Weeping Rock

Weeping Rock is just a short half-mile hike from shuttle stop 7 on the main scenic road. To visit this alcove is to see another ancient living ecosystem of the Zion canyon.

The water comes from the rain and snow that melts on the upper plateau. This water seeps into the ground, and through many layers of Navajo sandstone. It slows down when it reaches the Kayenta rock layer, and starts to travel sideways when it reaches the impermeable shale layer.

At Weeping Rock, this water seeps out the side of the canyon walls, giving life to hanging gardens that cling to the cracks and crevices of the cliff face. By the time the water seeps out the side of the rock, approximately 1,200 years have passed since the rain seeped into the top of the rock.