Cable Mountain Trail

Cable Mountain Trail is an out-and-back from Stave Spring Trailhead to the old timber cableworks on a rim above Zion Canyon. Plan on about 8 miles round trip and roughly four hours. Published figures range from 7 to 8 miles; the connected trail line measures almost 4 miles each way, so the longer figure is the safer plan. The reward is a high-country walk, a dramatic canyon rim, and a rare piece of Zion's early logging history rather than a developed viewpoint close to a road.

From Stave Spring, follow its access trail through ponderosa woodland to the East Rim Trail. Turn south at the junction toward Deertrap Mountain and Cable Mountain, then stay on the Cable Mountain spur to the rim. The Deertrap route was rerouted, and traces of older junctions can be easy to miss. The route described here does not continue to East Mesa or to Deertrap Mountain's summit.

The first part moves through ponderosa pine, then a mix of pinyon, juniper, and more open scrub. The trail has short dips rather than one long climb, and much of the middle is exposed to sun. It feels remote compared with the busy canyon-floor walks, but the broad scenery arrives gradually rather than at every turn. Keep track of the junctions as you cross the plateau; that is where an old tread can be misleading.

The Cable Mountain spur crosses a mesa, reaches a preliminary viewpoint, then drops roughly 300 feet to the rim. From there the canyon opens below you, with the old timber framework at the edge and Zion's major formations across the way. This is the hike's signature view. Photograph the cableworks and canyon from stable ground; there is no reason to approach the cliff edge for a closer frame.

David Flanigan built the timber cable system in 1901 to move lumber from the plateau down to Zion's main canyon. The operation ended by 1930, but the framework remains on the rim. The beams have become unstable, and some have fallen. Do not touch, stand on, climb, or otherwise disturb the structure; it is both fragile history and a serious edge hazard.

Allow around four hours, and treat the full route as a moderate-to-strenuous outing because of its distance, repeated ups and downs, and remote access. The small elevation-change figure given for the Cable Mountain spur excludes the Stave Spring and East Rim connectors, so it does not describe the whole hike. Stave Spring is seasonal and often dry by early summer; carry all the water you need. Pets are prohibited on Zion's trails.

Stave Spring Trailhead is reached from North Fork Road by rough dirt roads that call for high-clearance four-wheel drive. Parking is a small corral with very limited space. The dirt-road approach and uncertain parking are part of the commitment; check the access route before setting out.