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The Emerald Pools Trail at Zion National Park in Utah takes hikers to a set of natural pools and waterfalls. The trailhead is located on the Zion Lodge shuttle stop along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.
Trails
There are actually three interconnected trails. The Lower Emerald Pool Trail is an easy 1.2 miles round trip to the Lower Emerald Pool. The Middle Emerald Pools Trail is two miles round trip to the Middle Emerald Pools and is of moderate difficulty. Finally, the Upper Emerald Pool Trail is 0.8 miles round trip off a spur trail from the Middle Emerald Pools.
You can actually access all three sets of pools by taking the Lower Emerald Pool Trail. During my visit, due to safety reasons and trail maintenance, only the Lower Emerald Pool Trail was open.
Lower Emerald Pool Trail
The trail starts by crossing a bridge over the Virgin River. After crossing, there’s a fork in the trail. To the right is the Lower Emerald Pool Trail and to the left is the trail to Middle Emerald Pools.
The Lower Emerald Pool Trail follows the river’s path for a bit then turns in towards the mountains. After about 10 minutes, you can see water seeping over a cliff. The bottom of a waterfall comes into view.
If you look down, you can see Lower Emerald Pool. It’s formed by natural springs that seep year-round. The color is due to green algae that lives in the pool.
The trail continues under the cliffside where you get hit with the mist from the waterfall.
Near the end of trail, there are great views back towards the heart of Zion Canyon. You can also see the upper level where the other pools are located.
End of the Trail
At the end of the trail, you can head back the way you came or connect to the Kayenta Trail, which takes you to the Grotto picnic area and has some phenomenal views along the way.
