The Sand Bench Trail is a 3.5 mile loop near the entrance to Zion Canyon. Thousands of years ago a portion of The Sentinel collapsed in a massive landslide. You’ll be walking on what remains of this landslide and get some great views on this hike.
The Sand Bench trail begins at the Court of the Patriarchs, the fourth stop of the Zion Canyon shuttle. From here cross the main road and take the bridge that crosses the Virgin River. The trail offers a great view of the Court of the Patriarchs before climbing the north slope of The Bench.
The trail gains about 500 feet in elevation, and once on top of the Sand Bench, you will come to a fork. The right fork (western) offers awesome views of the ancient landslide. The left fork (eastern) offers great views of the impressive views of the canyon below.
Some things to keep in mind with the Sand Bench Trail trail. First, as the name implies, the trail is very sandy. This can make for difficult hiking. Second, the exposure of this trail can make for a hot hike during the summer months. Finally, between March and October this is also a horse trail so you will need to watch your step and avoid piles of poo.
The Sand Bench Trail is a great trail to take to get away from the crowds. It also gives you a unique perspective of some of the scenery that Zion National Park has to offer.
Sand Bench Trail Trailhead
Court of the Patriarchs trailhead, fourth stop of the Zion Canyon shuttle.
