Parking
Reach the path from Zion Lodge shuttle stop #5 or The Grotto stop #6. At the Lodge, access is behind the stop; at The Grotto, it is behind the restrooms. Trail-specific parking capacity was not verified.
Overview
About Grotto Trail
Why go
- Shaded meadow, near-level footing, and wildlife-watching on a useful connector.
Heads up
- A stretch follows Zion Canyon Scenic Drive rather than staying remote.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Zion map
Full mapElevation4,272–4,311 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Zion alerts
- CautionToxic cyanobacteria in Zion waterwaysDo not drink Zion in-stream water, submerge your head, or touch or ingest algae mats; cyanobacteria can produce harmful toxins.Official details
- ClosureWatchman Trail closed for repairsWatchman Trail is closed pending repairs; do not enter the trail and choose another hike. Check current park conditions before setting out.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Zion Tour Guide
Your drive to Grotto Trail, narrated.
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 trailhead
Zion Lodge and Emerald Pools0:00 / 0:41
“Zion Lodge is coming up, a useful place to pause for a meal and a look around the canyon lawn.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Zion Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Grotto and Angels Landing
- Court of the Patriarchs
- Big Bend
- Weeping Rock
- 45 audio storiesacross Zion’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor California Condor, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Lion, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 54 trails, 36 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Grotto Trail
A short connector walkGrotto Trail links Zion Lodge shuttle stop 5 with The Grotto stop 6 through a wooded…
Grotto Trail links Zion Lodge shuttle stop #5 with The Grotto stop #6 through a wooded canyon-floor corridor. Walk to The Grotto and retrace the same path for about 1.2 miles round trip; distance descriptions range from 1.0 to 1.2 miles, and the full stop-to-stop line measures about 0.6 miles each way. Allow 30–45 minutes. It is an easy way to stretch your legs, see the canyon from the trees, or connect with longer walks. Pets are not allowed, and no activity reservation is required; the standard park entrance fee applies.
Meadow, then roadsideFrom behind the Lodge stop, the path crosses a shaded meadow before running beside Zion Canyon…
From behind the Lodge stop, the path crosses a shaded meadow before running beside Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and reaching the Grotto restrooms. It is nearly level, mostly firm dirt with a short paved section. The accessibility assessment notes rocks and one large boulder that narrows the tread to about 45 inches, so this is not a uniformly smooth path. The roadside stretch is the main tradeoff. Watch for birds, wild turkeys and deer as you walk.
Make it part of a longer walkRestrooms are at both ends; water refill points and dining are at the Lodge end, not along the…
Restrooms are at both ends; water refill points and dining are at the Lodge end, not along the path. From The Grotto, the signed Kayenta and Emerald Pools routes can extend the outing, but those add-ons are separate from this out-and-back. The Grotto picnic area replaced a campground in the 1960s.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Zion
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.
