Scoggins Wash

Description: The Scoggins Wash Trail takes you up Scoggins Wash through the Desert.

Distance: 5.3 Miles One-Way

Difficulty:Moderate

Highest Elevation: 4,600 Feet Above Sea Level

Jurisdiction: Zion National Park

   The trailhead for the Scoggins Wash trail is located between Virgin and Rockville Ut. on Utah Highway 9 at Coalpits Wash. From the main Zion Visitor Center, simply drive west on Utah Highway 9 7.3 miles and turn right onto a dirt pullout with a sign for Coalpits Wash..

   This trail will take you through the painted desert of Zion’s Desert Lowlands. You will hike up Coalpits Wash until you reach its confluence with Scoggins Wash and follows Scoggins Wash uphill. This hike ends at a point in the Scoggins Wash where boulders block the way and the walls of the wash on either side are steep and have loose footing. Along this trail, you will have good views of Zion’s less frequently traveled painted desert, as well as views of Mount Kinesava, The Towers of the Virgin, Cougar Mountain, The Altar of Sacrifice, The Sundial and The West Temple. Like all of the trails in Zion National Park’s Desert Lowlands, the Scoggins Wash hike is best done in cooler weather- not in the middle of the summer, as it gets extremely hot and there is no water on the trail. It is also best not to hike the Desert Lowland trails when it is muddy from a recent heavy rain or snowfall as the mud in these areas is extremely heavy and makes each step difficult.