Zion Hiking - The Cross-Echo Observation Point, with Flowers!

Zion Park re-opened on a limited basis and I needed some exercise. Trail-hiking allowed, off trail not so much. Tim Hoover came up from Springdale which allowed us to do a 2-car route to Observation Point. The Cross-Echo version starts from the Stave Springs Trailhead, crosses Echo Canyon, hits O Pt, then exits via the East Mesa Trail. The simple East Mesa to OPt and back just seemed too little punishment for our sixty-year-old plus bodies…

I took along my “medium” camera to take pics of flowers (and perhaps scenery), and the results were medium. Not the best flower camera. Mostly I was trying to note which flowers were present (see below). In addition to that task, I also wanted to beta-out the variations to Observation Point, given the trail up from Weeping Rock is closed, and will likely be for a couple more years. See map below.

Your three ways to Observation Point are:

Simple/Easy: from the East Mesa Trailhead, hike out to Observation Point - a more or less flat trail through sparse Ponderosa Pine forest. Popular-ish. 6.6 miles round trip, call it 3-1/2 hours. About 400 feet of gain and loss each direction.
Cross-Echo; more of a REAL HIKE: from the Stave Spring Trailhead, cross Echo Canyon to O Point, then exit to the East Mesa Trailhead. Starts up high in a nice meadow and forest, then descend 1700 feet down a steep, well-maintained trail to Echo Canyon. A short hike down the open slickrock of Echo Canyon leads to the East Mesa Trail, and a 1600 foot climb up south-facing switchbacks to the rim, and shortly to Observation Point. Follow the East Mesa trail back to its trailhead through sparse Pondy forest. About 7.5 miles, about 200 feet of loss and gain. Requires a car spot. We were 10 am to 3:30 pm at a casual pace.
Trail-Runner’s Delight: East Mesa TH to Observation Point, to the East Entrance Trailhead - can’t say I have done this, but if I was still trail running it seems like a pretty good route. Get dropped off at the East Mesa TH. Run out to O Pt (3.3 miles). Run down into Echo Canyon, then up the steep trail on the other side to near to Stave Springs (3.6 miles, 1700 feet of loss, then gain); continue on the East Rim Trail through open woods to the East Rim TH near the East Entrance where you spotted a car - (5.9 miles, +700 ft, - 1350 ft). Total 12.8 miles.

Flowers were out in abundance. Here is a list of what we saw with my best guesses as to genus and species. The more I study the flowers of Zion, the more I appreciate the complexity - take my IDs with a grain of salt (and/or email me with comments/corrections ratagonia at gmail.com).

Desert Phlox (Phlox austromontana) - tons of this

Nutall’s Larkspur (Delphinium nutallianum) - also tons of this

Cliff Rose (Purshia stansburyana) - so fragrant, smell it before you see it

Desert Bitterbrush (Purshia glandulosa) - plenty of this too

Comandra (Comandra pallida) - inconspicuous but plentiful

Fragrant Sand Verbena (Abronia fragrans) - just a few of these

Silver Lupine (Lupine sericeus) - quite a few of these in open places

Western Wallflower (Erysimum capitatum) - very common flower in Zion, just a few on this hike

Uintah Groundsel (Senecio multilobatus) - common in Zion, just a few on this hike

Eaton Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) - just a few of these here and there

Royal Penstemon (Penstemon laevis) - just a few here and there

Rock Spirea (Petrophytum caespitosum) - a little shrub, on south-facing rock surfaces