The Weeping Rock Trail is a fun, easy family-friendly hike in Zion National Park. With a chance to get wet and see beautiful wildflowers in one of Zion’s hanging gardens, this trail offers something for everyone in the family.
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The scenery along the Weeping Rock Trail is quite beautiful as it works its way up the side of a small valley with a river running below. The hike ends at the base of one of Zion’s towering cliffs, where water literally drips out of the rock, enabling plants and wildflowers to grow on the side of the cliff wall, creating Zion’s hanging gardens.
The trail continues through a small waterfall into a protected alcove under the cliff face. Your kids will have fun getting wet, while everyone will enjoy the views of the canyon and the vistas beyond.
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For more fun things to do, don’t miss our Guide to Zion National Park with Kids. We also have a post about visiting Utah with Kids, which covers all 5 Utah national parks!
Weeping Rock Trail Stats
How Long is the Weeping Rock Trail?
The round trip distance of this short hike is 0.4 miles / 0.6 km.
How Steep is the Weeping Rock Trail?
The Weeping Rock Trail hike has a steady, but moderate incline the entire way. The incline will be enough to get some people breathing a little hard, but the trail is so short, it won’t last for long. The elevation gain for this hike is 98 feet / 30 m.
How Hard is the Weeping Rock Trail?
This trail is uphill, but it’s really short, so we’d still label this as an easy hike in Zion National Park. Anyone in reasonable shape ought to be able to do it no problem. Our 3 & 5 year old kids easily did the entire hike themselves.
How Long does the Weeping Rock Trail Take?
This is one of the shortest hiking trails in Zion National Park, taking us around 35 minutes. In addition, we stopped at the top to play in the waterfall, look at the hanging gardens, and enjoy the views for about 10 minutes.
Weeping Rock Trail Location
How to Get There: To get a parking spot at the Zion National Park Visitor Center, you’ll need to arrive quite early in the day, especially during peak times. We got there at 8 a.m. on several days in April and the lot was nearly full each time.
If you aren’t an early riser, you can take a free shuttle bus from many spots in the town of Springdale to the park gates. There are plenty of paid parking spaces in Springdale, but these too fill up early during peak times.
Between spring and fall, there are no private cars allowed on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The park operates a free shuttle bus service instead, which takes you to the major spots within the park.
The Weeping Rock trailhead is located at Shuttle Stop 7. It’s approximately a 30-minute drive on the shuttle to the trailhead.
You can find the trailhead location for the Weeping Rock Trail on this AllTrails trail map.
Weeping Rock Highlights
The payoff of the Weeping Rock Trail is a rock alcove where the cliff walls “weep”, creating several small waterfalls. The water supports life for many plants and flowers clinging to the cliff wall, creating one of the famous Zion National Park hanging gardens.
The pathway takes you through one of these waterfalls, which will get you a little wet. The kids will love it, especially on a hot summer day! Once you go through the waterfall, there is a little overhang where you can look back and enjoy the views of the scenic valley you just hiked up, along with views of the greater Zion Canyon beyond.
The Weeping Rock creates a stream which can be seen below the hiking trail. This stream is a lifeline for many animals, so it is a good spot to keep an eye open for local wildlife, like deer. We weren’t lucky enough to see any large animals, but we did see several ducks and a hummingbird.
Watch for a set of stairs by the trailhead which takes you down to the riverbed.
Hiking Weeping Rock Trail with Kids
There are bathrooms at the trailhead, but there is no drinking water station to fill your hydration packs. Be sure to fill them before you leave your accommodation for the day or at the Visitor Center.
This short, family-friendly hike is paved all the way to the top. You can get by with normal shoes, but we wouldn’t recommend wearing flip-flops as the steepness of the trail may be too uncomfortable on the way back down.
This hike is shaded in the morning, making it a good option for families looking to escape the heat. If you are going later in the day, bring lots of water and sunscreen.
This trail is stroller accessible, although we didn’t see any on the day we were there. A backpack carrier was easily the most popular method we saw parents using to transport small kids in the park.
No dogs are allowed on the Weeping Rock Trail.
Keep your eyes open for wildlife, as the stream at the bottom of the valley can attract animals needing a drink on a hot Utah day.
We have an entire post full of all our best tips for hiking with kids and another with the best hiking gear for kids.
Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break
There are virtually no places to stop for an extended break along the Weeping Rock hiking trail, but once you get to the top, there are benches to sit at for a snack or lunch.
Interesting Information
Our kids attended a ranger talk as part of their required Ranger activities and we learned that the water seeping through the rocks is actually snowmelt from hundreds of years ago. Amazingly, it takes that long for the water to work its way down through the canyon rock.
Weeping Wall Safety Tips
The Weeping Rock Trail in Zion National Park officially reopened on September 5, 2025, following a nearly two-year closure due to a November 2023 rockfall. During the closure, improved safety measures were put into place.
The sun can get intense in southern Utah, so bring more water than you think you will need.
There are minor drop-offs, and the trail includes stairs. Keep kids close, especially on the steeper sections.
Zion National Park with Kids
After a long day of exploring Zion’s incredible trails, you’ll want a comfortable place to rest. Check out our guide to the best family-friendly Zion accommodations to find the perfect stay for your adventure!
If you love visiting national parks with your kids, don’t miss our list of the best family-friendly National Parks in the US.
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Celine Brewer is a dedicated family travel blogger with a profound passion for helping families create unforgettable adventures together. Her blog blends captivating travel narratives with practical tips for family-friendly destinations and enjoying active travel with kids. As a mother of two, she understands the unique challenges of traveling with children and offers valuable insights to empower parents.
When Celine isn't traveling with her husband and two kids, she's either working on one of her three travel sites (Family Can Travel, Baby Can Travel and Travel Banff Canada) or out enjoying the majestic Canadian Rockies her family calls home.