The Watchman in Zion National Park

The Watchman in Zion National Park names both a large sandstone monolith and the trail that leads to it. Many visitors clamber along its dirt pathway, across foothills to get to the base of this large red spire. In fact, it is not until getting close enough that people really comprehend how tall it really is.

As high as a tall mountain, Zion National Park's Watchman spire of rock is an awesome spectacle that few can resist the chance to see. This sandstone wonder glows red in the morning sunlight, accentuated by golden rays that dance across its over six thousand foot high expanse. In fact, it even has its own trail named in its honor.

The Watchman trail is one of the park's classic. It is a moderate level route that involves little effort over its two mile length. It ascends some four hundred feet, going along dirt pathways and across hills until it reaches its famous monolith. In fact, the trail's only challenges are its extreme exposure to the driving heat of the summer and desert like environment. Any hikers heading out along it should be sure to carry plenty of water as there is little to be found, though survivalist will say that the cacti (prickly pear) can be used as a last resort, and in fact the fruit they bear are quite nutritious.

The best time to tackle the trail is just before sunrise or just before sunset when the daytime temperatures are still low. Access to the trail is found close to the main visitor center, a short walk along the employee road. In fact, it is worth stopping in at the visitor center to learn all about the trail's interesting history, which started its journey back in the 1930's.

Originally the trail was a series of wooden ladders, intended to reach other park regions. Today these ladders are still usable and make for a more challenging hike. However, that part of the trail failed to reach fruition and most of the original ladders were washed away during floods.