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Sand Bench Trail - Zion - 3 members in 4 triplogs have rated this an average 2.3 ( 1 to 5 best )
4 triplogs
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Jun 05 2025
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 Guides 41
 Routes 1,626
 Photos 14,983
 Triplogs 2,762

69 male
 Joined Jan 20 2009
 Far NE Phoenix,
Zion Day 2, UT 
Zion Day 2, UT
 
Hiking avatar Jun 05 2025
The_EagleTriplogs 2,762
Hiking10.80 Miles 1,908 AEG
Hiking10.80 Miles   5 Hrs   39 Mns   2.04 mph
1,908 ft AEG      21 Mns Break12 LBS Pack
 
1st trip
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Ladyeagle
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Riverside Walk 2 Miles - 75' AEG
This is actually a very scenic walk on a paved trail that leads to The Narrows. Don’t expect solitude—unless you’re on the first bus to Stop 9. Accessible to all ages and experience levels. Worth checking out when in the park, even if you don’t plan on doing The Narrows.

Zion Narrows 1 Mile 20' AEG
We brought our own water shoes and changed into them at the end of the Riverside Walk. Most people rented water socks, shoes, and wooden hiking sticks. Bring trekking poles if you have them. The water was typically calf-deep, but you couldn’t see what was below the murky surface. We only went in about half a mile, until we saw people going “nips deep” in the water—that was enough of a sample for us. Very pretty, albeit slow going. As with most of the park, don’t expect solitude.

Emerald Pools – Zion 3.48 Miles - 418' AEG
My favorite of the day. We hit the Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools. We had planned to hike from Stop 6, past the pools, to Stop 5 at the Zion Lodge, but the bridge across the river wasn’t scheduled to open for another week, so we did an out-and-back instead. In retrospect, a good hike would have been from Stop 6 to Stop 4
Upper Emerald Pool ==> [ youtube video ]

Sand Bench Trail – Zion 4.26 Miles 801 AEG
I did this as a filler hike on the way back. The namesake sand gets annoying after a while, and since the trail is also used for horseback rentals, the sand is chewed up and littered with horse apples and runoff. Go counter-clockwise if you're doing the loop, or clockwise if you're just planning an out-and-back.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Behunin Canyon Light flow Light flow

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Emerald Pools 26-50% full 26-50% full
Lower and middle pools were not impressive. Upper pool was much larger.
_____________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry 🦅
 
May 04 2025
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 Guides 16
 Routes 81
 Photos 1,269
 Triplogs 1,145

51 male
 Joined Apr 30 2008
 Tucson, AZ
Sand Bench Trail - ZionSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar May 04 2025
azdesertfatherTriplogs 1,145
Hiking0.32 Miles 23 AEG
Hiking0.32 Miles      10 Mns   2.40 mph
23 ft AEG      2 Mns Break
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Hiked from tram stop 4 to the bridge and back only; short on time so couldn’t finish.
_____________________
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." — Henry David Thoreau
 
May 23 2009
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 Guides 107
 Routes 249
 Photos 2,067
 Triplogs 514

male
 Joined Nov 18 2005
 Phoenix, AZ
Sand Bench Trail - ZionSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar May 23 2009
nonotTriplogs 514
Hiking4.00 Miles 200 AEG
Hiking4.00 Miles   1 Hour   55 Mns   2.09 mph
200 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I walked along the river from the grotto trailhead, took the Sand Beach trail, then walked the road along the river to the Parus Trail.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light
_____________________
http://hikearizona.com/garmin_maps.php

Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, ankle-twisting, HAZmaster crushing ROCKS!!
Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, shin-stabbing, skin-shredding plants!
Hike Arizona it is full of striking, biting, stabbing, venomous wildlife!
  2 archives
Jul 27 2007
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 Guides 3
 Routes 4
 Photos 8,687
 Triplogs 931

46 male
 Joined Mar 28 2005
 Gilbert, AZ
Emerald Pools - ZionSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Jul 27 2007
VapormanTriplogs 931
Hiking2.50 Miles
Hiking2.50 Miles
 no routesno photosets
Linked   linked  
Partners none no partners
_____________________
Yea, canyoneering is an extreme sport... EXTREMELY dramatic!!! =p
  1 archive
average hiking speed 2.17 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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