West Rim to Scout Lookout

Start at The Grotto shuttle stop, cross the road and bridge, then cross the Virgin River as you join the West Rim Trail. The first climb is steep, with switchbacks rising along the canyon wall. Most of the tread is hard concrete; some stretches are concrete covered by firm soil, and there’s a little soft sand near the top. This is a steady uphill hike, not a quick walk to an overlook, and the exposed lower climb can feel hot.

The trail levels out as it enters Refrigerator Canyon. That flatter, cooler stretch is a welcome break from the first climb, but it doesn’t last long. Soon the trail turns uphill again for Walter’s Wiggles, a set of 21 switchbacks that carries you to Scout Lookout. Take your time here: the turns are close together and the grade is steep, but the trail itself is the main event of the hike.

Scout Lookout is a relatively flat, sandy clearing with some shade at the junction of the West Rim Trail and Angels Landing route. This is the natural end of this hike. You do not need a permit to reach the lookout; continuing onto the narrow chain section toward Angels Landing requires one. If you don’t have that permit, turn around here rather than joining the chain route.

The lookout opens onto Zion Canyon and the Angels Landing ridge. It’s a good place to pause and scan the cliffs for California condors, an endangered bird that lives in the area. For a photo, frame the ridge against the canyon from the sandy clearing; it gives the rock fin room to read as part of the larger landscape. There’s a restroom at Scout Lookout, but no drinking water.

Walter’s Wiggles takes its name from Walter Ruesch, a foreman who worked on the Angels Landing–West Rim route; park engineer A. E. Cowell is also named in the historic account. The historic account marks 1925 and 1926 as significant years, when crews cut switchbacks into difficult canyon terrain. You can still feel that engineering in the last climbing section: 21 turns bring you onto the relatively flat, sandy shoulder at Scout Lookout.

Most of the year, take the Zion Canyon shuttle to stop 6, The Grotto, then cross the road and bridge to the trail. During the short winter and spring periods when the shuttle isn’t operating, you can drive to the Grotto. Park on pavement; if the lot is full, park farther away and walk back. There’s water and a restroom at The Grotto, so fill bottles before you climb. No drinking water is available on the route or at Scout Lookout, and pets aren’t allowed. Park entrance fees apply.