The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway is a 25-mile scenic route showcasing southern Utah’s stunning red rock formations, deep canyons, and sweeping vistas. Connecting Zion National Park to its eastern entrance, it offers scenic pullouts perfect for photos and exploring millions of years of geological history. This guide highlights the best stops to enhance your journey through this breathtaking drive.
A Road Built Through Time
Construction of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway began in 1927, representing one of the most ambitious engineering projects of its era. The route required blasting through solid rock and constructing the famous Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, which at 1.1 miles long, was the longest tunnel in the National Park System when completed in 1930.
The highway’s creation opened up the eastern regions of Zion National Park to visitors, revealing landscapes dramatically different from the park’s famous main canyon. These eastern areas showcase a unique transition zone between the Colorado Plateau’s red rock country and the higher elevations of the Markagunt Plateau.
Essential Scenic Pullouts
Canyon Overlook Trail
The Canyon Overlook Trail pullout serves as more than just a parking area—it’s the gateway to one of Zion’s most rewarding short hikes. Located just east of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, this pullout provides easy access to a one-mile round-trip trail that leads to spectacular views of Zion Canyon.
The trail itself winds along slickrock ledges and through narrow passages, offering glimpses of the Great White Throne, Angels Landing, and the Virgin River far below. The moderate hike takes most visitors 45 minutes to an hour, making it perfect for those seeking dramatic views without committing to a full-day adventure.
From the pullout, you can also appreciate the engineering marvel of the tunnel entrance, carved directly into the massive Navajo Sandstone cliff face. The contrast between human ingenuity and natural grandeur becomes immediately apparent.
Pine Creek Canyon Overlook
Pine Creek Canyon Overlook provides one of the most photographed views along the entire highway. This pullout offers sweeping vistas of Pine Creek Canyon, where red and white sandstone layers create a natural amphitheater of color and texture.
The overlook showcases the geological transition that defines this region, where younger rock layers sit atop older formations, creating the distinctive stepped appearance of the canyon walls. Photographers particularly love this spot during golden hour, when the low-angle sunlight illuminates the sandstone formations in warm, glowing tones.
Pine Creek itself winds through the canyon bottom, supporting a ribbon of green vegetation that provides striking contrast against the red rock backdrop. The overlook includes interpretive signs that explain the area’s geological history and the role of water in shaping these remarkable formations.
Big Bend
The Big Bend pullout captures one of the highway’s most dramatic curve sections, where the road follows the natural contours of the landscape through a sweeping turn. This stop offers panoramic views of the surrounding mesas, buttes, and distant mountain ranges that extend far beyond the park boundaries.
What makes Big Bend particularly special is its elevated perspective, which allows visitors to appreciate the vast scale of the Colorado Plateau landscape. On clear days, you can see for miles across the high desert terrain, with layers of rock formations creating depth and dimension in every direction.
The pullout also provides excellent opportunities to observe the area’s diverse plant communities, from desert shrubs in the lower elevations to pine and fir forests on the higher mesas. This biological diversity reflects the area’s position at the intersection of multiple ecosystems.
Weeping Rock Area
While Weeping Rock itself requires a short hike from the main Zion Canyon, the pullouts in this area along the highway provide excellent views of the hanging gardens and alcoves that characterize this unique environment. These stops showcase how water seepage through porous sandstone creates oasis-like conditions in the desert.
The moisture that emerges from the rock face supports hanging gardens of ferns, mosses, and wildflowers that seem impossible in this arid environment. These natural gardens demonstrate the critical role that groundwater plays in supporting life throughout the Colorado Plateau region.
Planning Your Visit
Best Times to Experience the Highway
The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway offers spectacular scenery year-round, but timing can significantly impact your experience. Spring and fall provide the most comfortable temperatures and the best lighting conditions for photography. During these seasons, daytime temperatures range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, making outdoor exploration enjoyable.
Summer visits require early morning or late afternoon timing to avoid the intense midday heat. However, summer thunderstorms can create dramatic lighting effects and temporary waterfalls that add excitement to the landscape.
Winter brings its own beauty, with occasional snow dusting the higher elevations and creating striking contrast against the red rock formations. Winter visits require checking road conditions, as ice and snow can make driving challenging.
Essential Items for Your Journey
Successful exploration of the scenic pullouts requires some preparation. Bring plenty of water—at least one gallon per person for extended stops and short hikes. The high desert environment can be dehydrating even during cooler months.
Comfortable walking shoes with good traction are essential, as many pullouts involve walking on slickrock surfaces that can be slippery. Sun protection including hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses becomes critical due to the intense UV exposure at this elevation and latitude.
A camera or smartphone with extra batteries will help capture the incredible views, though no photograph can truly convey the scale and beauty of these landscapes. Binoculars can enhance your experience by allowing detailed observation of distant formations and wildlife.
Safety Considerations
The scenic pullouts along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway are generally safe, but visitors should exercise caution. Many overlooks feature steep drop-offs without guardrails, requiring constant supervision of children and awareness of your surroundings.
Weather conditions can change rapidly, particularly during summer monsoon season. Flash flooding, though rare in the pullout areas themselves, can affect road conditions and visibility. Check weather forecasts and park alerts before beginning your journey.
Wildlife encounters, while exciting, require maintaining safe distances. The area hosts mountain lions, bears, and venomous snakes, though encounters are rare. Make noise while hiking and stay on designated trails and in developed areas.
Expanding Your Adventure
The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway serves as an excellent starting point for exploring the broader region. Many visitors combine their scenic drive with private tours of Zion National Park, which can provide deeper insights into the area’s geology, ecology, and cultural history.
Nearby attractions include the otherworldly landscape of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel itself, which features six historic windows carved into the tunnel wall. These windows were designed to provide construction access and now offer unique glimpses of the surrounding landscape.
The nearby town of Springdale provides dining, lodging, and shopping opportunities, while the eastern entrance of the park leads to additional hiking trails and scenic areas that receive fewer visitors than the main canyon.
Conclusion
Discover breathtaking views and ancient sandstone formations along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. Explore millions of years of Earth’s history and enjoy the desert’s natural beauty in southern Utah.
