PHOTOGRAPHY IN ZION NATIONAL PARK

What are some good spots for photography?

Everywhere is good for photography in Zion! No seriously, I mean it. I can't think of any spot in Zion that isn't photogenic or interesting in the right light. Wander around, explore, and be willing to hike a little bit, and you are sure to find photographic opportunities from majestic viewpoints to smaller-scale subjects like sandstone textures and delicate plantlife. The suggestions below are only starting points.

Sunrise and Sunset Locations:

The Towers of the Virgin:
Located behind the Zion Human History Museum (stop 2 for the Zion Canyon Shuttle), the Towers of the Virgin is a famous and popular spot to catch sunrise. The area behind the museum has a convenient paved viewing area, so you will typically be sharing this spot with several other photographers where you can get a great view of the famous Towers of the Virgin in first light. Sunset could also be interesting in the right conditions, but the mountains will be backlit in shadow.

Canyon Junction:
Canyon Junction is located at stop 3 for the Zion Canyon Shuttle where the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive breaks off from Route 9. The view from the automobile bridge at Canyon Junction is absolutely iconic, especially near sunset, but sadly due to the overwhelming popularity of this spot and the lack of parking and room to stand on the bridge, this spot is now banned to pedestrians as of 2022. Boo!!! (Hint to NPS: A pedestrian bridge next to the road would be a wonderful feature upgrade!) You can still find somehat comparable views along the shores of the Virgin River and along the nearby Pa'rus Trail.

Canyon Overlook Trail Viewpoint:
Located along Route 9 right at the east entrance to the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, the Canyon Overlook Trail and its viewpoint are Zion classics. A pre-dawn drive to the Upper East Canyon and a quick hike gives you a great view down into the main canyon with first light hitting the East Temple just above. Of course this viewpoint is beautiful any time of day, especially when the clouds are putting on a good show.

Kolob Canyons Viewpoint:
Late afternoon is a great time to visit the isolated Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park. The Kolob Canyons Road is a great five-mile scenic drive past the Kolob Finger Canyons to a parking lot and viewpoint at the end of the road. The view from the parking lot at sunset is one of the best in the park. No hiking is required, although the nearby Timber Creek Overlook Trail is a pleasant stroll.

Upper East Canyon:
Route 9 weaves through the glorious slickrock wonderland of the Upper East Canyon and there are several safe spots to pull over and park and easily explore the nearby sandstone formations. Scope out a location and make it your own in early or late dramatic light! (Light fades quickly after sunset, so bring a headlamp to make sure you can easily find your way back to your car.)

Kolob Terrace Road:
The Kolob Terrace Road passes through some beautiful scenery as it ascends from the lower desert elevations to Lava Point (the highest point in Zion National Park). Many of the large sandstone formations (especially between the Left Fork Trailhead and the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead) are most dramatic in the late afternoon sun. Scope out the area and you are likely to find a spot that appeals to you. Be warned that there are a few private insets of land within the park boundaries, so please obey any "no trespassing" signs.

Photogenic Landmarks and Hikes:

In Zion Canyon, landmarks like Weeping Rock and easy hikes along the Emerald Pools Trail and Riverside Walk offer great views of lush vegetation and flowing water with the backdrop of majestic sandstone walls. Note that the waterfalls along the Emerald Pools Trail only flow at full blast during the spring runoff (April-May) and heavy rainstorms.

Wandering along the banks of the Virgin River between the Zion Lodge and the Temple of Sinawava may also be interesting for photography at any time of day. Between Weeping Rock and Big Bend, you can catch iconic views of the Great White Throne and Angels Landing from below.

Checkerboard Mesa in the Upper East Canyon is another famous Zion landmark. Along Route 9 close to the East Entrance is a large parking and viewing area to accommodate tourists and photographers. If you want to walk along the road to the base of the formation, please be careful and step aside from traffic as there isn't a lot of room to walk along the road.

For hiking photographers looking for iconic viewpoints, the Angels Landing hike offers stunning panoramic views. (Note: This trail now requires a hard-to-win permit since it is the most popular hike in Zion.) The final spur hike to Angels Landing is exposed and involves holding on to chains in several sections, so this hike isn't a good idea for those who are out of shape or don't feel very balanced on their feet.

Observation Point is another iconic viewpoint overlooking Zion Canyon. Sadly the trail up from Weeping Rock has been closed since 2019 due to a major rockfall, but with a bit more logistical effort, you hike to Observation Point via the East Mesa Trail.

The Zion Narrows is one of the signature hikes in Zion National Park. With beautiful emerald water flowing through dark alcoves and beautifully patterned sandstone walls, this is a wonderful place for photography for those who are prepared to get wet and have adequate protection for their camera gear (discussed later on this page).

The Subway (the Left Fork of North Creek). A few decades ago, this remote canyon was known by only a few, but it is now one of the most popular canyon hikes in Zion, offering iconic views for photographers. Aside from securing a permit for this strenuous hike, logistics of carspots, rappelling, swimming, and keeping camera equipment dry make this a challenging adventure. For those who want to forego the rappelling and swimming, the hike can be done from the bottom-up, but you will only see half of the beautiful "subway" formations.

In the Kolob Section, two photogenic landmarks of note are the Double-Arch Alcove along the Taylor Creek Trail (Middle Fork of Taylor Creek) and the Kolob Arch, accessible via the La Verkin Creek Trail. Note that the Kolob Arch faces east, so the best time to catch the arch in direct sunlight is the morning. As this is a fairly long hike, starting very early or doing this as an overnight hike might be useful for photography.

In 1980, the National Park Service printed a useful little photographic hints pamphlet that is now out of print. (Special thanks to Jeff S. for finding and scanning this great old document!) For more hiking ideas, please see the Best Hikes in Zion National Park and Many More Hiking Ideas pages for detailed information on exploring Zion by foot. Do not limit yourself to being a photographer who only shoots a few feet away from your car or the trailhead!