Sight · Zion National Park
A streaked sandstone alcove caps a creek-crossing hike.
Overview
Double Arch Alcove is a broad, undercut sandstone alcove with two erosion-carved openings, tucked into a narrow box canyon at the end of Taylor Creek’s Middle Fork in Zion’s Kolob Canyons. This is a destination hike, not a roadside stop: the National Park Service lists 2.6 miles each way and three to four hours for the outing. Go for the canyon walk as much as the streaked alcove; it’s a long way to come just for a quick look at the rock.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe payoff at the endMap
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Zion Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Zion National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Zion audio tourRecorded for this place
Taylor Creek and Double Arch Alcove“You're coming up on Taylor Creek Trailhead, the start of the walk to Double Arch Alcove.”
Plays as you drive up to Double Arch Alcove in the Parkwolf Zion Tour Guide.
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Guide
From Taylor Creek Trailhead, the path drops to the creek and follows it upstream, crossing the water repeatedly as the canyon narrows. Expect natural, uneven tread, sandy stretches and boulder steps; shallow water crossings are typical, and spring water can mean wet feet.
Before the alcove, the route passes the Kanarraville Fold and two historic homestead cabins built in the early 1930s. They give the walk a human history as well as a geological payoff: the old cabins sit along the same creek corridor the trail follows into the wilderness.
Erosion cut the openings into Navajo sandstone, while seepage leaves the alcove’s curved walls streaked with dark and pale mineral lines. Step back far enough to fit the broad ceiling and stained recess in the same frame; a tight crop of the wall loses the shape that makes this place distinctive.
There are pit toilets at Taylor Creek Trailhead; fill water at Kolob Canyons Visitor Center before driving to the trail, since water is not listed at the trailhead. Kolob Canyons is about an hour from Zion Canyon and has no shuttle service. The trail is open year-round in general, but winter can be icy and spring crossings are often wet. Pets are not allowed on Kolob Canyons trails, and Zion Wilderness group limits cap a single affiliated party at 12 people.
Wildlife
291 sightingsCalifornia CondorMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
350 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
22 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,326 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
23 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
15 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Zion. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateSouth Fork of Taylor Creek Trail3 mi · 3 hr · 1.2 mi awayA sandy canyon path beneath Kolob’s high red walls.
ChallengingLa Verkin Creek Trail to Kolob Arch14 mi · 8 hr · 1.6 mi awayA long creek walk earns a distant view of Kolob Arch.
ChallengingTrans-Zion Trek37 mi · 1 day · 1.6 mi awayA backcountry crossing from Kolob's creek canyons to Zion Canyon.
ChallengingLa Verkin Creek Trail to Bear Trap Canyon Falls18.1 mi · 11 hr · 1.6 mi awayAn 18-mile out-and-back to Bear Trap Canyon Falls in red sandstone.ModerateTaylor Creek Trail5.2 mi · 3.5 hr · 2.1 mi awayTwo homestead cabins lead to a shaded sandstone alcove.
ModerateNorth Fork of Taylor Creek5.5 mi · 4 hr · 2.1 mi awayA quiet canyon walk, an easy to miss fork and small arch.
EasyTimber Creek Overlook Trail1.2 mi · 45 min · 2.6 mi awayShort ridge, red cliffs, and a long look toward Pine Valley.
ChallengingCamp Creek Hike8.5 mi · 5.5 hr · 3.8 mi awayA rough canyon walk to twin stone portals and pitted red walls
Sight · 0.4 mi awayFife CabinA small 1930s homestead gives the creek hike a human story.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayLarson CabinA 1931 log cabin marks a homestead that never quite took hold.
Sight · 2.4 mi awayKolob ArchA full-day canyon hike to an arch you see from afar.
Sight · 2.6 mi awayKolob Canyons ViewpointA five-mile drive earns a sweeping view of red finger canyons.
Sight · 3 mi awayTimber Creek OverlookA rocky ridge walk to Kolob’s wide southern horizon.
Visitor center · 3.5 mi awayKolob Canyons Visitor CenterYour required pass stop before Kolob's five-mile scenic road.Parkwolf’s Zion ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
