Location: The Subway is part of Zion National Park, in Southwest Utah.  This is in the Kolob Terrace section of the park, which is reached by driving west from Springdale to the town of Virgin and then driving north on the Kolob Terrace Road  (http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/upload/ZIONParkMap_web.pdf). 

The official location name is the Left Fork of North Creek.  However this is commonly known as “The Subway” because of a unique rock formation in this slot canyon.  Technical hikers enjoy repelling and swimming from upsteam to the Subway section.  Non-technical hikers can hike up to the Subway from downstream.  In several sections of the canyon, the water has carved out a tubular path reminiscent of a subway tunnel.  Several multicolored beautiful pools of all different shapes and sizes abound.  All pools have one thing in common: ice cold water.  The Subway has a constant flow of water year-round and there are several photogenic cascading waterfalls downstream from the tubular section of the slot canyon. 

Access: Access is limited to 50 hikers a day who must obtain a permit at the Zion National Park backcountry office.  Some of these can be obtained early through a lottery system and also the day prior to hiking (https://zionpermits.nps.gov/index.cfm).  One can choose whether to hike “from the bottom up” and back again to the same trailhead or to hike “from the top down” (see trail map at http://www.zionnational-park.com/map-the-subway.htm).  Each hike is about 8 miles, but one requires some swimming and technical climbing.

 

From the bottom up:  The trailhead (called Left Fork Trailhead) is located approximately 8 miles north of the town of Virgin on the Kolob Terrace Road.   The hike is 4 miles one-way and is rated as moderately strenuous.  No special technical.  The hiking does involve bouldering and shallow stream crossing.  Most of the scenic sites in the canyon are accessible this way. 

 

From the top down:  This involves leaving a car at the Left Fork Trailhead (see above) and then continuing on the road in a second car another 8 miles to the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead.  This hike drops into the Left Fork about 3 miles upstream from the Subway section.  Hiking downstream requires deep wading, swimming in sections, and 4 repels that require a 50-foot rope.  Please see this excellent site for technical details and GPS points:  http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-national-park-subway.htm. 

 

Time of Year:  The Subway is open year-round.  Permits are more difficult to obtain on weekends and during the summer.  In autumn, trees around the creek will change colors, enhancing the great natural beauty.  This is my preferred time of year.  Flash floods may close the canyon, particularly in August.

 

What to bring:  At least 3 L of water per person; good hiking shoes; power bars or other food to eat on the trail; swimsuit during the summer.   If you hike from the top down, a wetsuit will help prevent hypothermia in Spring and Fall and you will need a climbing rope.

 

What to bring for Photography:  Travel light.  A lightweight tripod and cable release are essential in order to capture the pools at the base of the cliffs and in the Subway section.  It is fairly dark there and requires long exposures.  A wide-angle lens with a polarizing filtered to remove water reflections is also useful.  I would not recommend carrying more than one lens or a lot of other photography equipment because of the hiking distances.  If you hike from the top down, you’ll also need a dry bag to keep water off your camera.

 

Photography:  The pools are striking photography subjects.  The canyon walls and adorning trees can be very colorful.  Downstream from the Subway section, there are several beautiful waterfalls with lovely cliffs in the background.  These make for wonderful subjects.  The stream itself expands to pools and contracts small ribbons of water giving great variety.  Just look around and you’ll find some treasure to photograph. 

 

Gordon Smith http://gordonsmith.smugmug.com/

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Camera:Canon EOS 20D Lens: 17-40mm Aperture: f/16 Focal length: 17mm Shutter speed: 1.3 seconds ISO:100 Shooting mode: Manual Meter: Pattern