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Kolob Arch is probably the largest
natural arch in the world. Accurate measurement of its size is
difficult because of its location, high above the canyon floor,
but recent calculations place its span somewhere between 292
and 310 feet. The arch lies near the top of the Navajo Sandstone
cliffs on the north side of La Verkin Creek, about 700 feet above
the trail. It faces east, so the best time to see and photograph
Kolob Arch is in the morning before about 10:00 a.m.
There are three possible ways to
walk to Kolob Arch, but the Hop Valley Trail, suggested here,
is the most scenic approach. This trail starts on the Kolob Plateau,
south of La Verkin Creek, and proceeds down the colorful Hop
Valley Canyon to its confluence with La Verkin. The canyon is
about 200 yards wide, with a flat, grassy bottom boxed in on
both sides by towering cliffs of red sandstone. A shallow stream,
fed by runoff from a half dozen side canyons, keeps the bottom
of the narrow valley green, while, in the distance, one can see
the picturesque maze of mesas and canyons that surround the confluence
of Hop Valley and La Verkin Creek.
Unfortunately, the Hop Valley experience
is degraded by the presence of several dozen range cows. This
valley was grazed long before Zion National Park was established,
and cattle are still grazed there. As of this printing, 3,477
acres of land within the published boundaries of Zion National
Park is still privately owned by local ranchers. The National
Park Service has been trying to solve this problem for years,
but like most other federal problems the solution requires money.
The degree to which the Hop Valley ecosystem has been damaged
by the cattle becomes obvious about a mile before La Verkin Creek,
where a fence has been erected to keep cattle out of the lower
end of the valley. Beyond this barrier the diversity in plant
species increases dramatically, the creek bed becomes deeper
and more clearly defined, and the presence of birds and other
wildlife becomes noticeable once again.
Day 1
From the Hop Valley Trailhead the
trail passes through 1.4 miles of open pinion-juniper forest
before coming to a fence near the beginning of Hop Valley Canyon.
This fence marks the beginning of an inholding of privately owned
land. Beyond the fence the trail begins descending gradually
into Hop Valley, finally reaching the canyon floor after about
1.5 miles. As you proceed down the canyon the floor becomes wider
and flatter until, after another 1.5 miles, it reaches its maximum
width of about 300 yards. Finally, 4.8 miles from the trailhead,
you will cross the northern boundary of the Hop Valley grazing
area, where another fence spans the bottom of the canyon to keep
cattle out of La Verkin Creek. Make sure you close the gate behind
you as you cross through the fence.
Soon after leaving the grazed portion
of Hop Valley, the trail leaves the valley floor and climbs slightly
into a forested area below the west wall. Then, 0.3 mile before
reaching La Verkin Creek the trail breaks out of the trees and
begins a series of switchbacks down into La Verkin Canyon. Just
before reaching the creek you will see another trail coming down
the canyon from Willis Creek. Turn left here and walk for 0.4
mile to the short spur trail that leads to Kolob Arch. But before
going to see the arch, I suggest you continue down La Verkin
Creek far enough to find a good campsite for the night. There
are a lot of good sites here, so, unless it is a holiday, you
shouldn’t have any trouble finding one. Try to camp at least
0.2 mile from the junction with the Kolob Arch Trail-especially
if you have a large group. The environment in this area has already
sustained substantial damage from overuse by campers.
Day 2
The first item of business of the
second day is to see the Kolob Arch. As mentioned earlier, the
best time to see the arch is in the morning, so even if you saw
it the day before you should take the time to see it again before
hiking out. After breaking camp leave your packs behind and walk
back to the sign marking the spur trail to Kolob Arch viewpoint,
0.5 mile away. Unfortunately the viewpoint where the trail ends
is still 600 yards from the arch, and because of the rough terrain
it is almost impossible to get more than 200 yards closer. Without
a good frame of reference the arch does not seem as big as it
really is, and you may be mildly disappointed. Nevertheless,
it is huge-spanning the length of a football field at its base.
From your campsite, the trail to
Lees Pass continues down La Verkin Creek for about 1.6 miles
before veering off to the north. The trail finally leaves the
creek near the remains of an old corral that was used years ago
when cattle were still being grazed here. 1.3 miles later the
trail encounters Timber Creek, a tributary of La Verkin, and
continues north toward Lees Pass. Finally, 0.9 mile before arriving
at the trailhead, the trail leaves Timber Creek and climbs the
last 470 feet to the parking lot. |
