No Filter: Road to Kolob

FEATURE — In this episode of the “No Filter Show” co-hosts Paul Ford and Grady Sinclair test the old adage “life is a journey, not a destination” as they travel on the road to the Kolob Terrace section of Zion National Park and beyond to the Kolob Reservoir.

Along their journey, the boys find the jaw-dropping vistas and plethora of outdoor activities on the road to Kolob uplift their hearts and souls.

In his essay entitled “Experience,” writer Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote this of life’s journey:

To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.

Join the “No Filter Show” crew as they discover all the delights the road to Kolob has to offer. There may even be some frolicking in a field of gold.

Watch the video up top.

About the Kolob Terrace

The Kolob Terrace is located in the middle of Zion National Park land. It is sandwiched between the Kolob Canyons section of the park to the west and the main canyon of Zion National Park to the east. The Kolob Terrace Road is accessed from the town of Virgin located on state Route 9.

To get there, travelers coming from Hurricane will take a left hand turn off of SR-9 following signage marked for Kolob Reservoir and the Kolob Terrace Road. Visitors coming from the main section of Zion National Park via Springdale and Rockville will take a right hand turn off SR-9 following the same signage.

The road rises steadily, gaining almost 5,000 feet in elevation from Virgin (3,606 feet) to Kolob Reservoir (8,107 feet). Along the way travelers will see a dramatic landscape that shifts from desert sandstone and cacti to a mountain reservoir surrounded by pine and aspen trees. Temperatures can drop almost 20 degrees from Virgin to the reservoir, making a perfect summer destination.

Learn more: Kolob Canyons day; legends of Zion National Park’s most accessible section

In late September to early October, foliage along the Kolob Terrace Road goes wild with colors that practically scream for sightseers and shutterbugs to visit though temperatures near the reservoir can get quite chilly as the winter season approaches. Due to snow, the road is often closed from late fall until late spring.

The Kolob Terrace road passes through the jurisdiction of a variety of  land management entities including but not limited to the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Washington County Water Conservancy District (Kolob Reservoir).

There are a plethora of activities to do on the terrace including hiking, camping and fishing. Camping around the reservoir is free but is primitive with no running water. Enclosed vault toilets are available sporadically on the road around the reservoir. Campers should be mindful of fire safety and sanitation, bring their own water and watch for private property areas where camping is not allowed.

Additional camping is available at the Lava Point Campground near the West Rim Trailhead. This is primitive camping with pit toilets and trash cans but not water. There is no charge to camp at Lava Point Campground and all sites are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Some of Zion National Park’s most iconic trails such as The Subway and The West Rim Trail are accessed from the Kolob Terrace. Travelers should keep in mind that some trails require special permits from the National Park Service in order to hike on them.

Trailheads on Kolob Terrace include:

  • Right Fork Trailhead.
  • Grapevine Trailhead.
  • Left Fork Trailhead.
  • Hop Valley Trailhead.
  • Wildcat Canyon Trailhead (Russell Gulch, Subway Trailhead).
  • West Rim Trailhead.

A dirt road accessed from the Kolob Reservoir Road connects to state Route 14 on Cedar Mountain for adventurous day trippers and life’s journey takers alike.

“No Filter Show” Episode 145

Resources

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2 Comments

  • boo June 19, 2017 at 9:14 am

    Through out the video these guys decided to trespass by running thru private property. Kolob has different land owners, both public and private. Please respect the private land.

  • Sapphire June 20, 2017 at 8:48 am

    Gee, thanks for advertising a pristine area… just what we need, more masses being lured in to make dust, start fires, trample the wildflowers, and disturb horses, sheep and cattle on their summer ranges.

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