The Grotto

The Grotto is a cottonwood-shaded picnic area and shuttle stop in Zion Canyon, with views of the Virgin River and Angels Landing. It works best as a picnic break or a starting point for a longer walk; if you are not picnicking or hiking, it is a short stop rather than a destination that needs a long visit.

During the canyon shuttle season, ride to stop #6; Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to private vehicles while the shuttle runs. Outside that season, private cars are usually allowed on the road, though the dates change each year and park lots often fill early. The Grotto has picnic tables, flush toilets and a bottle-filling station. The shuttle buses are wheelchair accessible, but access from the stop to individual tables and other facilities is not described. Check with park staff if a step-free route matters to your visit.

The easy Grotto Trail begins behind the restrooms and runs a half mile one way to Zion Lodge. Kayenta Trail is a moderate one-mile walk toward the Lodge and Emerald Pools. Across the river, the West Rim Trail leads toward Angels Landing. These are separate walks from the picnic area, so you can make this a brief stop or use it as the start of a longer day.

The road into Zion Canyon ended here in the early 1920s. A campground named Grotto was built here by Civilian Conservation Corps workers, part of the New Deal effort during the Great Depression. The campground’s construction year is not clear, so do not treat the early-1920s road date as its build date.

Large cottonwoods shade the picnic area, and box elder also grows along the river corridor. A gray fox may dash into bushes at The Grotto; that is a possibility rather than a promised sighting.

The Virgin River cut through seven sedimentary layers here in Zion Canyon, including 2,000 feet of sandstone. Iron-bearing minerals contribute to the canyon’s red color.