Observation Point

Why It's Legendary

Observation Point is the great counterpoint to Angels Landing. Where Angels Landing juts out into the canyon, Observation Point stands high on the east rim and looks down on all of it - roughly 700 feet higher than the top of Angels Landing, with the entire length of Zion Canyon, the Great White Throne, and the Virgin River laid out far below. For many hikers it's simply the best view in the park, earned without the white-knuckle exposure of the chains.

The Closure Situation

Getting there is the hard part right now. There have historically been two ways up, and both have been affected by rockfall:

• From Weeping Rock, via the East Rim Trail - the classic, strenuous climb from the canyon floor (~8 miles round trip, ~2,100 feet of gain). A 2019 rockfall buried a section of this trail, and it no longer connects to Zion Canyon. The short Weeping Rock Trail to the alcove has reopened, but the route to Observation Point beyond it has not.
• From the East Mesa Trail - the "easy way," starting high on the plateau off Zion Ponderosa / North Fork Road and approaching the point nearly on the level (~6.5 miles round trip, only a few hundred feet of gain). This became the popular workaround, but landslides have closed it too, and as of early 2026 it remained closed.

Because the situation has shifted more than once, don't build a trip around Observation Point without confirming current access with the National Park Service first. If it has reopened, the East Mesa route is by far the gentler option.

What You See From the Top

When it's open, the payoff is hard to overstate: a straight-down look at Angels Landing and its knife-edge spine, the Great White Throne glowing across the canyon, and the Scenic Drive threading the valley floor more than 2,000 feet below. Sunrise and late afternoon are the standout times for light.

If It's Closed: What to Hike Instead

For a similarly huge view while Observation Point is off-limits:

• Angels Landing - the other iconic high viewpoint (permit required, real exposure).
• Canyon Overlook - a big canyon view for a fraction of the effort, on the east side.
• Watchman Trail - an easy-to-reach mesa viewpoint straight from the Visitor Center.