East Zion: Deep Loop

Rating: Long, strenuous and tiring. 7 miles with about 2000 feet of vertical rise and fall. Some moderately difficult angled sandstone sections. A couple of bushy and steep rocky sections with moderately dangerous falling hazard.
Altitude: 6000ft.

This hike is fairly rough and difficult, so to do it you need to be confident, strong, and agile. Some experience on difficult/dangerous terrain is highly desirable.

Happily tho, 95% of the total distance is easy-to-moderate, with a lot of up and down travel along beaten animal trails or on slickrock.

Check out this hike from past years...
January 27, 2024
December 5, 2021

Special Note: Part of the route goes up a narrow canyon where we may be forced to wade in water up to our knees for a few yards. It's quite safe, but it is wet. Ideally you should bring water shoes, but you can just bring a towel and go barefoot with boots hung around your neck.

Additionally there's a longer stretch that can be very shallow and a bit muddy. This is where the water shoes will be most useful.

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Zion backcountry hike limit: 12 hikers.

This hike is in conjunction with Red Rock Hiking and the 12 hiking spots are being split between the two groups.

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Description

This hike is epic. It takes 7 hours and every minute of it is packed with a kind of stuff that makes people rave about Zion. Ridges and canyons, pools and sand traps, enough smooth red sandstone to build a small planet, and more hoodoos than you can shake a hiking pole at.

In short, you will walk all day and you will like it. ;-/

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The route first goes up to easy Separation Pass (500ft climb). Beyond is a paradise of totally pristine redrocks, looming canyons, and bighorn sheep.

Rambling up and down sparsely wooded valleys we go, then we crest the pass and commence over 900 vertical feet of descent, along with a small amount of climbing along the way.

Way down in the middle of it all is a particular deep pair of canyons that help to form a rough loop. The mid-point of the hike is also the low point, and is at the confluence of the two deep canyons, and a particularly beautiful and i's a spot of sublime solitude. There's even a very nice flat sandbar for doing yoga and suchlike. it's great.

Then the route turns upward, traversing some cute little pools (that might need to be waded) and then vast landscapes of smooth creamy sandstone for what seems like miles, at long last cresting over Checkerboard Pass and thus to East Canyon Road. In toto, a 900 foot climb up from the Deep. Good thing it's pretty gradual, oy...

All in all, a great hike that takes all day, in the very best part of Zion. What's not to love?

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Meet: 7:00AM Saturday at the Davis Market in La Verkin. Then we drive to Zion and go up thru the tunnels to East Canyon and the trailhead.

Note that there will be a 1 mile car shuttle along the road to reduce the hiking mileage.

Prep: Three big bottles of water minimum. Stout boots and leather gloves.
Optional water shoes. A towel to dry your feet after wading. Food. And the need for solitude in a beautiful place that very few have ever seen.

Pro Tip: Bring light thermal wear for the start and end of the hike. Won't need it much in the middle.

See you there! M+J :)

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Notice: Meetup organizers are not touring guides and are not park rangers. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members cannot be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant - including you - at any event. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.