Kolob Terrace Road by motorcycle

The side of Zion most visitors never see. Kolob Terrace Road leaves Highway 9 in the town of Virgin and climbs north from desert washes onto aspen-covered plateaus (NPS Zion newspaper, fall 2019). There is no shuttle and no tunnel, and the road crosses into the park with only a sign, not an entrance station (American Southwest).

The route at a glance

Start: Virgin, on Utah Highway 9, west of Springdale. The turn is not obviously signposted, so watch for it (American Southwest).
End: Kolob Reservoir, about 24 miles from the turn. The road is paved all the way there and turns to dirt beyond it (Cycling West, 2014).
Height: from about 3,500 ft near Virgin to about 8,100 ft at the reservoir (American Southwest; Cycling West, 2014).
Inside Zion: the park sections add up to under 10 miles; the rest crosses grazing land on the Lower Kolob Plateau (NPS Zion; American Southwest).
Trailers: not recommended (NPS Zion newspaper, fall 2019).

Virgin to Kolob Reservoir

North Creek valley. The road follows North Creek through a green valley, then climbs steeply and runs along a narrow ridge (American Southwest).

Into the park. About 1.75 miles past the park sign is the Left Fork trailhead for the Subway hike (American Southwest). Further up are the trailheads for Northgate Peaks and the West Rim Trail, which runs down to the floor of Zion Canyon (American Southwest).

The high country. Near 7,000 ft the road flattens out among the trees. Lava Point, at 7,890 ft, looks back toward Zion Canyon (NPS Lava Point Overlook). It is about 25 miles north of Virgin, reached by a gravel side road beside Blue Springs Reservoir (NPS Lava Point Overlook; American Southwest). On a road bike, judge the gravel when you get there.

Kolob Reservoir. Where the pavement ends. Turn around here: the road north is dirt for many miles (American Southwest).

Before you ride

Season: Lava Point is typically open May through September, as weather allows (NPS Lava Point Overlook). Snow may not clear up high until June (American Southwest), and the upper road can close from November through March (Cycling West, 2014).
Cattle guards and stock: cattle guards come every one to three miles (Cycling West, 2014), and cattle graze the plateau (American Southwest). Cross the guards straight and upright, and expect animals on the road.
Fuel: fill up in Hurricane or Springdale before the turn. No services are listed along the road (check before you go).
Time: Virgin to the reservoir and back, about 2 to 3 hours with stops (estimate). Lava Point is about 1 hour 20 minutes from Zion's South Entrance one way (NPS Lava Point Overlook).
Rules for visiting riders (helmets, eye protection, lane filtering): Riding in Utah.

Keep going

The main canyon: Zion by motorcycle.
Coming up from the south: Las Vegas to Zion, which passes the Virgin turn on Highway 9.
The other high side of the park: Kolob Canyons off I-15, near Cedar City and Cedar Breaks.

Rent a bike

Booking opens soon. Until then, use the ride guides to plan your trip.