Angel’s Landing Hike in Zion National Park

One of the most iconic hikes in Zion National Park is Angel’s Landing. The hike is not for people who are afraid of heights or for those who have mobility issues/difficulty climbing or descending steep terrain. Anyone else coming to Zion should seriously consider doing this hike. The following is everything you need to know about Angel’s Landing Hike at Zion National Park.

Hike Profile

Angel’s Landing is a difficult hike. It is appropriate for more experienced hikers, especially those who are unafraid of heights or being close to the edges of cliffs. The hike covers 4.4 miles in an out-and-back fashion (hikers travel out and back on the same trail as opposed to a loop). The trail contains over 1,600 feet in elevation gain over the course of climbing to the summit of Angel’s Landing. This also means that there is over 1,600 feet of elevation decrease on the way back down. Overall, the average hiker takes approximately three hours to complete the actual hike of this trail. Many will be on the trail longer when breaks and stops at the top or at overlooks are taken into account. For more detailed information on this hike and other reviews, use the AllTrails app.

Incline Heavy

The hike begins at the Grotto Trailhead with a short walk along the Virgin River through the main Zion Canyon. Shortly after this, the uphill journey begins. A set of switchbacks and ever-climbing trails are the first elevation challenges that hikers come to. While these are not technically difficult, the constant assent over these paths can test your endurance. As the path is on the side of the mountain facing the Virgin River Canyon, hikers will have some great views as they climb. Hikers are also exposed to the sun almost the entire time. The path including these switchbacks is paved so there are no concerns about footing or trail conditions for this part of the journey.

The path finally moves into a shaded and slightly cooler canyon as hikers move away from the main Virgin River Canyon. The pathway is still increasing in elevation (a 5 – 10% grade is average) but not as dramatically as before. The walk runs beside cliff faces, small caves, and a small creek bed that feeds the Virgin River. The tail end of this section eventually comes to a set of 21 sequential switchbacks. These switchbacks have been named Walter’s Wiggles due to the short length of each switchback and after the first superintendent of Zion National Park. These switchbacks become somewhat exhausting, but thankfully they are in the shade for the most part.

After completing Walter’s Wiggles, hikers arrive at the intersection of the West Rim Trail and the Angel’s Landing Trailhead. There is a large flat area here as well as some bathroom facilities. This is the point at which the trail changes from an elevation hiking challenge to a more technical trail on the rock face.

Chain-Assisted Hiking

As hikers continue onto the actual Angel’s Landing Trail, chain railing and handholds start to appear. These have been added to the rock face and the trails to help hikers traverse some of the very steep climbs along the hike to the summit. This is the part of the hike that will really bother visitors if they are afraid of heights. At many points along the trail, there are sheer drop-offs on either side of the trail (and on both sides at some points). Once the chain sections start, the trail becomes very narrow. Often there isn’t enough space to pass other hikers. Because this is an out-and-back style trail, hikers will need to stop many times and let alternating groups go through the narrowest portions of the trail.

After climbing a lot of steep rock and chain-assisted sections of the trail, hikers will earn the reward of arriving at Angel’s Landing Peak. From this vantage point, a large portion of the central Virgin River Canyon is visible. The views from the summit are amazing and in my opinion, they are augmented by the physical experience of having climbed to this vantage point.

Throughout Zion National Park, there are several overlooks with a higher elevation than Angel’s Landing and much easier climbs. However, the process of climbing to the top does something to magnify the experience. Plus, the peak of Angel’s Landing grants hikers an almost 360 view of the canyon which is breathtaking. While not a ton of space at the top of the summit, there is some area for hikers to spread out and enjoy the view while resting. Once you have taken in all the views from the top, the trip back down the mountain is the same path that was taken up.

Permit and Lottery Process

As mentioned earlier, there are several parts of this trail where there is only enough room for one person to go in one direction at a time. The number of people who want to hike this trail causes major bottlenecks. In order to combat this overcrowding, the National Park Service established a permit system for this hike. Several other hikes in Zion National Park have a permit system as well. However, the vast majority of those permit systems were established to have records of who is hiking high-risk routes for search and rescue reasons.

Some people will undoubtedly not like the permit system because it limits the ability to hike the trail at the exact time desired. Having hiked the trail under the lottery system, I much prefer that it is in place. There were already portions of the trail where multiple people were attempting to pass at once. In some cases, adding more people to the trail would have made the hike less pleasant (and likely less safe).

The National Park Service issues the permits via a lottery process. There are two different lotteries. One, the seasonal lottery, is available approximately three to four months in advance of a planned trip. This is great for people who want to try and really plan ahead. Getting a permit this early will help with scheduling other activities since you will know the permitted day to avoid. The other lottery is the “Day-Before” lottery. These lotteries happen the day prior to a requested hike date. This is what individuals and groups will need to use if they missed out on the early lottery. The link to the permit lottery is here.

Seasonal Lottery

Despite the name, the date ranges for each seasonal lottery don’t follow the seasons. Seasonal lotteries cover three months but the dates are staggered. Typically, the seasons for Angel’s Landing permits are September 1 – November 30, December 1 – February 28/29, March 1 – May 31, and June 1 – August 31. For each of these “seasons”, there is a twenty-day window of time to apply for the lottery. The application windows occur between the 1st and the 20th days two months prior to the start of the season. For example, if a group wants to hike Angel’s Landing one day between June 1 – August 31, they will need to apply to the lottery between April 1 – April 20.

The seasonal lotteries allow a group of up to six people (including the applicant) to apply. Each applicant can only apply once. However, the applicants are able to select up to seven dates for being entered into the lottery. For each date, applicants are also able to rank start times. Each lottery application costs $6 no matter how many people are included in the applications. This fee is charged no matter if the applicant is awarded a permit in the lottery. Additionally, if an applicant is awarded a permit in the lottery a supplemental $3/person is charged. After the award, there is no change or cancellation policy except that seasonal lottery winners can reduce group size for a fee refund up to two days before the hike.

Day-Before Lottery

The day-before lottery follows similar mechanics as the seasonal lottery. The main difference is that the applicant requests a permit on the day prior to their desired hike. Applications are accepted from 12:01 AM to 3:00 PM Mountain Time each day. The same rules as above apply for party size (up to 6) and cost ($6/application + $3/person/successful permit). Three timeslots are available to all applicants (seasonal lotteries included): before 8 AM, between 8 AM – 11 AM, and after 11 AM. I recommend selecting all three options unless you are dead set on one option or it doesn’t work with your schedule. Selecting all three will increase your odds of securing a permit. Having said that, it is my opinion that before 8 AM is the best time slot. Any time afterward you will contend with far more people on the trail and hotter temperatures in the summer months.

Accessing the Trailhead

As mentioned earlier, Angel’s Landing trailhead is accessible from the Grotto stop on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. This stop is located just north of Zion Lodge. For those traveling during the summer months, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to private automobile traffic. The road is only accessible by using the park shuttles. These shuttles can be boarded at the Zion National Park Visitor Center in Springdale, UT. The journey from the visitors center to the Grotto stop is about 15 – 20 minutes.

If you want to avoid the shuttle altogether, there is the option of parking in designated spaces along Zion Park Blvd (Utah Highway 9) that run through the park. If you do this, park as close to the gated entrance to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive as possible. From this gate to the Grotto stop is approximately 3.3 miles (about a 1-hour hike). For this reason, I would just recommend getting the shuttle at the Visitor’s Center.

Equipment for the Hike

The following is a list of equipment and preparation suggested for hiking Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. Everyone chooses to hike differently, but these are my personal tips after doing the hike myself:

• Study Shoes – Light hiking boots are appropriate for this trail. A large part of the hike is paved. Tennis shoes are more than adequate for these portions. However, make sure you have sufficient support in the arch and ankle for the final chain portion of the trail.
• Clothing – You will be exposed to the sun during approximately 3/4 of the hike. During the summer, lightweight, comfortable, and quick dry clothes are beneficial. Long sleeves and long pants aren’t needed unless desired for sun protection. Sunscreen is advised.
• Water – Angel’s Landing will take 3 – 4 hours to hike. Bring plenty of water for that time in the hot Utah sun in the summer. I recommend bringing two liters of water per person. I never finished the second liter during the hike, but I started the second bottle before the hike was over.
• Snacks – Bring a snack to enjoy at a pit stop along the way or at the end of Angel’s Landing with the view of the Zion Canyon.
• Permit – Park rangers will check your permit and identification at two points on the trail. Ensure that you have printed or downloaded the permit as cell service can be limited on the hike.