Zion's East Side: The Tunnel, Slickrock, and Fewer Crowds
Zion's east side: slickrock, Checkerboard Mesa and almost no crowds — the part of the park most visitors drive straight through.
Most visitors experience Zion as the main canyon and never really stop on the east side, which is a different landscape and, for a large part of the year, a far more peaceful one.
A completely different park
Beyond the long tunnel, the red canyon walls give way to open slickrock — pale, cross-bedded sandstone in swirling patterns, dotted with juniper and pine, rolling away in domes and basins.
The signature feature is Checkerboard Mesa, where vertical cracks and horizontal bedding lines cross into a grid across an entire mountainside. It is right beside the road and unmistakable.
The practical advantage: no shuttle
The east side is reached along the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway, where you drive and park normally. The shuttle system that governs the main canyon does not apply.
In a park where roughly 65% of annual visitation falls April to September and the canyon can feel overwhelmed, that makes the east side the reliable answer for a quieter day.
What to actually do
The Canyon Overlook Trail is the marquee short hike, giving a panorama down the main canyon.
Pull off and walk on the slickrock. Much of the appeal here is unstructured — parking at a pull-off and wandering out onto the rock. There are few formal trails, and that is the point.
Drive it slowly. The highway itself is a scenic route, with the tunnel, the switchbacks and the Great Arch.
Navigation deserves respect
Slickrock is superb to walk on and genuinely easy to get lost on. There are no obvious paths, cairns are unreliable, and one dome looks much like another once you have crossed a few.
- Keep track of where you came from, and turn around earlier than feels necessary.
- Do not rely on a phone alone — signal is poor and it is easy to walk further than intended.
- Avoid it in rain or ice. Wet slickrock is slippery, and the smooth basins funnel water fast.
Practical
- The tunnel has size restrictions. Oversized vehicles need an escort arranged with the park — check before driving a large RV through.
- There is no water and almost no shade. Carry everything.
- Utah has the highest melanoma rate in the country, and shade on most of this is scarce — sun protection is equipment here, not caution.
- Wildlife is visible here, particularly bighorn sheep on the rock. Watch them from a distance and never feed them.
When to come
Spring and autumn are ideal. Winter is excellent and very quiet, though ice makes the slickrock hazardous. Summer means early mornings only — this is open, pale rock with no shelter.
Frequently asked questions
What is on Zion's east side?
A completely different landscape from the main canyon. Beyond the long tunnel the red walls give way to open, pale, cross-bedded slickrock dotted with juniper and pine, rolling away in domes and basins. The signature feature is Checkerboard Mesa, where vertical cracks and horizontal bedding lines cross into a grid across an entire mountainside, right beside the road.
Do I need the shuttle for the east side?
No. The east side is reached along the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway, where you drive and park normally, so the shuttle system governing the main canyon is irrelevant. Given that roughly 65% of Zion's annual visitation falls between April and September and the canyon can feel overwhelmed, that makes the east side the most reliable option for a quieter day in the park.
Is it easy to get lost on the slickrock?
Genuinely, yes. Slickrock is superb to walk on and has few obvious paths, cairns are unreliable, and one dome looks much like another once you have crossed a few. Keep track of where you came from, turn around earlier than feels necessary, and do not rely on a phone alone since signal is poor. Avoid the rock in rain or ice, when it becomes slippery and the basins funnel water quickly.