Rockfall on Cable Mountain impacts closed trail

SPRINGDALE, Utah — A rockfall on Cable Mountain in Zion National Park on May 31 impacted a section of the closed East Rim Trail, providing a visible reminder of the geologic forces that continue to shape the park’s landscape.

Cable Mountain rises above Zion Canyon in Zion National Park. A May 31 rockfall sent debris onto a closed section of the East Rim Trail through Echo Canyon, though no injuries were reported. Photo by Michael Sayles.

According to Zion National Park spokesperson Matthew Fink, park staff received a report of the rockfall at approximately 1:13 p.m. Debris traveled down the Cable Mountain cliff face and reached the section of the East Rim Trail through Echo Canyon, an area that has remained closed since a major rockfall in 2019.

No injuries were reported, and park officials said the debris did not reach the Weeping Rock Trail.

Video of the event, recorded by a Springdale resident and shared by regional media outlets, showed a large dust plume rising from the cliff face as rock and debris cascaded down the mountainside.

While dramatic to witness, Fink said rockfalls of this general size are not uncommon within the Cable Mountain amphitheater. The National Park Service identifies rockfalls as a natural and ongoing process throughout Zion. Weathering, water infiltration, temperature changes and gravity gradually widen fractures in the park’s sandstone cliffs until sections of rock eventually break free.

Cable Mountain was also the site of a significant 2019 rockfall that injured three visitors and contributed to long-term closures affecting trails in the area. More recently, a separate rockslide temporarily closed Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in February 2025 while crews cleared debris and evaluated conditions.

Fink said the National Park Service continues to monitor the Cable Mountain area using cameras and periodic surveys to better understand rockfall activity and help guide future trail management and visitor safety decisions.

Visitors are reminded to obey all posted closures and avoid entering closed areas of the park.

The latest rockfall caused no reported injuries, but it offered a rare public glimpse of a process that continues to reshape Zion’s cliffs and canyons one rockfall at a time.