Zenith Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3A III (v4a1 I) Raps:2-3, max ↨195ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required 2.55mi Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Any, Hot in Summer
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39.0572, -108.7096
39.0556, -108.7370
39.0778, -108.7280
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Introduction
Like Chasm to the north and Salix to the South, Zenith contains a short couple of drops in a little slot in the thinner Entrada layer, more walking, then a huge rappel down the Wingate layer, followed by a long return. Considering the distances and the brush to push through, this is not a destination canyon, but it is an adventure and might be just right for teams building up to long rappels.
- Times are for the return up to the Upper Monument TH
Approach
Set a shuttle for either the Upper Monument Canyon Trailhead (39.07783, -108.72795) or downstream to the Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead (39.10888, -108.70124).
Upper Monument TH
Drive Rimrock Dr or Monument Rd in the Colorado National Monument and Park a return vehicle at the Upper Monument Canyon Trailhead (39.07783, -108.72795). Then drive south on Rimrock Dr and Park at the Upper Liberty Cap Trailhead.
The 2.6 mile Upper Monument TH shuttle can be easily accomplished by bike.
Lower Monument TH
Drive Broadway east of the western CNM park entrance, turning right on Fawn Lane to Park a return vehicle in the dirt lot for the Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead (39.10888, -108.70124). Then drive back into the park and up Rimrock Dr to park at the Upper Liberty Cap Trailhead.
Hike the Liberty Cap Trail east for 1.55 miles. When the Liberty Cap Trail turns 90 degrees to the south, depart the trail to the northeast into the drainage aiming for the first rappel, R1, at (39.05722, -108.70958).
Note that the Liberty Cap Trail is part of the American Discovery Trail (ADT).
Descent
R1: 60' fiddling a juniper in line with the drainage for a 40' drop. This could be bypassed on a slope DCR.
R2: 115' fiddling a juniper DCL of the nicely carved slot in the Entrada layer into the narrowest part of the drainage with a giant cottonwood tree.
Hike 1 mile downstream. Bashing through the brush eases after the first 0.15 miles and becomes nice sandstone flat hiking about 0.65 miles after R2.
R3: 195' from a 10' sling on a juniper DCL. The lip is the typical CNM tough edge transition without too much in the way of feet, then it opens up to a free hang after the first shelf. Feet touch down at 130' of rope and could be downclimbed DCL or DCR.
Downclimb a jumble of boulders for 0.2 miles as the drainage turns to the left until the valley flattens out.
Exit
Hike downstream north then west through willows and a few nice carved sections of the schist basement rock that lies below the sandstone in the Monument. Note an arch on "Unknown Tower" west of the Chasm descent on the same south wall.
When this unnamed tributary intersects Monument Canyon, it presents a steep drop. Either Rappel ~100' from a boulder DCR or bypass by climbing up DCL and hiking down the slope into Monument Canyon. Hike this for a ways, but at (39.07888, -108.71233) it makes sense to climb up the slope to the north in a drainage and intersect the Monument Trail. Hike this west and up the switchbacks to the shuttle vehicle.
Red tape
A National Parks pass or a Colorado National Monument entrance fee is required for parking.
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2025-10-26 explored by Ira Lewis, Carl Bern, Derya Sonel, Stella Zhou, Richard, Johnathan Mitchem, Robin Warne