Parking
Use the South Fork of Taylor Creek parking area at the bend on Kolob Canyons Road, about 1.2 miles past the Middle Fork lot. Cross the road to the north side of the drainage to find the informal path. A restroom is at the lot.
Overview
About South Fork of Taylor Creek Trail
Why go
- Shaded sandy canyon floor beneath high sandstone walls
- A distinct side-canyon walk away from Zion’s main canyon scenery
Heads up
- Unmarked, braided social paths make the start easy to miss
- Soft sand and a steep landslide slope add effort to a short hike
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Zion map
Full mapElevation5,919–6,791 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 South Fork of Taylor Creek 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
South Fork of Taylor Creek0:00 / 0:26
“You're nearing the South Fork of Taylor Creek parking area, for an informal walk beneath close red canyon walls. Allow about three hours for the nearly three-mile round trip, with loose sand and a steep landslide slope.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Zion Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lee Pass and Kolob Arch
- Taylor Creek and Double Arch Alcove
- Kolob Canyons Viewpoint
- A Songbird Underwater
- 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 South Fork of Taylor Creek Trail
The full canyon walkSouth Fork of Taylor Creek is an unofficial out-and-back through one of Kolob Canyons’ narrow…
South Fork of Taylor Creek is an unofficial out-and-back through one of Kolob Canyons’ narrow sandstone fingers. The full mapped path is about 1.5 miles in, then the same way back: plan on just under 3 miles and roughly 3 hours to the canyon head. The reward is a shady sandy floor and close red walls, not a broad overlook. Descriptions range from about 2 to 3 miles; this length follows the complete mapped footpath to the boulder-blocked head.
This is a good pick if you want a quieter side canyon and are comfortable following an informal path. It is separate from the official Middle Fork hike to Double Arch Alcove.
Finding the pathStart at the South Fork parking area on Kolob Canyons Road.
Start at the South Fork parking area on Kolob Canyons Road. Cross the road and look for the path on the north side of the drainage. It splits and braids near the start; follow the clearest, most-used line as it drops toward the canyon, then keep upstream. The sandy tread is unmaintained, and some branches fade into the brush.
The path climbs over an old sandy landslide before easing into a flatter canyon bottom. It stays above the streambed, so the described route does not require wading. The lower approach is more open; taller conifers shade much of the inner canyon.
Walls and climbingThe canyon tightens between tall sandstone walls, with pitted rock and dark streaks above the…
The canyon tightens between tall sandstone walls, with pitted rock and dark streaks above the sandy floor. The south wall near the upper end is known as the Namaste Wall; climbers use its bolted routes, so give them room and stay on the walking line. For the canyon-mouth view, keep some of the brush in the foreground to show the scale of the cliffs.
Turn around at the headThe route ends where boulders and a large fall block the upper canyon.
The route ends where boulders and a large fall block the upper canyon. Turn around there; there is no maintained hiking continuation beyond it. The return uses the same path, including the sandy climb back over the landslide. Loose sand, braiding tread and that climb make this more involved than a short paved walk, even though the distance is modest.
Before you goThe trail is not maintained or signed.
The trail is not maintained or signed. Watch the canyon forecast: flash floods can move quickly through narrow drainages, so do not enter when storms threaten. Zion allows pets only on the Pa’rus Trail; dogs are not permitted on this route.
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.
