# Zion Kolob Canyons Entrance: this week

> Week of Nov 9–15, 2026 · Zion National Park · I-15 Exit 40 (near Cedar City) · Status: **Open — may close for snow or ice**. Facts fetched Nov 12, 2026 from official NPS and NWS sources.

HTML version: https://parks.goes.health/parks/zion/kolob-canyons-entrance.html

Kolob Canyons is Zion's quieter northwest district, at I-15 Exit 40, 17 miles south of Cedar City and about an hour from Zion Canyon. A five-mile scenic drive leads to viewpoints and wilderness trails.

## This week at the Kolob Canyons Entrance (official conditions)

- **Info:** Kolob Canyons Visitor Center: 8 am – 12 pm and 1 pm – 5 pm. All visitors must stop to show a pass or pay the entrance fee. The Kolob wilderness desk is closed until further notice; get wilderness permits in Zion Canyon. Sources: [Zion operating hours & facility hours](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/hours.htm); [Kolob Canyons](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/kolob-canyons.htm)
- **Heads-up:** Kolob Canyons Road may close in winter for snow or ice, and pedestrians may not walk the road during plowing. Sources: [Kolob Canyons](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/kolob-canyons.htm)
- **Open:** Personal vehicles are allowed on Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive year-round. Sources: [Zion operating hours & facility hours](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/hours.htm)

**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. Sources: [NPS Zion fees & passes](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/fees.htm); [NPS Data API (parks, operating hours, fees)](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/developer/api-documentation.htm); [Angels Landing permits](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm)

## Forecast near the Kolob Canyons Entrance

| Period | Temp | Forecast | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonight | 39°F | Clear | 7 mph |
| Thursday | 61°F | Sunny | 5 to 9 mph |
| Thursday Night | 41°F | Partly Cloudy | 5 to 8 mph |
| Friday | 56°F | Mostly Sunny then Chance Light Rain | 8 to 14 mph |
| Friday Night | 40°F | Light Rain then Showers And Thunderstorms | 8 to 17 mph |
| Saturday | 46°F | Showers And Thunderstorms | 2 to 17 mph |
| Saturday Night | 31°F | Areas Of Frost | 5 mph |
| Sunday | 50°F | Areas Of Frost then Mostly Sunny | 1 to 5 mph |

Snapshot from the National Weather Service, fetched Nov 12, 2026. Live forecast: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.453&lon=-113.225

## What actually matters here this season

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.

- **Cold, exposed wilderness trails.** NWS forecast for Kolob: highs near 56–61°F, lows around 40°F, and showers and thunderstorms Friday night into Saturday. These are designated wilderness trails with few people around to help. Sources: [National Weather Service point forecasts (api.weather.gov, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.weather.gov/); [Kolob Canyons](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/kolob-canyons.htm)
  - In GOES: Environmental Health: hypothermia and frostbite assessments
- **Flash floods in narrow canyons.** Know the forecast before entering any narrow canyon and have a plan to reach high ground. Sources: [Zion safety: flash floods, cliffs, hypothermia, water](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/safety.htm)
  - In GOES: 125+ extreme weather alerts

## Checklist for the Kolob Canyons Entrance

- [ ] **Pay or show a pass at the visitor center** — Required for all visitors.
- [ ] **Get wilderness permits in Zion Canyon** — The Kolob desk is closed.
- [ ] **Download GOES before leaving I-15** — Offline guidance for remote trails.

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

## Zion park-wide

- **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. Sources: [Zion safety: flash floods, cliffs, hypothermia, water](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/safety.htm); [Zion Current Conditions](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [National Weather Service point forecasts (api.weather.gov, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.weather.gov/)
  - In GOES: 125+ 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. Sources: [Zion toxic cyanobacteria advisory](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/toxic-cyanobacteria-bloom-in-the-virgin-river-and-the-streams-of-zion-national-park.htm); [NPS Zion alerts (NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)
  - In GOES: Offline 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. Sources: [Zion safety: flash floods, cliffs, hypothermia, water](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/safety.htm)
  - In GOES: Environmental 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. Sources: [Zion safety: flash floods, cliffs, hypothermia, water](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/safety.htm)
  - In GOES: Offline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

## All active Zion NPS alerts

From the NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12, 2026. Live: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

- **[Park Closure] Watchman Trail closed.** The Watchman Trail is closed pending repairs.
- **[Caution] Large 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. (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/large-vehicles.htm)
- **[Caution] Toxic cyanobacteria in rivers, streams, and pools.** Do not submerge your head in or drink instream water in Zion National Park. (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/toxic-cyanobacteria-bloom-in-the-virgin-river-and-the-streams-of-zion-national-park.htm)
- **[Information] Angels 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. (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm)
- **[Information] Please 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. (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/traffic.htm#parking)

## Get the GOES app before the gate

**When signal drops, GOES steps in.** Remote wilderness, cold weather and flash-flood canyons. Get GOES before you leave I-15 so its offline guidance comes with you.

GOES — Outdoor Health & Safety is your outdoor safety companion: an offline interactive health assessment, 50+ visual how-to guides, 200+ prevention tips across 60+ medical topics, and location-specific risk indicators (wildlife, cold, heat, altitude, ticks, poisonous plants, UV, smoke). Built by wilderness medicine physicians: founded by Dr. Grant Lipman; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colin Little, MD, FAWM.

- iOS (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/goes-outdoor-health-safety/id1576527901
- Android (Google Play): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goes.mobile
- About GOES: https://goes.health/platform

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.

## Other Zion entrances

- [South Entrance](https://parks.goes.health/parks/zion/south-entrance.md): Open — shuttle through Nov 28
- [East Entrance](https://parks.goes.health/parks/zion/east-entrance.md): Open — gravel section, size limits
- [Zion overview, closures and park-wide risks](https://parks.goes.health/parks/zion/index.md)

## Sources

Fetched Thu Nov 12, 2026 (JST), which is Wed Nov 11 evening in US time zones. We don't publish wait times, wildlife sightings or conditions we can't source.

- [Zion operating hours & facility hours](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/hours.htm)
- [Kolob Canyons](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/kolob-canyons.htm)
- [National Weather Service point forecasts (api.weather.gov, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.weather.gov/)
- [Zion safety: flash floods, cliffs, hypothermia, water](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/safety.htm)
- [Zion Canyon shuttle schedule](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/zion-canyon-shuttle-system.htm)
- [Zion Current Conditions](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)
- [NPS Zion fees & passes](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/fees.htm)
- [NPS Data API (parks, operating hours, fees)](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/developer/api-documentation.htm)
- [Angels Landing permits](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm)
- [NPS Zion alerts (NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)
- [Zion toxic cyanobacteria advisory](https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/toxic-cyanobacteria-bloom-in-the-virgin-river-and-the-streams-of-zion-national-park.htm)
- [NPS Zion National Park](https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm)

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*GOES provides guidance. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. ParkReady Guides is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always follow official NPS rules, posted closures and ranger instructions. Conditions change quickly; check the linked NPS pages before you go. In an emergency, call 911.*

ParkReady Guides by GOES Health · Week of Nov 9–15, 2026 · facts fetched Nov 12, 2026 from NPS and NWS. Agent overview: https://parks.goes.health/llms.txt · Conditions feed (JSON): https://parks.goes.health/conditions.json
