Hiking the South Ariel Peak Trail in Zion National Park
Distance: 1.1 miles / 1.8 km
The South Ariel Peak Trail in Zion National Park is a short but challenging day hike off of Pine Creek Canyon, as the hike is not an established National Park Service trail. Rather, it’s what the Park Service refers to as a 'social trail.'
In short, a 'social trail' is an unmaintained, unestablished trail that hikers create over many years across many National Parks, which includes some notable others, like the Delta Lake Trail in Grand Teton National Park and the Bar Island Loop Trail in Acadia National Park.
Furthermore, the South Ariel Peak Trail is not an easy hike by any means. Toward the South Ariel Summit, the trail becomes significantly more difficult to navigate, and the consequences of slipping and falling on the smooth sandstone are much greater than in the easier sections at the beginning of the hike.
All that said, I decided to turn back out of caution, as I was hiking alone, so turning back was the best decision for me. However, I hope to return with friends to finish this hike someday in the future!
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!
South Ariel Peak Trailhead Parking
Parking for South Ariel Peak is located in a small, unmarked turnout off the Mount Carmel Highway, about 2.1 miles (3.4 km) west of the East Entrance Ranger Station.
Google Maps Directions: South Ariel Peak Trailhead
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!
Hiking the South Ariel Peak Trail
From the bottom, South Ariel looks like you could simply zigzag your way up to the peak, and for about 90% of it, that is true.
However, it’s that last stretch to the summit where I wasn’t willing to take more risks than I had because all of the possible routes to the top are perched above a cliff where you cannot fall!
For the first part, the route up is generally the best route you see fit.
As far as I could tell, the way to go was between the two peaks at the top, and while it may not be obvious from down here, any options to either the right of the left of the saddle became too sketchy and steep for me to want to try.
Pay attention to the cliff in these two photos. It doesn’t look like much here, but I hope you can see how significant it really is in the second to last photo.
I’m still aiming for the low point between both of the peaks.
This is pretty much where it got far too smooth to the far right of the saddle.
Here, I went back down to try again.
What this photo doesn’t show is that now I’m really directly above the cliff.
This last photo is where I walked up to all these stacked rocks to try again, but I could tell that someone had placed them here because there is truly no better way up.
All of the tricky stuff to my left was taller than I am at 6’ 4”, and there was simply nothing to grab or lean into throughout this section.
However, if you had one rope in hand from above, there wouldn’t be anything tricky about this section whatsoever.
It was honestly frustrating to turn back because in person and in these photos, it looks so doable. Still, I’m fine knowing that I’ll be back another day.
This photo below is the cliff that all of the routes are perched above, and that tree above the cliff is the same tree two photos up.
Most of the very steep and smooth sandy routes are above this cliff, which greatly altered my decision to push my luck too much.
In the future, I may choose an alternate route altogether.
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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