Kolob Canyons, Canyon system in Washington and Iron Counties, United States.
Kolob Canyons is a canyon system in the northwestern section of Zion National Park, sitting on the western edge of the Colorado Plateau in Utah. The canyons cut through red Navajo sandstone and form a series of parallel box-shaped gorges with near-vertical walls rising to great heights.
The area was first set aside as Zion National Monument in 1937 and then folded into Zion National Park in 1956. That change expanded the park considerably and brought the canyon system under the same protection as the rest of the park.
The name "Kolob" comes from Mormon theology, where it refers to the star nearest to God. Visitors walking the trails can spot ancient rock markings left by people who knew this land long before any road was built here.
The entrance is off Interstate 15 at exit 40, separate from the main Zion National Park entrance, so visitors should not expect to drive directly between the two sections without returning to the highway. A short road leads through the area and connects the trailheads and viewpoints.
The Taylor Creek Trail leads to a double arch alcove carved into the rock wall, a formation that many visitors walk past without looking up at the right moment to notice it. This section of the park tends to draw far fewer people than the main canyon corridor, which makes the red walls feel more immediate and close.
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