Checkerboard Mesa Canyon Trail

Route Description for Checkerboard Mesa Canyon Trail

The Checkerboard Mesa Canyon hike is a challenging out-and-back route featuring one of Zion National Park’s most photogenic landmarks: the Checkerboard Mesa. This trail is not often maintained, and hikers must clamber over boulders, sustain sandy ascents, and manage their resources wisely. Cairns will mark your path, but we strongly recommend downloading a GPS map beforehand as the trail itself can be confusing. If you are looking for a straightforward, well-trampled trail, this isn’t it; if you are looking for solitude and stunning scenery in the desert, The Checkerboard Canyon Mesa trail is the one for you.

Park at the Checkerboard Mesa viewpoint parking lot or in one of the smaller nearby lots along route 9.

Locate the mouth of the drainage just west of the Checkerboard Mesa and east of the neighboring Crazy-Quilt Mesa. Follow cairns built by your fellow travellers to the East Fork of the Virgin River, where you can enjoy a break and the breathtaking views before turning back.

This trail has little-to-no shade, so bring more water than you think you need, and lather on the sunscreen before tying on your hiking boots.