April 22, 2023

Hiking Angels Landing – Zion National Park

For many outdoor enthusiasts, hiking the iconic Angels Landing trail in Zion National Park is high up on their bucket list. With breathtaking views of the Zion Canyon and the adrenaline rush of scaling narrow paths between sheer cliff drop-offs, this hike certainly lived up to its expectations for us! With 13 deaths since 2000, it also is one of the more dangerous trails in the US. Here are some tips and advice for planning your adventure hiking at Angels Landing and staying safe.

About The Trail

Though the trail is only around 5.5 miles long round-trip, it rapidly gains 1500 feet and is rather exposed to the elements. Here’s a breakdown of the sections you’ll go through:

The first section of the trail is paved with plenty of room for hikers. It has a consistent incline and you will definitely get your workout in. Make sure to take breaks to look back over the views of the canyon as you climb.
Two thirds of the way up you’ll arrive at Walter’s Wiggles. These are a series of 21 switchbacks that rapidly gain 250 feet. Take plenty of breaks – you certainly will be feeling it in your legs and you have a ways to go to your final destination.
Next up you will have arrived at Scout’s Lookout. For many this is their final destination either because they don’t have a permit to continue on up Angels Landing or they don’t want to brave the last section of the trail. The views are great here and a nice place to rest and recover.
If you choose to continue on, this is where the real fun begins! For this last section you will be scaling rocks, holding on to chains, and hiking narrow paths up to your final stop on Angels Landing. Though challenging, the path is easy to follow and navigate and the chains certainly help provide stability. Be on the lookout for other hikers coming towards you as you often have to alternate through tight sections. You’ll also come across hikers taking a break for water or those who are needing to build their confidence to push on.
You’ve made it to the top – congrats! Spend some time to enjoy the views, recover, and have a snack before starting your trek back down.

Can You Do It?

So do you need to be an advanced hiker to do Angels Landing? Definitely not – but planning ahead and having the right gear certainly helps. Along with your hiking ability, make sure you feel as though you can handle the physical demands of the hike and turn around if needed. If heights aren’t your thing, then this is definitely not the trail for you!

Getting to the Trail

Getting to the hiking trail is the first challenge in your Angels Landing adventure.

Entrances & Parking

The main entrance to Zion National Park is on the west side of the park which you enter after passing through Springdale, UT. This entrance is close to the visitor center which is where the majority of parking is available.
Though there is plenty of parking available at the visitor center, it fills up fast! If entering from Springdale during prime season and on a busy day, you are probably better off parking in town and taking the shuttle into the park. There are 9 stops on the shuttle and it’s free – more information can be found here. Note that most parking spots in town require you to pay. The shuttle drops you off right at the entrance to the park where there are some shops and a brewpub. You will catch the shuttle back to town from here and lines can get a bit long depending on the time of the day.
The second most popular entrance to the park is coming form the East on Zion-Mt Carmel road. Though this entrance offers a great drive through the park, it may be congested and you could run into a wait at the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel. Keep this in mind if you’re on a tight schedule to make your hiking permit time.

In-Park Shuttle

Once you’re parked and made it into the park, you will have to make your way to catch a shuttle from the visitors center. If you happen to be there during the off-season you may be able to drive through Zion’s scenic drive all the way to the trail, but for the majority of visitors hiking Angels Landing this road is only open to shuttles.

There is a queue next to the visitors center (another thing to factor into your hiking time) with plenty of shuttles coming and going to keep things moving. Once on the shuttle you will go to stop #6 – The Grotto. At this stop there is a nice picnic area with bathrooms available and clear directions for the start of the trail.

Permits

Given the popularity of hiking Angels Landing, permits are required year-round. For the latest information on permits and to apply, visit the Zion website here. A ranger will check your permit when first entering the trail (not needed at that point, they are just there to give information) and then again before entering the final chains section since you need it to enter there.

There are seasonal lotteries where you can apply ahead of time for the dates that you plan to visit. This is the way to go if you have set travel dates and want to know going into the trip that you’re going to be able to do the hike.
As with most NPS permits there is also a day-before lottery. This option works well if you’re in the area and your hiking plans are flexible or if you missed out on the seasonal lottery and want another shot at a permit. This is what we did and we got a permit on our first try!
Permits are handled through Recreation.gov and you will need to setup an account with them. There is a small fee for applying.
Make sure to have your permit saved off on your phone or printed out since you won’t have service to pull it up while on the trail.
Permits allow entry for a set period of time. Make sure to plan ahead and allocate enough time for driving, parking, shuttles, etc. so that you don’t miss your time.

What To Bring

Hiking Boots! We can’t stress this enough – sturdy hiking boots with solid traction will make this experience much more enjoyable (and safer) for you. We saw way too many people in sneakers struggling and having to turn around.
Water water water. As with any hike, water is critical. Given the strenuous nature of this hike and the exposure to the elements, make sure to pack plenty for the trip.
There are many scenic options on the Angels Landing trail to stop for a snack. Pack some along both to keep yourself fueled and also to relax and take in the views. You’ll see many people sitting at the top of Angels Landing as well as at Scout’s Lookout having a snack.
Trekking Poles? We didn’t bring any along but if your have bad knees or are used to hiking with trekking poles then you may want to consider these. The important thing here, though, is that you won’t want them with you on the chains section and so you’ll need to risk leaving them behind for a period of time.