Grotto Trail in Zion National Park is perfect for a picnic and afternoon walk. This trail is short, flat, and beautiful.
The best way to hike this half-mile trail is to start at The Grotto (shuttle stop 6) for lunch. There are plenty of tables and there are restrooms nearby. We even saw some wild turkeys foraging around (make sure you don’t accidentally leave them any people food).
After you’ve finished eating, go to the trailhead which starts about 25 yards to the right and behind the bathrooms as you face them. You’ll walk behind a ranger building as it starts. There is also an old museum building there, so take a look if you are doing the Junior Ranger program.
The trail is relatively flat (everything in the canyon bottom is slightly uphill from stop 1-9, 9 being the highest where the river emerges from the Narrows). So the Grotto Trail goes slightly downhill from Stop 6 to Stop 5, where you can catch the shuttle. The trail is wide and open, but unpaved, so pushing a stroller wouldn’t be a good idea, though it could be done.
As you hike along look for signs of wildlife: turkeys, deer, squirrels, lizards, and many varieties of birds frequent this area. The trail follows the road, but there is still a lot of beautiful scenery to see, and there is a great look back at Angel’s Landing.
This is the perfect walk for anyone of any abilities, no matter how small or infirm as the walk is flat, unobstructed, and only .5 miles from stop to stop.
Is this in the part of Zions that is close to St. George or one of the other parts of the park?
This is in Zion National Park that is located in Springdale, which is about 45 minutes east of St. George. This is the main part of the park that most people visit.