Forget The Narrows — Visit Zion National Park's Less-Crowded Hiking Trail With Abandoned Cabins And Scenic Canyons

The canyon-carved landscape of Utah's Zion National Park brings in over 5 million visitors each year. Needless to say, its trails can get crowded, especially the more famous hikes like The Narrows. But there are spots within the national park where you can get away from the masses and have some gorgeous views to yourself. The Taylor Creek Trail is one of those spots, and it's a good alternative to The Narrows, as it descends into a narrow box canyon analogous to the latter's canyon squeezes. Along the route, you also get views of some unique geological formations and historic abandoned cabins.

Taylor Creek, the namesake waterway of the Taylor Creek Trail, winds through the northwest corner of Zion National Park. It's about 45 minutes away by car from Zion Canyon, where the park's most famous landmarks, like the Great White Throne, are. Since the Taylor Creek Trail is away from the biggest-name sights and the main visitor center, it might be skipped on shorter itineraries and bypass the larger crowds. One Google Reviewer described it as: "A great family friendly hike away from the crowds[...] Very peaceful along a creek the whole time." Though you won't see the headliners of Zion Canyon, Taylor Creek Trail is a good option for hikers seeking solitude, with its own views of Kolob Canyon to boast.

The Taylor Creek Trail is just over 5 miles out-and-back, per the National Park Service, which makes it a little over half the distance of The Narrows. Like The Narrows, the trail involves stepping through water, so bring shoes you don't mind getting wet. "There are so many creek crossings that I lost count, and my feet got soaked," wrote hiking blogger The Detour Effect. The creek is hugged by the magnificent red rock walls of Kolob Canyon. The canyon is rife with wildlife you might spot — lizards, hawks, and jack rabbits flit about the canyon during the day.

After following the creek for a while, coming to the trail's North Fork, you'll reach the first of two historic cabins, the Larson Homestead. According to Intermountain Histories, it was built in 1931 by Gustive Larson, before the Kolob Canyon area was incorporated into Zion National Park. During a trip to Sweden, the area was annexed into the park, and Larson had to abandon his homestead. Further along the trail, you'll reach the Fife Cabin, which was built around the same time as the Larson Cabin and was also abandoned when its owner moved to a Navajo Reservation. You won't be able to enter either cabin, unfortunately, but they're still intact to see from the outside.

Finally, after passing both cabins, the Taylor Creek Trail culminates at the Double Arch Alcove. The alcove is a scenic sandstone formation with a chamber recessed into the canyon wall. It makes for a great photo-op before you turn around to make the return journey. In the winter — the underrated, less crowded time to visit Zion National Park — water can freeze along the alcove's interior, creating a shimmering, icy glaze.

Though shorter than The Narrows, the Taylor Creek Trail still has some difficult passages that might not be suitable for a leisurely hike. It involves some staircase climbs, as well as the creek crossings. Note that if you're downloading the trail from AllTrails, it's listed as the "Double Arch via Middle Fork Taylor Creek Trail."

The trailhead of Taylor Creek Trail is at Zion's uncrowded, "other" entrance at Kolob Canyon. Unlike the Zion Canyon entrance, there's no free shuttle bus that goes to Kolob Canyon. Instead, you'll need to have your own car and park at the lot that's about a five-minute drive east of the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center. As with the rest of Zion National Park, you'll need to pay the standard entry fee. Among the different closest airports to Zion National Park, it's the Cedar City Regional Airport that gets you nearest to the Kolob Canyon entrance, about a 20-minute drive away. The airport serves flights from around the Southwest, so if you're looking for a longer-distance direct flight, you might want to fly into the Harry Reid International Airport. Then, drive around 2.5 hours to reach the park.