Kolob Canyons Visitor Center
The Zion where you still just park at the trailhead. Kolob Canyons has its own entrance at I-15 Exit 40 — 40 miles north of Zion Canyon, 17 south of Cedar City — its own visitor center and lot, and no shuttle system at all. You drive the five-mile scenic road and park at viewpoints and trailheads directly.
Same $35 vehicle entrance fee (America the Beautiful accepted), collected at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center — everyone must stop. Visitor center hours are 8am–12pm and 1pm–5pm, closed over the lunch hour. The road closed for a collapse in 2023 and reopened November 29, 2023; it's been open since, but still shuts for winter snow and ice.
The facts
- Trail served
- Over 20 miles of trails — Taylor Creek Middle Fork, Timber Creek Overlook, Lee Pass to Kolob Arch. Groups over 12 are restricted to Timber Creek Overlook
- Cost / pass
- Park entrance $35/vehicle for 7 days (America the Beautiful accepted). All visitors must stop at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center to pay or show a pass
- Lot size
- Visitor center lot plus individual trailhead and viewpoint lots along the 5-mile road. No published space counts — but demand here is a fraction of Zion Canyon's
- When it fills
- Rarely the story. Trailhead lots at Taylor Creek and Lee Pass can fill on peak spring weekends; Zion Canyon this is not
- Overflow option
- Generally unnecessary. If a trailhead lot is full, the next viewpoint down the road usually isn't
- Tow / citation risk
- Low — use designated spaces; standard NPS citation/tow policy applies
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Road to the lot
- Paved Kolob Canyons Road, 5 miles from I-15 Exit 40. Reopened Nov 29, 2023 after rehabilitation; may close in winter for snow or ice
- Busy season
- Spring for Taylor Creek's wildflowers and flowing water, fall for color. Check road status before winter trips
Getting there
Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, 3752 E Kolob Canyon Rd, New Harmony, UT 84757 (I-15 Exit 40)
Get directions →A different park, on the same ticket
Kolob Canyons is administratively Zion and functionally somewhere else. It has a separate entrance off I-15 at Exit 40, no connection by road to Zion Canyon (it's about a 40-mile drive between them), its own visitor center, and — the point — no shuttle. The whole apparatus that governs a Zion Canyon day, the 350-space lot, the bus queue, the 8am scramble, simply doesn't exist here. You drive the five-mile Kolob Canyons Road yourself and park where you're hiking.
Every visitor must stop at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center to pay the entrance fee or display an interagency pass. It's open 8am–12pm and 1pm–5pm — note the lunch closure, which catches people. One limitation worth knowing: wilderness permits are only issued at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, 40 miles away, so if your plan needs one, sort it out first.
Road status, honestly
Kolob Canyons Road has a recent history worth knowing about. In March 2023 rangers spotted a depression in the pavement and closed the road as a precaution; it then began to collapse. NPS and Federal Highway Administration engineers rebuilt it — excavating and reinforcing the base eight feet deep with geo-grid and compacted soil, repaving over 6,000 square feet, and rebuilding drainage — and the road reopened November 29, 2023 with full access past South Fork Picnic Area to the Lee Pass Trailhead, Kolob Canyons Picnic Area, and Kolob Viewpoint.
It has been open since. The remaining caveat is seasonal: NPS says the road may close during winter months due to snow or ice, and that pedestrians can't walk it during plowing. Check the park's conditions page before a December-to-March trip. (Different road, common confusion: Kolob Terrace Road — the one to Lava Point and the Subway — typically closes fall through spring at Maloney Hill.)
Plan B — this is the Plan B
Kolob Canyons is what you do when Zion Canyon has already beaten you. If you rolled up to the South Entrance at 10am in October and the Visitor Center lot was full, Springdale wanted $25, and the shuttle line was 200 people deep, Kolob is 40 miles north on the same 7-day entrance receipt and you will park at the trailhead.
What's there: over 20 miles of trail, the Timber Creek Overlook (a flat mile round trip from the road's end), Taylor Creek Middle Fork to the Double Arch Alcove, and the long haul from Lee Pass toward Kolob Arch. The Finger Canyons in late-day light are the reason photographers make the drive on purpose rather than as a fallback. If you're arriving from I-15 anyway — coming down from Salt Lake or up from Vegas — it's not a consolation prize, it's a better first day.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a shuttle for Kolob Canyons?
No. Kolob Canyons has no shuttle system. You drive the entire five-mile Kolob Canyons Road yourself and park at the viewpoints and trailheads, year-round when the road is open.
Is Kolob Canyons Road open?
Yes — it reopened November 29, 2023 after a rehabilitation project that followed a 2023 road collapse, and has been open since. NPS notes it may still close during winter months due to snow or ice, so check current conditions before a cold-season trip.
Does your Zion entrance fee cover Kolob Canyons?
Yes. It's the same park. The $35 per-vehicle fee is valid for 7 days at all Zion entrances, and America the Beautiful passes are accepted. You must stop at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center to pay or show your pass.
How far is Kolob Canyons from Zion Canyon?
About 40 miles by road — Kolob Canyons is at Interstate 15 Exit 40, roughly 17 miles south of Cedar City. There is no road connection through the park between the two areas.
Can you get wilderness permits at Kolob Canyons?
No. Wilderness permits are issued only at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center near the South Entrance, so arrange any permit you need before driving to Kolob.
Facts on this page last verified July 21, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.