Hiking the Upper and Lower Emerald Pools Trail in Zion National Park
Distance: 2.4 miles / 3.9 km
The Emerald Pools Trail in Zion National Park is a unique desert oasis in the middle of Zion Canyon that features three distinct pools: the Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools.
That said, the waterfalls at the Emerald Pools do not flow year-round, which is why the best time to hike the Emerald Pools Trail and see the waterfalls is during the spring snowmelt or after a heavy rainstorm.
However, this is also what makes Zion National Park one of the best year-round destinations. I say this because when Zion Canyon is best visited for waterfalls and cooler temperatures in the Spring, day hikes like The Narrows are closed because the water in the Virgin River is too high, which corresponds to significant snowfall along the upper elevations.
This is all to say that whether you visit just one or all three pools, the Emerald Pools Trail is easily one of the best day hikes in Zion National Park—especially when the waterfalls are flowing!
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
Emerald Pools Trailhead Parking
Parking for any trail in Zion Canyon is located at either the Zion Visitor Center, or the Zion Human History Museum.
From either of these two locations, you need to ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle to the trailhead. Be aware that after 9 a.m. during most times of the year, parking in these two spots becomes extremely competitive, and the park service may shut down parking altogether and tell you to park in Springdale.
Google Maps Directions: Zion Visitor Center / Zion Human History Museum
The Zion Canyon Shuttle
From either the visitor center or the museum, ride the shuttle up the canyon to Stop 5, which is also the same stop as the Zion National Park Lodge.
Hiking Checklist - Zion
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Zion National Park.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
Sun Shirt w/ Hood - A quality sun shirt can be your best friend on a trail with minimal shade, which can be found in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Additional Off-Season Gear
Depending on the winter snowpack, the Emerald Pools Trail can be covered in snow and ice well into March.
If you’re coming during the off-season (October - March), I recommend having micro-spikes with you! I personally use the Yaktrax below.
Hiking the Emerald Pools Trail
From the Zion Lodge, walk across Zion Canyon Road to reach the Emerald Pools Trailhead.
Once across the Virgin River, you can hike in either direction to reach all of the same pools, but I recommend hiking toward the Lower Pool first for a few reasons.
The first is that I think it’s nice to see the pools in order from Lower to Upper, but on top of that, I like saving the casual hike down from the Middle Pools for the end because it’s a really nice way to see Zion Canyon with far fewer people on the trail.
Finally, whether you return back down the same direction or take the Middle Emerald Pools Trail to the lodge, the total distance will remain the same.
The Lower Emerald Pool Trail is a relatively flat and graded trail for the entire distance to the Lower Pool.
Typically, the trail beneath the Lower Falls is a very busy section.
After the Lower Emerald Pool, the trail begins climbing up about 400 ft. (122 m) to reach the Upper Pool.
This split is for an upper viewpoint of the Lower Emerald Pool.
Middle Emerald Pools-Kayenta Trail Junction
At the split in the photos below, go left for the Middle and Upper Pools.
Middle Emerald Pools
In my opinion, the more beautiful part of the Middle Emerald Pools is after the split for the Upper Pool.
I’ll show more on this later.
Upper Emerald Pools Trail
At the split for the Upper Emerald Pool, you can either loop back around to the lodge on the Middle Emerald Pools Trail or hike the extra 0.25 miles (0.4 km) to reach the Upper Pool.
The photo below on the right is the trail that leads back to the lodge.
The Upper Pool waterfall was flowing so well because of the spring snowmelt in March.
Middle Emerald Pools Trail
This is Middle Emerald Pools as if you had gone straight at the Upper Emerald Pools junction, and like I said in the beginning, it’s also my preferred route to hike back to the Zion Lodge.
In all, the Middle Emerald Pools Trail is a very straightforward hike down to the lodge.
Depending the weather/ time of year, the trail may be muddy because of either rain or snowmelt.
When you make it back down to the Virgin River, continue straight (left) to link back up with the beginning of the trail.
The trail to the right is the longer route for the Sand Bench Trail.
This is where the trail meets back up with the beginning of the hike.
More Zion Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Zion National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
Zion National Park is widely known for its extreme weather swings.
In the summer, the temperature in Zion will soar well above 100º F for weeks on end, while, on the contrary, the upper elevations of the park accumulate several feet of snow come winter.
Every year, this creates an interesting dynamic, as the snow melts during the day and freezes at night, resulting in extremely hazardous black ice conditions on many popular trails throughout the park, such as Angels Landing – trails where you cannot afford to fall.
To stay safe, always hike with 2-3 liters of water, try to avoid hiking midday during the hot summer months, and prepare for snowy/ icy conditions by bringing micro-spikes during the off-season months (October - March).
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official National Park website.
National Park Service: Zion National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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