The Eagle Crags can be seen for miles when you are driving towards Zion National Park along highway SR9 from Hurricane, Utah. This is a beautiful promontory of jagged rock pinnacles south of Rockville, Utah. From the Crags you have a wonderful view into Zion National Park and the surrounding area.
Access to the Eagle Crags trail is from the end of a 1.9 mile dirt road south of Rockville. The trail is 6 miles return and a little over 1100 feet in elevation gain.
Trail Rating
Overall rating = moderate
Distance: 6 miles total – moderate
Elevation gain: ~1100 feet – difficult
Terrain: Hard packed narrow dirt trail with some rocks – easy
Exposure: The switchback portion of the trail has some minor exposure – moderate
This is a plot of elevation versus distance. You can see that the trail descends about 100 feet before starting the ascent.
To see the trail rating system used here see Trail Rating System
Getting There
Take SR9 to Rockville, Utah. Travel south across the Grafton Bridge on Bridge Road. The dirt road to the trail starts where the paved road turns sharply to the right. Go straight ahead on the dirt road. This road travels steeply up the side of the cliff to an upper flatter area. Travel straight ahead to the parking lot at a total distance of 1.9 miles from SR9.
Mountain Road to Eagle Crags Trailhead
Road Condition
This road is impassible under wet conditions even with a 4 wheel drive vehicle and should not be attempted under those conditions. The road surface is very slick on the steep section with a danger of sliding over the edge when wet.
The Trail
The Eagle Crags trail travels along a narrow hard packed dirt path winding through a forest of juniper trees and desert vegetation. The first 2.2 miles of the trail is a gentle ascent. The last mile of the trail ascends a series of switchbacks and is much steeper although well worth the effort to reach the magnificent views above.
It is possible to scramble up the steep slope to the crags but this would add several hours to the hike. It is a little over 1/2 mile up the slope with an elevation increase of about 800 feet.
Eagle Crags Trail
Eagle Crags Trail Summit
Here are some pictures of the road to the Eagle Crags trail.
Here are some pictures along the Eagle Crags trail.
Here are some pictures from the trail summit.
