By Stacy
Classic western singletrack in the high backcountry of Zion National Park. A September afternoon. That’ll do.
En Route
It has to be at least 95°. But that’s in St. George. Climb to 7,000 feet or so and 15° will be scrubbed off the thermometer, 20° in the shade. I have the afternoon free and gear behind the seat of my truck, so I head toward Zion for a couple of solitary hours on the Wildcat Canyon Trail. For the first 20 minutes of the drive, it’s nothing but strip malls and light industrial parks against the backdrop of mesas and the Zion peaks. Then I leave La Verkin and the ugly-to-beauty ratio improves.
Instead of following the RVs to Springdale, I turn north when I get to Kolob Reservoir Road at the east end of Virgin. I’ve gained almost 1,000 feet of elevation already, but the desert is still sizzling hot. After a few miles, the road turns up in earnest. I’m driving roughly along the western boundary of the park now. The views are big and the vegetation changes by the minute, from cactus to pj to ponderosa. 20 minutes and 3,500 vertical feet after leaving Virgin, I pull into the Wildcat trailhead. There are 6-8 cars in the lot, but I probably won’t see anybody (the trailhead also serves as the launching pad for canyon junkies hiking the popular Subway).
On the Trail
To run the Wildcat Canyon Trail is to experience a very different side of Zion National Park from the classic canyon trips through the Narrows or Subway. Wildcat isn’t about slickrock walls rising hundreds of feet above the canyon floor. Rather, Wildcat’s appeal is the subtle pleasure of classic western singletrack akin to Flagstaff or Durango. I like to think of it as the thinking runner’s Zion.
Wildcat is one of a series of trail links that can be combined as a 50-mile “Zion Traverse.” Each link has its own (terrific) personality and breaks into nice-size chunks of either out-and-back or shuttle-assisted runs of about 10-25 miles. As far as I can tell, the number of ultra runners to do the full traverse is so far relatively small, an oversight that will no doubt be corrected in time. (Go here for a fine account of the whole enchilada, as run by Jared Campbell and Karl Meltzer.)
On the menu today is the Wildcat proper: roughly 11.5 miles out and back from the trailhead to the intersection with the West Rim Trail. This stretch has plenty of shade and interesting terrain. “Just enough” climbing and technical challenge, and occasional exposure to gorgeous views of the canyon country below. As I gear up and head out, I notice the temp is now merely warm and there’s still not a cloud in the sky. Perfect.
Calling it the Wildcat Canyon Trail is somewhat misleading, since the trail doesn’t follow the bottom of a canyon at all. Rather, it meanders up and down through groves of ponderosa and across grassy meadows before it finds a bench above Wildcat Canyon, which it follows until it wraps around to the other side of the drainage and connects with the West Rim Trail.
Each time I am ready for a change of scenery or grade, the trail accommodates. As predicted, I see just one man and his small daughter in the couple of hours I’m on the trail. I climb the last rise and cruise in to the trailhead, tired and happy. I catch myself grinning even though no one is around.
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Where is it in the World?
The Wildcat Canyon Trail is located in the high-elevation backcountry of Zion National Park known as the Kolob Terrace. The trailhead is off Kolob Reservoir Road 15.8 miles north of Virgin, Utah. Bonus: no park entrance fee or trail permit required (for day use). The most reliable accommodations and pre- and post-run amenities can be found either in the Sedona-lite town of Springdale, at the mouth of Zion Canyon, or in St. George. The options in Springdale shrink considerably during the winter offseason. Go here to scout other Zion adventures.
What to Expect
100% singletrack. Rocky and (relatively short) sandy sections. Moderate grade changes. 1,700 feet total ascent, 1,700 descent. Thanks to abundant shade and high elevation, the trail stays reasonably cool during the summer compared with the desert below. However, some of the trail is exposed and temps can still get quite high. Sunshine on the Wildcat Canyon Trail is ample and atmosphere is not, so beware of sunburn. An early start is recommended during summer months. Spring and fall are ideal. Snowshoes are necessary during much of the winter. (At times during the winter, Kolob Reservoir Road may be closed three miles short of the Wildcat Traihead. At such times, access to the trail is by way of the Hop Valley/Wildcat Canyon Connector Trail.)
Degree of Difficulty: Intermediate
Interactive Map
Playlist To/From Trailhead
The Apples in Stereo (New Magnetic Wonder)
Menomena (Friend and Foe)
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