The original Observation Point trail was Zion's classic rim-from-the-canyon-floor climb — eight miles round trip from the Weeping Rock shuttle stop, 2,148 feet of elevation gain, and a payoff at the highest accessible viewpoint over Zion Canyon. The trail closed in 2019 after a rockfall on the East Rim above Weeping Rock destabilized the slope, and it has remained closed indefinitely.
Why it's a stub
The trail is not currently a hiking option. Until NPS reopens access (which they have not committed to a timeline for), parties seeking the Observation Point viewpoint should use the East Mesa Trail from outside the main park entrance. This page exists primarily so visitors searching for the original trail find current status.
What the trail was
When open, Observation Point was one of Zion's headline strenuous day hikes. The route started at the Weeping Rock shuttle stop, climbed up Echo Canyon, switchbacked up the eastern canyon wall, and topped out on the high rim with a viewpoint looking down over Angels Landing and the entire main canyon. The lower paved section, the East Rim Trail junction, the dramatic Echo Canyon section, and the upper rim traverse together made it one of the most rewarding canyon hikes in any U.S. national park. Many visitors considered it a better experience than Angels Landing — comparable elevation gain, similar effort, no chains, less crowded.
What replaced it
The East Mesa Trail from the Ponderosa Hills area off UT-9 reaches the same Observation Point viewpoint via a much easier route — 7 miles round trip, only 700 feet of elevation gain, with the trade-off being that you have to drive to a separate trailhead outside the main park entrance. For parties wanting the view, the East Mesa Trail is the current legal route.
Why the closure persists
The 2019 rockfall was extensive. NPS engineers assessed the slope above Weeping Rock as unstable for long-term reopening; subsequent monitoring has not changed that assessment. The closure includes Hidden Canyon (which branched off the same approach), the Weeping Rock shuttle stop and trail, and the lower East Rim Trail. Reopening would require either substantial slope-stabilization engineering or a rerouted approach that bypasses the unstable section. NPS has not committed to either.
Where it fits
The original Observation Point is the Zion trail repeat visitors most often ask about — the one they remember from before the closure. Until that changes, it's on the list of "trails Zion used to have." For current visitors, the East Mesa Trail is the working alternative. For visitors planning trips, knowing about the closure prevents the disappointment of arriving at a closed trailhead.