Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Utah → Zion National Park → ⊗ Echo Canyon

  ⊗ Technical Route ⊗

 Warning: Do Not Attempt Without Proper Training – click here for details

Location: Zion Main Canyon, Zion National Park, Utah

Distance: 3 miles (1 mile in the canyon)

Elevation Gain: 1100 feet

Time Required: 3-6 hours

Rappels: 4, lengths up to 30 feet, plus a semi-keeper pothole depending on water conditions

Red Tape/Notes: The park is open 24 hours a day; park passes are $30 per vehicle and are valid for 7 days. Trail requires a permit – visit the Zion Permits website; no shuttle required – route is accessed via the Weeping Rock Trailhead (stop #7 on the Zion Shuttle). For more info on this route (and others in Zion and around Utah), visit the Canyoneering USA website.

What’s Nearby?: The Narrows (Bottom Up), Riverside Walk, Weeping Rock, Hidden Canyon, Observation Point, Emerald Pools, Angel’s Landing

This canyon – technically Middle Echo since Echo Canyon is a much larger system – is great fun, particularly if you’ve only got half a day to try and cram a canyon in (like we did). You ascend the Weeping Rock Trail then continue on to the East Rim trail, eventually coming to the point where the East Rim Trail is skirting the top edge of Middle Echo Canyon. A fairly obvious use trail descends into the canyon, and the fun begins immediately with the terrain changing dramatically to the “subterranean variety” with the associated rappels, down climbs, and cold water swims. The pool following rap 3 has a reputation for being smelly, due to trapped and decaying vegetation. This pool is also unfortunately the one that is a keeper pothole in low water conditions. We used a pack toss to escape without trouble (although a sufficiently far pack toss is surprisingly difficult while treading water…there was a lot of giggling involved). The trail deposits you back out on the Observation Point Trail, where you retrace your steps and (with any luck) horrify your fellow passengers on the Zion Shuttle.

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Utah → Zion National Park → ⊗ Echo Canyon