The West Rim Trail in Zion National Park is an excellent path that takes two days to complete. The months between late spring and mid-fall are great for hiking this trail since nights are warm.
 About 14.5 miles long and losing about 3,140 feet along the way, this is a trek worth doing. It begins at 7,460 feet above sea level on the Horse Pasture Plateau and ends at 4,320 feet at the Grotto Picnic Area in Zion Canyon, which also serves as the trailhead for the Angels Landing trail. Both Potato Hollow and Cabin Spring are excellent spots to spend the night.
Backcountry surrounding the national park is stunning as it is known for its landscape dominated by red sandstone and a variety of green desert flora -- including ponderosa pines and pinion juniper trees. Further, since this trail meanders in areas from the floor of popular Zion Canyon, which annually greets millions of tourists, hikers here can truly enjoy the tranquil scenes here. It isn't uncommon to meet other hikers, but the trail is much less crowded than Zion Canyon.
One of the best sections of this trail begins just 6 miles from the Horse Pasture Plateau trailhead. At this point the trail jaunts out to the edge of Phantom Valley for some spectacular views, and these outlooks end at Cabin Spring 3.5 miles down the path. After this hikers will enjoy beautiful canyon country and slick rock.
Hikers should bring plenty of water and food to best enjoy the stay. Water is of import since the day temperatures are high during the summer. Hikers should also minimize their impact on the environment by packing out their trash.
For more information contact the Zion National Park staff at (435)772-3256. They'll provide up to date information about the backcountry concerning current seasonal and weather information.
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