Being the centerpiece of the park, this short (6 mile) drive leads into Zion Canyon and ends at the Temple of Sinawava (named after the Coyote God of the Paiute Indians). Sheer red and white sandstone cliffs tower up to 2,500 feet above the Virgin River, flowing at the bottom of the canyon. This river looks like a creek but it has the power of the Colorado River – it carved the profound rock gorge of Zion Canyon. It began its cutting more than 13 million years ago and continues its work today. At the Temple, the canyon narrows and a foot-trail continues to the mouth of the Zion Narrows, a spectacular gorge with walls 40–100 feet wide and 1000 feet tall.
During summertime, the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is accessible by shuttle bus only. The Zion Canyon route starts at the visitor center; a round trip lasts 90 minutes. Buses run from before dawn to after dark as often as every six minutes. Parking inside the park is limited and quite often congested. As an alternative, park your car in Springdale (close to the western entrance of the park) and take a free shuttle to the park.
Directions
The shuttle route starts directly at the visitor center, located at the south entrance of the park.
