Parks / Zion / East Entrance

Zion · Mt. Carmel Junction, UT (SR-9)

Zion East Entrance: this week

Open — gravel section, size limits Week of Nov 9–15, 2026

The East Entrance west of Mt. Carmel Junction starts the Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway: slickrock country, the Canyon Overlook Trail, and the historic tunnel down to Zion Canyon.

This week's conditions Risks here now Get GOES before you lose signal

When signal drops, GOES steps in.

Slickrock drop-offs, a cold, stormy weekend and a rebuilt road. Download GOES before Mt. Carmel Junction so its offline injury guidance is ready.

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Official conditions

This week at the East Entrance

From NPS pages and alerts fetched Nov 12, 2026. Each line links to its source.

Heads-upThe Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway reopened to visitors Oct 9 after a Sept 30 rockfall. One section is temporarily gravel until it's repaved, so drive with caution and watch for crews and pedestrians. NPS news
Heads-upLarge-vehicle restrictions: vehicles over the length, width, height or weight limits can't travel between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance and must go around through Springdale. NPS alert NPS
OpenPersonal vehicles are allowed on the Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway year-round, including during shuttle season. NPS

Entrance fee: Private vehicle $35. Non-US residents 16+ pay an additional $100 nonresident fee unless entering with an annual / America the Beautiful pass. Angels Landing requires a separate permit. NPS fees NPS API NPS

Weather

Forecast near the East Entrance

Snapshot from the National Weather Service, fetched Nov 12, 2026. Live forecast loads below if you're online.Full NWS forecast

Period	Temp	Forecast	Wind
Tonight	37°F	Clear	12 mph
Thursday	61°F	Sunny	6 to 12 mph
Thursday Night	38°F	Partly Cloudy	12 mph
Friday	56°F	Partly Sunny then Chance Light Rain	3 to 10 mph
Friday Night	39°F	Light Rain then Showers And Thunderstorms	3 to 14 mph
Saturday	45°F	Showers And Thunderstorms	5 to 15 mph
Saturday Night	28°F	Mostly Clear	5 mph
Sunday	50°F	Mostly Sunny	0 to 6 mph

Know the risks

What actually matters here in mid-November

The goal is a good trip, not a scary one. These are the hazards NPS highlights for this area and season, and what to do about each.

Slickrock edges

Canyon Overlook and the slickrock pullouts have drop-offs. Sand on stone is slippery: stay back from edges and watch kids. NPS

In GOESOffline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

Colder, higher side of the park

NWS forecast near the East Entrance: lows in the upper 30s, highs around 56–61°F, then rain and thunderstorms Friday night into Saturday. NWS

In GOESEnvironmental Health: hypothermia and frostbite assessments

Lightning and flash floods

Storms are in the forecast. NPS warns flash floods can occur at any time in Zion; avoid washes and narrow canyons when storms are around. NPS NWS

In GOES125+ extreme weather alerts

Before you go in

Checklist for the East Entrance

Check your vehicle sizeOversize vehicles must go around through Springdale.
Allow time for the gravel sectionA temporary surface after the rockfall.
Download GOES before Mt. Carmel JunctionPlan for thin coverage on the east side.

Follow official NPS rules, posted closures and ranger instructions. They override anything on this page.

Park-wide

Zion risks everywhere in the park

Flash floods

Flash floods can happen at any time in Zion, carrying trees and boulders. The Narrows closes when flow exceeds 150 cfs or when NWS issues a Flash Flood Warning. Rain and thunderstorms are forecast Friday night into Saturday this week. NPS NPS NWS

In GOES125+ extreme weather alerts

Toxic cyanobacteria

Don't drink water from rivers, streams or pools, and don't submerge your head in them. Use potable water, and treat spring water only as a last resort. NPS NPS alert

In GOESOffline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

Hypothermia in the canyons

NPS: hypothermia is a major hazard in narrow canyons, and immersion in water is the fastest way to lose body heat. Avoid cotton and eat before you get chilled. NPS

In GOESEnvironmental Health: hypothermia and frostbite assessments

Cliffs

Falls from cliffs on trails have caused deaths. Loose sand on stone is slippery, so stay on the trail and back from edges. NPS

In GOESOffline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

NPS alerts

All active Zion alerts

Pulled from the NPS Data API on Nov 12, 2026; the same alerts appear on nps.gov/zion.

Park ClosureWatchman Trail closed. The Watchman Trail is closed pending repairs.
CautionLarge vehicle restrictions on Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. Vehicles that exceed length, width, height, or weight limits cannot travel between Canyon Junction and the park's East Entrance. See the current limits on the page linked below. More
CautionToxic cyanobacteria in rivers, streams, and pools. Do not submerge your head in or drink instream water in Zion National Park. More
InformationAngels Landing Pilot Permit Program. All hikers need a permit to hike Angels Landing. Learn why you need a permit and how to get one using the link below. More
InformationPlease park legally and responsibly. Zion has limited parking. Once parking spaces in Zion are full, visitors should park in Springdale. Please park only in designated spaces. Vehicles parked outside of designated spaces are subject to citation and towing. More

Your outdoor safety companion

When signal drops, GOES steps in.

Slickrock drop-offs, a cold, stormy weekend and a rebuilt road. Download GOES before Mt. Carmel Junction so its offline injury guidance is ready.

Works with no cell service: interactive health assessment and 50+ visual how-to guides, available offline.
Location-specific risks: wildlife (bears, venomous snakes), hypothermia, frostbite, heat illness, altitude, ticks, poisonous plants, UV and smoke/air quality.
200+ prevention tips across 60+ medical topics, also available offline.
Built by wilderness medicine physicians: founded by Dr. Grant Lipman, former Stanford Emergency Medicine professor and director of its wilderness medicine fellowship; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colin Little, MD, FAWM.

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Free to download. Premium features need a monthly or annual subscription after a 7-day free trial. GOES provides guidance. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. Follow official NPS rules and ranger instructions.

Other Zion entrances

South EntranceOpen — shuttle through Nov 28
East EntranceOpen — gravel section, size limits
Kolob Canyons EntranceOpen — may close for snow or ice

Zion overview, closures and park-wide risks →

Sources

Where this week's information comes from

Fetched Thu Nov 12, 2026 (JST), which is Wed Nov 11 evening in US time zones. We don't publish wait times, bear sightings or conditions we can't source. Check the official pages before you go — they're updated more often than we are.