to close Canyon Overlook Trail at other times, the park service plans to keep the trail open on most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, according to the news release.    

The Pine Creek canyoneering route and lower Pine Creek Drainage, parts of which are located below Canyon Overlook Trail, may be closed for short periods to ensure safety. Canyoneers traveling this route need to be mindful of their surroundings, watch for signs showing closed areas and be aware that work may be happening above them.  

The Canyon Overlook Trail starts just outside the east end of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel and was originally built in the 1930s.

Plan your visit to Zion National Park   

Learn about Zion National Park trails by using the National Park Service App, visiting the park website and speaking to a ranger at a visitor center.

For your visit to Zion, remember:    

• You do not need a permit, ticket, or reservation to enter the park or ride the park shuttle, but you do need to pay the park fee.
• You need to apply for a permit to hike to Angels Landing.
• The Narrows often closes for parts of April and/or May due to melting snow and consequent high water. Check current conditions to see if this route is open.   

Fee dollars at work  

Entrance fees support essential projects in Zion National Park. Fees make the park better. Some improvements happen behind the scenes and others, like work on the Canyon Overlook Trail, are very visible parts of visitors’ park experience.

Learn more about how fees support park operations. 

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