I would be hard pressed to give any of the trails in Zion less than five stars. This is a nice hike that you should take early in the day or later when the sun is going down as it will be exposed to full sun throughout. The hike is moderate but gives you a nice little workout with the payout at the top. It gets you closer to the Watchman peak, thus the name of the trail. We started our day with this hike and found it to be perfect.
Looking to get off of the flat trails, but not get out of your comfort zone with elevation or length? This is an excellent mid-range trail in Zion, with fantastic views and many nice photo opportunities. You will get a decent workout, but the climb is not overly strenuous. Make sure to complete the loop at the top to see the panorama.This trail is not well signed near the visitor center, so at first we did not know where to start. You can catch this trail between the overflow parking area and the river by the campground. In about 1/5 mile, you will cross the street that passes the overflow parking and you will then see the actual trailhead sign.
Of the 5 or 6 hikes we did in Zion (all under 2 hours), this was our favorite. We saw maybe 15 other people during our 90 minute walk, and the views were outstanding the whole way. Our kids (10 and 12) loved this hike too. Do it in the morning, before the sun comes up over the ridge as there is no shade and could be very uncomfortable once the sun is out in full.
We took the Trail with Erik, one of the Park Rangers, who shared with us fascinating stories about the area's geology, flora and fauna. We saw lizards, canyon robins and even a rattlesnake! Fantastic. TopTip=Set off in the morning when it's cooler and the Trail is in the shade during the ascent.
This is a super easy trail with some pretty amazing views at the end. If you are short on time or don't have energy for any big hikes, choose this. There is a little elevation gain but requires nothing technical, just the ability to walk and breathe. The views from the top are pretty amazing. Zion is my favorite NP. I'm glad we took the time for this little gem this time around.
Relatively short, easy hike with nice views and pleasant places to stop at the top. Great warm-up hike for the more serious trails in Zion.
Very mellow 2 mile trail. Great views. We enjoyed this trail very much. This is a great trail to squeeze in before or after a strenuous hike or if your have limited time in the park. Or it would make a terrific after dinner hike. At the top is a really cool little loop trail that should not be missed. The trailhead is located right off the main parking area.
This was the first trail we hiked afted we arrived at Zion, but it was late in the day so we did not hike the whole trail. That said, it was beautiful and we got to see mule deer for the first time.
We did the hike twice in our 5 days at the park. Hike early in the morning to avoid the sun and heat after noon. Try one of the ranger led hikes on this trail as the information provided by the ranger is very good.
I didn't end up doing the entire hike as it was mid afternoon and the temps were in the high 90's. The entire lower portion of the hike was in the sun with no shade, so after having hiked in the morning I thought better of it, and turned back. In cooler months or in the morning, it would be easier. Some sheer drop offs, to keep in mind for those uncomfortable with heights.