Last updated on .
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is the road through the main part of Zion National Park in Utah. It follows the path of the Virgin River as it winds through Zion Canyon.
Shuttle Bus
A free shuttle bus makes stops along the road from March through November. The shuttle runs on a loop leaving from a shuttle station at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and traveling all the way to the end of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Private vehicles are only allowed on the road outside of shuttle season.
Stops 1-3
There are nine stops in total on the route and buses come every 7-10 minutes. The first two stops are at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and the Zion Human History Museum. The third stop is at Canyon Junction, where the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway intersects with Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.
Stop 4: Court of the Patriarchs
Court of the Patriarchs is the fourth stop along the route and the first stop on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. From this stop, it’s possible to spot three mountains named after Old Testament figures. To the left is Abraham Peak at 6,890 feet. In the center is Isaac Peak at 6,825 feet. To the right is Jacob Peak at 6,831 feet. The mountains were named by Methodist minister Frederick Vining Fisher in 1916.
Also visible is the Sentinel. On April 12, 1995, a huge rock slide from the Sentinel dammed the Virgin River. This washed out part of the road and trapped 450 guests and employees at the Zion Lodge. Temporary roads had to be constructed in order to evacuate the lodge and allow access to the canyon for summer visitors, and a new permanent road was built a year later.
Stop 5: Zion Lodge
Next is the Zion National Park Lodge, where you can access the Emerald Pools Trail, fill up your water bottle, use the bathroom, or have a meal.
Stop 6: The Grotto
The next stop is the Grotto. This picnic area is a great place to stop and rest. There are plenty of picnic tables, bathroom facilities, and a water bottle station. There’s also access to the Kayenta Trail and the Angels Landing Trail via the West Rim Trail.
Stop 7: Weeping Rock
Weeping Rock is the seventh stop on the shuttle route and the fourth along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. From this stop, you can access the Weeping Rock Trail, East Rim Trail, Observation Point Trail, and Hidden Canyon Trail.
Stop 8: Big Bend
Next is Big Bend, where you can stop and see a few more mountains. To the left is the Organ, in the center is the Great White Throne, and to the right is Angels Landing. An interpretive panel explains that an early Mormon settler named the area Zion in the 1860s because it seemed like a heavenly place, therefore inspiring others to give religious names to different natural features.
Stop 9: Temple of Sinawava
The final stop along the shuttle route is the Temple of Sinawava. At this point, the canyon starts to become extremely narrow. From there, you can access Riverside Walk, which further along heads into the Narrows.
