Riverside Trail from Google Street View

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Description:
The primary habitat here is sparse riparian along the Virgin River; with cliffs rising high above the canyon floor on either side. The hillsides here are a unique mixed Oak Woodland with hanging gardens, seeps, and a decent understory. This area encompasses the road for about 300 yards below the Temple of Sinawava, all the way to the end of the Riverside Trail.

Birding:
Being the last stop on the Zion Shuttle and relatively easy walk this location receives a good amount of birder activity from spring through fall.  The highlight species from this area has to be the PAINTED REDSTART which can be found most reliably here in the park.  It's hard to say how many pairs nest in the area, but multiple birds have been reported at the same time, and some separated by more than a 1/2 mile.  One popular location to look is just a few hundred feet back down canyon from the parking area on the hillsides to the east of the road (up canyon side).  They are also reported with some frequency up river from the trailhead on the hillsides.  Mid to early April is a good time to try and find this species as it might be one of the only warbler species up in the canyon singing, making it easy to detect.  Later int eh spring ans summer YELLOW, VIRGINIA'S, and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS are all fairly common and add to the chorus.  BLACK PHOEBE, WARBLING VIREO, CANYON WREN, AMERICAN DIPPER, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK are a common sight here.  While VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW and WHITE-THROATED SWIFT can be seen buzzing the cliffs above.  HAIRY WOODPECKER can usually be tracked down on the hillsides below the parking lot here as well. The birding is easy and you could spend hours here wandering the trail, roads, or river and still find plenty of birds.  Although winter isn't as productive good finds here during the colder months include PACIFIC WREN and GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLET.

Directions:
All Zion National Park hot spots directions in Zion Canyon, or to the east will originate from the visitor center parking lot for consistency. Anything in the north and west sides of the park will come from the nearest major intersection. Catch the Zion Canyon Schedule at any pick up locations inside or outside the park. Stay on the shuttle until you reach the final stop at the Temple of Sinawava. The Riverside Trail continues form here about a mile till it dead ends at The Narrows.