Smithsonian Butte - Best View
2 images 1 contributors
Laurent Martres
About this spot
There are no official viewpoints; Smithsonian Butte Scenic Backway proper is the attraction. The road can be very slippery after rain on the UT-59 side and it becomes extremely washboardy on the Rockville side. It is a great shortcut to Zion when traveling from Hurricane or Fredonia on UT59.
Coming from Fredonia before, the scenery is beautiful in all seasons with Canaan Mountain to the northeast and a tallgrass prairie in the foreground. However, it’s on the Scenic Backway itself, going toward Rockville, that a surprise awaits you with a spectacular view of the entrance to Zion Canyon. From the mesa, you can clearly see The Watchman to the right of the canyon entrance and the Towers of the Virgin to the left.
Coming from Fredonia before, the scenery is beautiful in all seasons with Canaan Mountain to the northeast and a tallgrass prairie in the foreground. However, it’s on the Scenic Backway itself, going toward Rockville, that a surprise awaits you with a spectacular view of the entrance to Zion Canyon. From the mesa, you can clearly see The Watchman to the right of the canyon entrance and the Towers of the Virgin to the left.
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