Many Pools Hike

This trail is located on the East side of Zion National Park, and parking is at a pull-out rather than at an official trailhead. This spot is 2.3 miles from the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel if you are coming from the main entrance, or 3.1 miles from the East entrance station if you are coming in that way. If coming from the East entrance then the pull-out will be on your left, and if coming from the tunnel then it will be on your right. There is a pit toilet near the parking pull-out. The start of this hike is not signed, but there are two access points. Either walk about 150 yards along the road toward the East entrance (with the tunnel behind you), cross the road, and find the beginning of the trail leading down into the wash. You can also access the trailhead from the same side of the road as the parking area. From the pull out you can find several social trails that take you down about 30 feet into a sandy wash. Follow the wash left, eventually hugging the canyon wall until you reach a small underpass that tunnels under the road above. Walk through the tunnel and continue in the wash until quickly reaching the base of a sandstone slab. Now begin your ascent up the slickrock.The terrain alternates between solid rock and sandy washes, finding several natural pools along the way. The pools vary in size, but tend to increase in width and depth the further you go. You can use the pools to navigate your way across the slickrock by following the grooves in between them.The hike becomes steeper towards the end, and a small amount of easy scrambling is required to reach the highest pools (these are located leftward and behind an alcove, which can be accessed via natural steps in the stone ledges). If you are not comfortable scrambling, you can safely turn around at any point. The trail ends after the pools behind the alcove. It is possible to continue further, but this is the end of the Many Pools Trail as its typically known. Turn around and retrace your steps carefully, but remember to occasionally look up and take in the canyon scenery splayed out in front of you.