With its towering pink walls, majestic monoliths, raging rivers, and a world-famous slot canyon, Zion National Park provides some of the most beautiful views found anywhere in the American Southwest. Though a relatively small national park by area, Zion is the third most visited park in the US and is a paradise for adventurers, hikers, and photographers. People come from around the world to hike and photograph the Subway, Watchman, Narrows, Archangel Falls, and the awe-inspiring Angels Landing.

Of all the many wonderful scenes in Zion, one of my favorites is witnessing the first sunlight illuminating the West Temple, Sundial, Alter of Sacrifice and the Sentinel along the East facing canyon walls. This incredible red glow is magical and a great way to start a new day. There are several locations to witness and photograph this amazing sunrise. But, unfortunately, you can only choose one per day.

The shot above was taken from a location off the beaten path and provides a spectacular view and perspective of the Sentinel.

Image by Darron Franta

Trail Difficulty - MODERATE

Depending on where you park, I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult) - as you will either have to scramble slightly uphill or downhill to find a clearing to photograph from.

GPS Coordinates & Elevation

37°12'47.9"N 112°57'42.2"W

4,736 ft Elevation

Photography Tips

Try to be at the location several minutes before sunrise, as it may take some time to hike to and find your composition. Then, wait for the sunrise to illuminate the wonderful scene in front of you. Be patient; the light will constantly change and may be better with a little extra time. The image above was taken approximately 45 minutes after the official stated sunrise. Keep in mind there are mountains and peaks to your East, so the light will take time to fully illuminate the Sentinel.

Your shot is facing west - so depending on the time of year, the SUNRISE will come directly behind you (spring and fall), from the right in summer or left in winter.

Directions

CLICK HERE to get driving directions to Sentinel Sunrise.

From Springdale - you will head up the switchbacks toward the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, but you will stop well before reaching the top. You are not necessarily looking for an exact spot but simply a good opening to photograph the Sentinel.

Once going through the Zion NP south entrance, continue on UT9 (up the switchbacks) and look for a small pullout at approximately 4.0 miles. You can park here and walk until you find a clearing for the photograph.

If this pullout is full, you can continue up the switchbacks for another 400 yards and see several other very small areas to park (these pullouts are large enough for two, maybe three, vehicles each). There are a couple of other pullouts as you drive up the switchbacks, but these require some downhill scrambling to find a clearing. The image above was taken from the last pullout marked on this map and was taken when the natural vegetation was much different than it is at the time of this posting. Again, you are not necessarily looking for this exact spot but instead, an opening that will allow you to photograph the Sentinel.

Google Earth

EXIF Data

Focal Length – 16 mm
Exposure – 1/8th sec @ f 10.0
ISO – 125
Date – Aug 31st
Time – 7:47 am

Best Time of Day to Shoot

You can shoot this location at different times during the day. However, it is west facing so the best time of the day for this location is at SUNRISE.

Best Time of Year

This location is good anytime of year.

The image above was taken on AUGUST 31st.

Optional Locations

You can take similar images of the West Temple and Sundial at sunrise from other locations: 1) the Canyon Overlook and 2) behind the Human History Museum. Both of these locations have nice views but have different perspectives. The location of the main image above (Sentinel Sunrise) is roughly 4,700 ft.

The view from the Canyon Overlook (5,200 ft.) is wider and is framed on both sides by other rock formations (see below). Standing behind the Human History Museum (4,100 ft) provides a much closer view of the formations and looks more upward (see below).

You can scout each location the day before to decide which composition is best for you.

Lens(es) Needed

The main image above was taken @ 16mm.

Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro

Permits

Once you have paid for the admission into Zion National Park, there are no permits required.

Direction of the Shot

The direction of the shot is west @ around 270°.

Equipment Needed

A sturdy tripod would be helpful because you might benefit from bracketing and compositing this shot.

Number of Other Photographers to Expect

This location at sunrise is unique and will likely have no other photographers in the area. Parking in the pullouts should not be an issue as most other photographers that are shooting sunrise will be below you at the Human History Museum or above you at Canyon Overlook. However, Zion NP is a very popular park for photographers and it is only becoming increasingly more so. I suggest arriving early as it will take you some time to find the angle you prefer and a view that is unobstructed by vegetation, especially if you if have not scouted the area beforehand.

Weather

Current Weather

Zion is known for a wide range of weather conditions. In the summer, temperatures can exceed 100° and dip below freezing in the winter. Temperatures vary with changes in elevation and day/night temperatures may differ by up to 40°.

Cell Service

I use Verizon, and the cell service is spotty at this location.

Lodging & Camping

Springdale is a GREAT little town at the south entrance to Zion National Park. It has an abundance of nice lodging and camping options.

There are two NPS campgrounds inside Zion (just north of Springdale): the South Campground and the Watchman Campground. The South Campgrounds have 117 campsites on a first-come basis. The Watchman Campground has 175 campsites and can be reserved up to six months prior to your arrival date online at www.recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Reservations are strongly suggested. The campground is usually full every night during the busy season.

Nearby camping and lodging

Camping - click on the campground below for directions

South campground – just inside the park Springfield
Watchman campground – just inside the park Springfield
Zion River Resort – 20 miles in Virgin

Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review

Desert Pearl Inn
(435) 772-8888
707 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy, Springdale, UT

Cable Mountain Lodge
(435) 772-3366
147 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy, Springdale, UT

Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale
(435) 627-9191
1127 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy, Springdale, UT

Nearby Restaurants

Springdale has many excellent restaurants and brewpubs. I have my favorites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast, I split time between Oscar's Café and Meme's Café. For lunch, Oscar's Café and Cafe Soleil are always good. For dinner, the Spotted Dog Café and King’s Landing Bistro are good choices. Again, there is no shortage of good dining in Springdale.

Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for yelp review

The Spotted Dog
(435) 772-0700
428 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy, Springdale, UT

Oscar's Cafe
(435) 772-3232
948 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy, Springdale, UT

Cafe Soleil
(435) 772-0505
205 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy, Hurricane, UT

Area Guides and Workshops

If you are looking for a photography guide for a trip in Zion – I would recommend Enlighten Photography Excursions. Seth Hamel is based out of Springdale/Zion and knows the park and canyons very well. He is a super nice guy and an excellent guide/instructor.

Enlighten Photography Excursions
www.zion-photography.com
(801) 828-5899

info@zion-photography.com

Other Resources

Visit Joe Braun’s website - he is a great resource for all things Zion NP.

Here are other great reference sites - Zion Canyon.com and Springdale, UT