Trail details last updated 3/27/2017.
If you like mountain views, crave steep climbs, and consider a 1,000 vertical-foot drops to make for a better adventure than Angel’s Landing should most certainly be on your list. It’s not Zion National Park’s toughest hike, nor it’s longest, and not even the best viewpoint of the park (hello Observation Point) but the thrill factor, well that’s what brought you to go click on this post, right? you want the t-shirt… and the view!
Truth be told, in the list of “must do, super dangerous, thrill-seekers only” hyped up hikes, Angel’s Landing is actually one of the more tame, by the amount of hiking you have to do that is. With just 1,488′ of elevation gain spread out over 5.4 miles (round-trip), it’s something you can swing on a half day drive through the park compared to the full day outing of say Half Dome. But don’t let the shorter hike fool you, from a “what on earth am I doing” perspective, Angel’s Landing is right up near the top of the dangerous list and for good reason.
Warning: While I’d like to say the height factor is all just in your head, Angel’s Landing poses some truly serious risks and yes, there have sadly been deaths (NPS.) The final stretch of the hike crosses steep terrain with 1,000 plus foot falls basically straight down. There is a chain along much of this section but it’s just a hand hold and not present at every step. Check the conditions closely, hike with proper footwear / gear, and please, don’t bring your young kids, freaked out friends or pets people.
That’s because of the famous (or infamous depending on how you look at it) chain section that makes up the last stretch of the hike as you walk, scramble, and maybe even crawl across the massively exposed knife-ridge to reach the top of the mountain. Ok, crawl is probably taking it too far but seriously, with a ridge that is at times just a few feet wide and views straight down, it’s easy for this hike to get the best of you long before your legs feel all that tired. Angel’s Landing is epic and terrifying all at once, sweet!
Getting to Angel’s Landing
Located in Zion’s Grotto Area, the hike starts off right in the hub of Zion Canyon at one of the most popular and accessible areas within the park. In the off season you can drive right on up to the parking lot at while summer crowds turn Zion into a packed house and generally require taking a free shuttle bus into the canyon (Grotto stop.) Either way it’s easy to get in and all of half an hour from the gates to the trailhead, plus traffic.
At the Grotto you’ll find restrooms and potable water right behind the parking lot / shuttle stop though that’s about it for facilities within walking distance. Two more vault toilets are located 1,000′ up the hike at Scout’s Lookout but there is no water on the trail so be sure to carry up plenty yourself, you’ll need it baking under the desert sun.
Hiking to Scout’s Lookout
The route up Zion starts innocently enough as you cross the Virgin River and take the initially flat West Rim trail towards Angel’s Landing as it towers ahead of you (that’s a right turn at the fork FYI.) After a few minutes of flat walking in the open with ample time to study (gawk at) Angel’s Landing, the trail begins to cut its way into the mountain with a series of steeper and steeper switchbacks.
These switchbacks are wide, well traveled and well maintained, the trail is really some of the most straight forward hiking you’ll probably encounter. That’s not to say it’s easy going, the switchbacks are plenty direct and steep too plus you’ll be almost entirely exposed to the sun snaking up the mountain. The higher they go, the quicker they turn until suddenly you finish up one long, open walkway and exit the exposed mountain face entirely wandering back into a canyon that’s cool and shaded (earning it the name Refrigerator Canyon.)
The canyon is not just cool and shaded, it’s (mostly) flat and provides the best break areas on the trail. Looking at the rock faces that line the canyon walls is pretty impressive too as the shade lights up the magnificent geology.
Navigating towards the end of the canyon, all that remains to tackle before you hit the famous chains is Walter’s Wiggles. This set of switchbacks was marvelously engineered to create a path up the mountain where a route must have seemed impossible. Still mostly hidden from the sun, the switchbacks are often covered in snow and ice in winter often requiring their own careful ascent and / or the use of microspikes. The Wiggles are a good finish to the short, steep hike that makes up the first 2/3rds of Angel’s Landing.
Topping out from the numerous switches takes you right on up to the open air again as you arrive at Scout’s Lookout, a wide area with a decent view of the canyon below, a couple restrooms and plenty of shade giving trees to hang out under before the push to come or instead of it, plenty of people call it a day right here and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Climbing the Chain to the Angel’s Landing Summit
After reviewing all of the safety signs twice (seriously people, dragging your petrified kid and / or screaming husband up from here is not funny and not cool), it’s time to step out onto the exposed rock, grab for the chain and start scaling the fun part of the climb.
While the hike to this point may have got you warmed up or even a little worn down in the hot sun, the climb to the top is a whole other level of effort as you directly ascend up and down the knife-ridge of the mountain to reach the mountain top. The route up is also less of a path and more of a walk along the side of a rock faced mountain. At times that’s fairly wide and mellow while in other spots it becomes a near scramble to pull yourself up and around the various boulders.
At most but not all points, you’ll find a large and well secured chain to aid in your climb and, more so, your descent. Test it, hold on to it, use it but remember to keep as many other points of contact as you can. In some spots the chain ends for a moment as you turn a corner while others will have you walking a few feet without it around at all so don’t get too attached.
There’s about 500 of elevation to gain between Scout’s Lookout and the top but you’ll actually drop down shortly into the climb making for even more actual climbing than the description lists and some uphill on the way back so do be sure to take advantage of the couple break areas along the way to recharge as needed. And don’t worry about the pace of the people behind you or those ahead, if you can move out of their way, great, but slow and steady is just fine; they’ll deal (or pass.)
Keep in mind that the rock you’ll be walking over is brittle and slick. Dirt from a thousand footsteps make it slippery in summer, rain from a fall storm makes it twice as sketch and snow or ice from winter, that can be a whole other level (microspikes people, microspikes.) Perhaps most important in all of this is remembering that you have to come back down and down is always more freaky. While it’s really not that bad, people do freak out and if you or someone in your group is over it, turn around sooner than later, or at least stop until you’ve collected your thoughts.
That all said, it’s one foot in front of another for all of like a half mile and you’re at the top, so come on! While the top is not exactly a flat spot with an escalator down, there’s plenty of room and plenty of places to stop and break after you’ve explored the nearly 360-degree views from around the ridge. The summit of Angel’s Landing truly is an incredible place.
Once you’re finished it’s back down the chains the way you came up (unless you brought your climbing gear, then clip in and rap your way right off the mountain side.) Do try and let uphill climbers pass as best you can though really it’s all about whatever is safest up here. Return to Scout’s Lookout, collect any group members who sat it out and head on down or cross over to one of the other trails that junctions in along the way for a longer adventure and some different views.
Quick Facts:
- Official Rating: On the Strenuous List
- Start point: Marked trailhead just left of the Grotto
- Distance: 5.4 mile round-trip (out & back) / 1488′ gain / 3+ hours
- Look for: The view at the end, the entire chain experience to get to it
- Recommended time: Highly exposed & crowded… start early
- Facilities: Restrooms at the trailhead and Scout’s Lookout
- Water: At the trailhead only
- Cost: $25 / week enterance fee or NPS Pass
- Permits: None
