Overview
Mount Carmel Junction, Mount Carmel and the other small towns (Mount Carmel, Orderville, Glendale) form a rural community known as East Zion, which is located in Utah's Canyon Country, near the east entrance to Zion National Park. Mount Carmel is less a destination in its own right and more a convenient stopover between the many national parks in the area.
1 sights · 7 things to do · 5 places to eat · 17 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Mount Carmel Junction
Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts
For over fifty years, Maynard Dixon painted the life and landscape of the American west. Dixon's home and studio are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Thunderbird Golf Course
Upper Red Cave
(3 mi/4.8 km 4WD or hike, the slot is about 1 mile/1.6km hiking one-way). This is one of the most amazing slot canyon adventures you can do without a harness and rope and it's right in Mount Carmel.
Lower Red Cave
(6.3 mi/10.14 km) 4WD or hike, the slot is about 1 mile/1.6 km hiking one-way). Although this canyon has the same name as the upper version, it is a completely different slot canyon joined with the upper by a long sandy …
Red Hollow
(3.2 miles/5.2 km round-trip). A fun family hike into a short, narrows slot. This one is 5 miles up the road from Mount Carmel Junction, in Orderville.
Spring Hollow
(1.2 miles/1.9 km round trip). This is another wonderful family hike that begins just off UT Highway 9 and leads into a nice slot canyon suitable for kids.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 100°F; winter lows dip to about 29°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Feb and Jan. (climate data from nearby Zion National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CDC Cedar City Regional Airport, Cedar City — 40 mi away. Directions
- SGU St George Regional Airport, St George — 48 mi away. Directions
- LAS Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas — 158 mi away (major hub). Directions
Mount Carmel Junction sits at the junction of US Highway 89, which heads north toward Bryce Canyon and south towards the Grand Canyon, and the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (UT 9), which runs the length of Zion National Park before continuing east and terminating at US 89.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts, Upper Red Cave
- Lunch Buffalo Grill
- Afternoon Red Hollow, Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon
- Dinner Buffalo Bistro
Day 2
- Morning Thunderbird Golf Course, Lower Red Cave
- Lunch Thunderbird Restaurant
- Afternoon Spring Hollow, East Fork of the Virgin River
- Dinner Broken Arrow Restaurant at the Arrowhead Country Inn
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
Mount Carmel Junction sits at the junction of US Highway 89, which heads north toward Bryce Canyon and south towards the Grand Canyon, and the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (UT 9), which runs the length of Zion National Park before continuing east and terminating at US 89.
Private vehicles and tour buses are the only way to travel in this area. There is no public transportation. The Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, through Zion National Park, never does close, but large vehicles like RVs can only travel from 8AM to 8PM when there is an escort at the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. The escorts stop all traffic on one side to allow the bigger vehicles like RVs and tour buses to travel in the center of the tunnel. On the immediate east side of Zion National Park and Mount Carmel Junction is a tourist stop. One mile north is the small town of Mount Carmel, which is mostly a farming community. Another four miles is Orderville, which is the town with the most population in the area. Another mile past Orderville is Glendale, where you will find an entrance to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
See
There's very little to see in the town proper; Mount Carmel acts mainly as a gateway to other attractions, namely Zion National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, with others passing through on their way to Bryce Canyon or the Grand Canyon.
- The towering White Cliffs of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument are visible from the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and along US 89 north of town.
Do
- The Zion Ponderosa Resort and the Zion Mountain Ranch (see below under Sleep) offers lots of recreational activities, like horseback rides, ATV tours, and more.
Do Upper Red Cave
(3 mi/4.8 km 4WD or hike, the slot is about 1 mile/1.6km hiking one-way). This is one of the most amazing slot canyon adventures you can do without a harness and rope and it's right in Mount Carmel.
Do Lower Red Cave
(6.3 mi/10.14 km) 4WD or hike, the slot is about 1 mile/1.6 km hiking one-way). Although this canyon has the same name as the upper version, it is a completely different slot canyon joined with the upper by a long sandy wash.
Do Red Hollow
(3.2 miles/5.2 km round-trip). A fun family hike into a short, narrows slot. This one is 5 miles up the road from Mount Carmel Junction, in Orderville.
Do Spring Hollow
(1.2 miles/1.9 km round trip). This is another wonderful family hike that begins just off UT Highway 9 and leads into a nice slot canyon suitable for kids.
Do Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon
(.75 mi/1.2 km to explore the slot, it takes about an hour of four-wheeling in soft sand to get to the slot canyon). This one takes a bit of four-wheeling, but it takes you to an amazing slot canyon that families can hike.
Do East Fork of the Virgin River
This one is not for the faint of heart. Hike from Mount Carmel Junction through the amazing slot canyon of Parunuweap. The route ends at Checkerboard Mesa in Zion National Park. Ropes are not needed but this is a tough route. Imagine the Zion Narrows in a pristine and wild setting and you have Parunuweap.
Buy
Shop Apple Hollow Gallery
In Glendale. Local artists have put together a classy showcase of handmade gifts for sale to the public.
Shop JDC Gift Shop
JDC - "Just Darn Cool" - is a rather charming, quaint shop with local handcrafted gifts.
Eat
Eat Buffalo Grill
3 miles from Zion's east gate. Buffalo meat is the choice of fare at the Buffalo Grill.
Eat Buffalo Bistro
Glendale. It's a one of kind of dining experience. Ron, the owner, will tell you - "It's terrible. but people keep coming back." The atmosphere is laid back for sure, but the food is fantastic. Rattlesnake, rabbit and buffalo give an idea of what's on the menu. Drinks are served, on tap or in the bottle.
Eat Thunderbird Restaurant
Charming decor and tasty home style food. A busy restaurant that has a diverse menu and even serves wine and beer. Don't miss their "Ho-Made" pie!
Eat Broken Arrow Restaurant at the Arrowhead Country Inn
Just across the street from Maynard Dixon's home studio and the Bingham Art Gallery. Smell the freshly baked bread, the home-made BBQ sauce, and the slow cooked baby-back ribs. Good dishes include maple glazed salmon, Southwestern chicken cordon blue, and the rib-eye steak Sonora. Enjoy the antique furnished dining room, or relax in the sun-room. Try a Mt. Carmel Mudslide dessert - special bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream, a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a splash of whiskey caramel sauce.
Eat Golden Hills Restaurant
Low prices and a big salad bar make this restaurant stand out.
Drink
The Buffalo Bistro, Thunderbird Restaurant, and Broken Arrow Restaurant (see above under Eat) all serve beer and wine.
Sleep
Stay The Cabin
This is a cute and clean budget cabin. If you are looking for a nice, but inexpensive place to stay this is a great option.
Stay Mount Carmel Motel
This older motel is the ticket for budget travelers. It's cleaner than most.
Stay Starlite Motel
The new owner has character and the rooms show it. You have to see these to believe them. This is an ideal place for those looking for something really different.
Stay Windwhisper Bed and Breakfast
A charming cabin and breakfast. You stay in your own cabin but the owners come in the morning and actually cook you breakfast in your cabin.
Camping and RV parks
Stay Mount Carmel Trailer Park
Stay Bauers Canyon Ranch RV Park
Backcountry camping
There is a ton of Bureau of Land Management land in the White Cliffs east of Zion, south of the main road, some of which is free, beautiful accommodations right next to the expensive national park!
Go next
- Zion National Park, 12 miles to the west. Utah's most visited national park, with visitors in the millions each year. Zion is a hikers mecca and even those just out for scenic drives will be in awe.
- Bryce Canyon National Park, 60 miles to the northeast. So close to Zion National Park that many that visit it also come to Bryce. Bryce Canyon has jaw dropping beauty.
- The Grand Canyon, 85 miles to the south (North Rim). One of the seven wonders of the world and one of the most visited parks in the USA. The North Rim however only gets a small percentage of the total visitors. This rim is the more spectacular of the rims but its rustic setting keeps visitors to a minimum when compared to the commercial and populated South Rim.
- Cedar Breaks National Monument, 45 miles to the northwest. This is a spectacular monument that rivals Bryce Canyon National Park. It gets less visitors but its beauty certainly does not pale with the other parks.
- Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 9 miles to the east. Two million acres of wilderness to hike and enjoy. There is nothing commercial about this place, but if you want to hike in beauty and solitude, it's magnificent.
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park 11 miles to the south. A great little park of sand dunes located nearby. There is hiking and ATV and 4WD trails. Most people come to the dunes to walk out on the boardwalk and play a bit in the sand.
- Cedar Mountain, 22 miles away in Dixie National Forest.
- Red Canyon, 47 miles away in Dixie National Forest. Red Canyon is by Bryce Canyon and as with Bryce its loaded with unique hoodoos and hiking. Cedar Mountain is a whole different world of hiking, fishing and fun in an aspen and spruce forest. Both are in Dixie National Forest.
- Paria Canyon, 60 miles away. Home to the popular rock formation known as the Wave. A hot spot for photographers and hikers alike.
- Lake Powell, 95 miles to the east. Scenery and water galore.
Nearby
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Park · 1 listings · 13 mi away
Kanab
City / town · 40 listings · 15 mi away
Springdale
City / town · 16 listings · 18 mi away
Zion National Park
Park · 40 listings · 21 mi away
Fredonia
City / town · 5 listings · 21 mi away
Colorado City
City / town · 8 listings · 23 mi away
Pipe Spring National Monument
Park · 1 listings · 25 mi away
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Park · 8 listings · 30 mi away
My experience
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