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Emerald PoolsEmerald Pools is one of Zion's sweetest signature trails. Generously endowed with breathtaking scenery, this trail is one that children and adults alike will have fun hiking. Waterfalls, pools and a dazzling display of monoliths create the Emerald Pools Trail System. When I was a kid I did this hike a multitude of times, never getting tired of it. Back then we would drop out shoes at the start of the trail, stack tiny cairns on the upper trail and never missed a chance to swim in the upper pool and we usually explored the drainage behind the middle pool. With all the visitation that park gets now, those things are not allowed, but still this is one of the most enchanting hikes anywhere. At a Glance Lower Emerald Pool - At the trailhead, choose the scenic Lower Emerald Pool Trail rather than the steeper Middle Emerald Pool Trail. Much of the paved lower trail is shaded by cottonwood and box elder trees as it winds along the North Fork of the Virgin River. It's just over a half-mile to the lush alcove of the lower pool. Moisture seeps from sandstone and mist sprays from the falls, feeding lush hanging gardens in the recessed rock. Ferns and moss sprout from the mountainside with an occasional monkey flower, shooting star or delicate columbine peering from the more subtle vegetation. The trail ducks behind twin waterfalls, spilling from the middle pools, leaving black streaks of desert varnish behind. Droplets dance off boulders that have fallen from above, now lining the pool of mossy green water. The lower is my favorite of the pools. Anyone can get to it and you are right there with the pool, hanging gardens and the dripping water.
Middle Emerald Pools Trail - Continue behind the falls. The unpaved trail emerges into sunlight, leading to the middle pools. After a couple of short switchbacks, and a gain of over 100' in elevation, hikers come to the plateau of the middle pools. At the middle pools, shallow streams cross the trail, before the water spills over the lip to the lower pool. The first middle pool is formed by the Behunin Canyon watershed - one of Zion's drier canyoneering routes. Next, just over the ridge, the second middle pool is created by the Heaps Canyon watershed - one of Zion's most difficult canyoneering routes. After a storm, when water is flowing in Heaps Canyon and Behunin Canyon, the waterfalls become profuse. Watch that children never stray near the overhanging ledge, past the chained areas, where algae and slippery rock result in unsafe footing. The Views - A gallery of Zion landmarks compete for attention from the lofty perch of the middle pools, but Red Arch Mountain is center stage. Lady Mountain, one of the original trails in Zion Canyon, towers almost 3000' above the canyon floor. The difficulty of maintaining the "via feratta" of Lady Mountain and nearly impossible conditions for rescue forced the park to disassemble the chains and ladders along the trail and discontinue promotion of the hike in the 1970's. Looking north, glimpses of Mount Majestic and Cathedral Mountain are observed. Upper Emerald Pool Trail - The trail leading to the Upper Emerald Pool is on the ridge between the two middle pools. Though most of the foot traffic ends at the spur to the upper pool, where the trail becomes more rugged and steep, the upper pool at the end is worth every step. This secluded oasis is framed by colossal cliffs on three sides. Watch for canyoneers rappelling from Heaps Canyon down the backside of the boulder-rimmed pool. Kayenta Trail - There are three ways to enter or exit the Emerald Pools Trail System, so unlike most of Zion's trails there is no need to backtrack. For a variation on the exit, take either the Middle Emerald Pools Trail back to where the trail began or the Kayenta Trail to the Grotto. If exiting via the Kayenta Trail, after the shuttles have shut down for the season, (November-March) follow the .5 mile Grotto Trail back to the Emerald Pools parking area, located across the road from the Zion Lodge. Trail History - At the trailhead, choose the scenic Lower Emerald Pool Trail rather than the steeper Middle Emerald Pool Trail. Much of the paved lower trail is shaded by cottonwood and box elder trees as it winds along the North Fork of the Virgin River. It's just over a half-mile to the lush alcove of the lower pool. Moisture seeps from sandstone and mist sprays from the falls, feeding lush hanging gardens in the recessed rock. Ferns and moss sprout from the mountainside with an occasional monkey flower, shooting star or delicate columbine peering from the more subtle vegetation. The trail ducks behind twin waterfalls, spilling from the middle pools, leaving black streaks of desert varnish behind. Droplets dance off boulders that have fallen from above, now lining the pool of mossy green water. The lower is my favorite of the pools. Anyone can get to it and you are right there with the pool, hanging gardens and the dripping water. This trail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 14, 1987. Beta: Coordinates and other trail and canyoneering information by Zion Park search and rescue veteran team member Bo Beck and zionnational-park.com author Mary Cisneros. To post trip reports, offer corrections, updates, or for more information please visit the Zion National Park Forum Suggested Gear: A sturdy pair of shoes are recommend to hike the trails in Zion National Park. Many quality shoes will help grip the rocks and prevent injury.
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