Sunday Drive - Kolob Section of Zion National Park

Last spring, portions of the road that winds through the Kolob Section of Zion National Park collapsed during the barrage of wet storms that passed through southern Utah. Repairs to the road are expected to possibly take a year or more but you can still make your way up to the South Fork Picnic Area and enjoy the quieter side of Zion or foot or bicycle from there. For that reason we're featuring the Kolob Section of Zion as this week's Sunday Drive.

You can park at the South Fork parking area and walk or ride a bike the rest of the way up to the end of the road but the National Park Service does stat that you do so at your own risk.

Even so, you can still access the Taylor Creek Trailhead, it's on the road before the South Fork parking area, and it's a great plce to enjoy a easy to moderate hike that ranks as one of the best in Zion.

There's the added bonus that even during the busiest times of the year, there are always fewer visitors to the Kolob section than there are in the main canyon of Zion National Park.

For locals, and those looking for a quieter experience in Zion, this means you can explore a portion of this amazing National Park without the crowds. The National Park Service's website has a list of all the hikes available in the Kolob section and details on current closures and road conditions.

Go to https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/kolob-canyons-wilderness-hiking-trails.htm and you'll find all the information.

Even if you don't plan on hiking, a drive up into the beautiful red cliffs of Zion's Kolob Canyons is worth the time and energy it takes to get there. Especially when you can drive all the way to the end of the road. But in the meantime, Kolob can still be explored, it just takes a little more effort to get there.