The Archaeology Trail is a short, easy hike near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. It rises to a lovely viewpoint that was occupied by Ancestral Puebloans (aka Anasazi) between AD 700 and 950. Today you can still see the foundations of the buildings they constructed.
Archeology Trail Facts
Rating: Easy
Hiking Time: 30 minutes
Distance: 0.4 miles, round-trip
Elevation Change: 80 feet
Archeology Trailhead
The Archaeology Trail starts near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, just north of The Watchman Campground.
Archeology Trail Description
The Archeology Trail rises to the top of a small hill that was occupied by Ancestral Puebloans between AD 700 and 950. Perched high above the flood level of the Virgin River, the site may have been used to store and prepare food. Archaeologists have discovered over 1,600 artifacts here, including stone tools and ceramics now on display at the Zion Human History Museum.
After archaeologists excavated the site, they filled it in for protection. Today just a few stone foundations remain. Although some people find the “ruins” underwhelming, it’s fun to visit at sunset, gaze across the canyon, and imagine what human life was like here over 1,000 years ago.
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