The Middle Fork of Taylor Creek Double Arch Alcove
Description: A short hiking trail that takes you to Double Arch Alcove.
Distance: 2.5 Miles One Way
Difficulty: Easy
Highest Elevation: 5,950 Feet Above Sea Level
Jurisdiction: Zion National Park
The trailhead for The Middle Fork of Taylor Creek is located 2 miles up Kolob Canyons Rd. The trailhead is on the left side of the road with a sign for the trailhead.
The trail will begin in the juniper-pinyon woodland and will immediately drop down into the creek by means of steps that are made of logs.
Distance: 2.5 Miles One Way
Difficulty: Easy
Highest Elevation: 5,950 Feet Above Sea Level
Jurisdiction: Zion National Park
The trailhead for The Middle Fork of Taylor Creek is located 2 miles up Kolob Canyons Rd. The trailhead is on the left side of the road with a sign for the trailhead.
The trail will begin in the juniper-pinyon woodland and will immediately drop down into the creek by means of steps that are made of logs.
Once you have descended this staircase, you will head upstream towards the canyon mouth, which will become more prominent as you approach it.
For the entire hike, you will either be following the stream within twenty or you will be crossing the stream. Although you will cross over Taylor Creek many times, there are enough rocks to step on that you need not get wet beyond an inch or so of your boots. In winter, the latter half of this trail can be extremely ice, making it well worth it to use cleets or some other kind of traction on your hiking boots. At some times, it may even be impossible to climb up parts of the trail without such added traction.
After hiking about a mile, the trail will reach a point where two streams converge. These are the North and Middle Forks of Taylor Creek. At this point, there is a cabin that was built in the 1930’s by a man named Gustav Larson, who raised pigs in Kolob Canyon during the summers.
After you pass the old Larson cabin, you will cross the North Fork stream and go uphill into the canyon area that lies between Tucupit and Paria points.
The Canyon Mouth between Tucupit Point and Paria Point
Tucupit Point at the Canyon Mouth
Paria Point at the Canyon Mouth
Once you have gone in the canyon a short ways, you will find another old log cabin that was built in the 1930’s by a man named Arthur Fife, who was a teacher at what was once Southern Utah State College; but is now Southern Utah University (SUU.)
The Fife Cabin on the Taylor Creek Trail in Kolob Canyon
After the trail passes this second old cabin, it will continue about another mile further, ending at Double Arch Alcove, which is a beautiful waterfall that drops down into a shady area. The alcove is created by the canyon walls, which are narrow enough at this point that very little sunlight ever finds its way down in.
Double Arch Alcove
