About this place
Canaan Mountain Wilderness runs to about 44,500 acres of public land in Washington County, next to the southeast boundary of Zion National Park.
It is a block of Navajo Sandstone, 8 by 10 miles, walled by cliffs 2,000 feet high. Wind and water have cut it into soaring cliff walls, natural arches and slot canyons.
On the highest plateaus, stands of ponderosa pine sit in cream-colored slickrock.
Pinyon pine, Utah juniper, scrub oak and sagebrush cover the slopes lower down.
Seeps in the canyon walls feed hanging gardens of maidenhair fern, monkeyflower and columbine.
Hawks, falcons and golden eagles nest along the sandstone walls. Ringtailed cats, deer, cougar and black bear live on the plateaus and in the canyon bottoms.
There is walking here, horse riding, canyoneering and camping, and several routes on the southern end climb to the higher ground through steep canyons.
The Sawmill trail follows a historic logging route and crosses a large part of the wilderness.
Only one route runs in from the north. It reaches Eagle Crags at about 5,200 feet.
The routes are primitive. They are not signed, and they are not maintained on any regular basis.
The facts
- Cost
- Camping fee not confirmed
- Type
- Open area. Camp anywhere within it
- Managed by
- Bureau of Land Management
Getting there
From Interstate 15, take Exit 16 for State Hwy 9, signed for Hurricane and Zion National Park. Keep right at the fork and join State Hwy 9, also called State St. In downtown Hurricane, turn right on Main St, then left on E 100 S. That is Highway 59. Drive 24 miles on Highway 59 to Hildale. Turn left on Utah Ave. Stay on Utah Ave as it curves left and becomes Canyon St. Turn right on Water Canyon Rd and follow it to the trailhead at the end.
Coordinates 37.01513361, -112.9812556
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What is near here
A few more of our own spots are within reach of this one, along with some better-known places.
- Cottonwood Point Wilderness Directions
- Pipe Spring National Monument Directions
- Zion Canyon Directions
- Zion National Park Directions
- Spring Creek Canyon Wilderness Study Area Directions
Every distance on this page is the driving distance. A short distance can still take a long time. The road may be closed for the season, covered in snow, or washed out. Many of these roads are dirt. Plan your route before you leave home. Out here there is often no phone signal to look it up on the way.
Nearest town and supplies
- Hildale, UT Directions
Hildale is big enough that you’d normally expect fuel and somewhere to buy food. Nobody from here has been to check, so don’t count on it if you’re running low.
Have you been here?
Fees and access change, and the records do not always keep up. If you have been, tell us what you found.
Thank you, that is recorded. It helps the next person.
Add road notes for this site
The thing we cannot get from any government record is what the drive in is actually like. If you have done it, this is the most useful thing you can leave behind. We read everything before it appears, and we print a first name with it if you give one.
Thank you. A person will read it before it goes on the page.
Where this information comes from
The description on this page is ours. The facts in it, and the fee and facility details below it, come from the Bureau of Land Management’s own records, read in August 2026.