Echo Canyon
Above Weeping Rock. Subterranean middle section is a beautiful classic.
Access is the problem, not the canyon. The East Rim Trail up from Weeping Rock, which is how everyone used to reach the drop in, is under long term closure after a large rockfall, and the NPS still lists Observation Point via that trail as closed. That leaves the top loop from Stave Spring on dirt roads outside the east entrance, with about 1,300 feet of climbing on the exit, so budget a longer day than the older beta suggests. The rappels themselves are small, four to seven of them and none much over 20 feet, strung through a three room echo chamber where a jump and a partner assist get you past potholes that may be full. Quicksand in the lower narrows is normal after rain. Do not confuse this with Lower Echo below it, a 4B that finishes at Weeping Rock itself and has to be done caving style, ascending back out.
Logistics
| Manager | NPS Zion National Park |
|---|---|
| Permit | Wilderness/canyoneering permit ALWAYS required (rope/rappel descent). Acquired via three Recreation.gov paths: Seasonal Lottery 4 months out in 25-day windows (Nov 1-25 for Jan-Mar, Feb 1-25 for Apr-Jun, May 1-25 for Jul-Sep, Aug 1-25 for Oct-Dec); winners notified the 27th, claim by deadline. Unclaimed spots released the 15th at 10am MT. Daily Lottery 2 days out, apply 12:00am-3:00pm MT, drawing at 3:00pm MT. Fees: $6 non-refundable lottery/application fee, $10 per person refundable recreation fee. Pickup at Zion Visitor Center permits desk day-before or day-of. Max group size: 6. |
| Distance | ~5 mi |
| Elevation | ~1500 ft |
| Time | 5-7 hr |
| Technical | 3B II. Several short rappels, swims through dark corridors. |
| Season | Late spring through fall |
| Flood risk | Moderate |
| Vehicle access | Weeping Rock shuttle stop / East Rim TH |
| Crowd | Moderate |
| Coordinates | 37.275, -112.93 |
Sources
- canyoneering permits: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringpermits.htm
- canyoneering overview: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneering.htm
- seasonal lottery: https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4251915
- daily lottery: https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4251918
- notes: https://ropewiki.com/index.php?title=Echo_Canyon_(Middle)&action=raw
- notes closure: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
- notes lower echo: https://ropewiki.com/index.php?title=Echo_Canyon_(Lower)&action=raw
- heroPhoto: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Echo_Canyon,_Observation_Point_Trail,_Zion_(21138574898).jpg