Trail Overview
Kolob Terrace Road is a 15.2-mile point-to-point improved dirt road rated 2 of 10. Kolob Terrace Road will be closed during winter months and open in late spring after the snow melts and the road has been assessed by the US Park Service and County Transportation officials. Getting to this dirt road means taking the paved section of road from the community of Virgin roughly 25 miles through a winding ascent up the Kolob Terrace. The Kolob Terrace is in the middle of Zion National Park between Zion Canyon and the Kolob Canyons which are located near Cedar City. The paved road is considered one of the most scenic in the country and winds in and out of Zion National Park without needing to pay park fees. The end of the paved road is the Kolob Reservoir at an elevation of 8117 feet which is where this trail starts. From there the road becomes dirt and continues to climb up the plateau through Pinyon Pines to Alpine Meadows and even Birch Tree forests. During the late spring, the Alpine Meadows will bloom with purple, blue, and yellow wildflowers. In early fall the leaves will start changing color and rival anywhere in the nation for beauty and landscape. The road will cross above the 9200-foot level before dropping down to the end of the dirt portion of the road. The north end of the road becomes paved again before dropping down to Highway 14 leading into Cedar City. The Kolob Terrace is a primitive area and there are no services so be prepared with water, a spare, and other items you might need if you break down. Due to snow fall the road is usually closed in November and does not open back up until June.
