Trail of the Week: Zion Traverse, Zion National Park
An unforgettable adventure for serious runners.
Our Trail of the Week feature is made possible through a partnership with Trail Run Project, a crowd-sourced collaboration by and for the running community. Thanks to Tom Robson for mapping and describing this route.
Truly a bucket-list run for the serious adventure runner, this traverse of beautiful Zion National Park in Utah approaches 50 miles in length and runs the gamut with regards to elevation change, temperatures, water scarcity and desert terrain.
Runners go both east-to-west and west-to-east in this adventure, starting at either the Lee Pass Trailhead or the East Rim Trailhead.
Along the way, runners will see just what’s so special about Zion—the breathtaking cliffs, high plateaus, winding rivers and more.
A single-day run is doable if you’re an advanced runner, but many do the traverse as a multi-day backpacking adventure. If you do the latter, you need a permit.
RELATED: 8 Epic Running Adventures in America’s National Parks
The Data
Miles: 48.7
Runnable: 91 percent
Average Grade: 70 percent
Max Grade: 47 percent
Total Ascent: 6,467 feet
Total Descent: -6,780 feet
Highest Elevation: 7,445 feet
For a closer look, check out the interactive map, data, photos and virtual run simulator courtesy of Trail Run Project:
