Weeping Rock - Zion National Park

Visiting Weeping Rock in Zion requires one of the park's shortest hikes (1/2 mile round trip), making it extremely popular with casual, half-day park visitors.  Unfortunately, what the hike lacks in length, it makes up for in elevation gain (nearly 100 feet).

I had just completed the exhausting 8 mile hike to Observation Point, which I chronicled on the previous page.  After a few minutes in the creek at the trailhead, my feet had recovered slightly, and for some reason, I decided to hike up to see Weeping Rock, even though I had been there before, and I doubted very seriously that it had changed.

The short trail to Weeping Rock ends at a rock overhang (not quite a cave, just a sheltered area eroded from the side of the cliff).  Just above the overhang, ground water that has spent thousands of years trickling down through the sandstone hits a more solid layer of rock.  Since it can't seep through, it's pushed horizontally, and seeps out the side of the mountain.  That ancient water trickles over the edge, creating a curtain of droplets. 

Walk through the waterfall, up the stairs, and into the protective shelter of the overhang.

As the water falls, it provides moisture to plant life, creating a hanging garden.

It also forms some interesting stripes on the canyon wall.

Weeping Rock is a great place to relax for a few minutes, since it's naturally shaded and air-conditioned by the falling water. 

For the second day in a row, I was ready to stop walking and start driving.  So, I caught the shuttle back into Springdale for lunch, then drove back into the park, to see Zion's east side.