Angels Landing Hike: The chains on the second section, Angels Landing Hike: One of the scrambles on the section section. This is not to be underestimated. Yes, I do know kids that have successfully hiked Angels Landing at a younger age, but they had heaps of prior experience. Angels Landing gains 1,488 feet (453m) of elevation over 2.7 miles (4.2km) one way, making it one of the most strenuous trails in Zion National Park. Angels Landing Hike: The view into the canyon from Scout Lookout, Read next: The Narrows hike - everything you need to know for this incredible canyon. The trail is infamous for its dangerous narrow ridges, with 1,000 foot drops either side. Beautiful view and the challenge was exhilarating. Angels Landing looked much different midday, with crowds of people on the trail. Get important travel planning tips, sample itineraries, advice on when to go, where to stay, and more. There are sections that are very narrow with 1000-foot drops on either side. There are a couple of places to stop along the way, which we recommend taking advantage of. This is a good spot to practice using those chains before you get to the real drop offs. This gives you plenty of time to hike the spine of Angels Landing before it gets crowded with other hikers. In my opinion, if you think you want to try it and have appropriate footwear, just try it. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. This is not the place to confront your fears. There’s no denying that people have died on the Angels Landing hike. As the National Parks Pass is $80 for the year, if you plan on visiting at least three parks in a year it is well worth it. We’d argue the first section of Angels Landing is arguably the trickiest and most precarious. The crowds can make this hike quite dangerous, and an entirely different beast to the trail as we hiked it without crowds. There is one section before you come to a wide flat lookout area where the the trail is at its narrowest and the path becomes less than half a metre wide. Did you camp or stay in a cabinet ? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. When to go: Year round, although the best seasons are Spring and Fall. If you start feeling really uneasy, you can turn around and head back down. We would also strongly advise against hiking this trail in bad weather: rain, strong winds, snow, ice or lightning. This hike, along with The Narrows, draws thousands of visitors per year, most of them during the summer months. Let us know in the comments below! and I knew the one thing likely to stop me making it to the summit was crowds. Always check conditions at the Visitor Center prior to heading out. The lodge is very popular though, so book as early as you can if you want to take this option. The best time to go is March to October. The Narrows hike, Zion - a complete guide to the epic canyon hike. Why is Angels Landing so popular? You’ll also find chains when there’s a little scramble, where a chain may help you get up the trail. We were as surprised as anyone to find that Angels Landing (in the right conditions) is actually not that scary. Get the full details on the national park service website. The Virgin River looks tiny down in the valley below, if you dare look down from here. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hearing that is what led us to trying another idea, with the backup that if it was too busy we would head back into the park the following day at sunrise. However, we were able to hike this trail with hardly anyone else on it by following one hack that no one seems to have even mentioned online - and for once it doesn’t involve getting up at sunrise! Are shuttles mandatory, can we not use our own private vehicle? VIRGIN — Angels Leading Ledgewalk, a via ferrata inspired trail that takes hikers on a climbing adventure through a dramatic canyon cut by Kolob Creek, is now open for guided tours. Cheers, Julie. Here is a link to the Zion shuttle page for more info. There is also a lodge in Zion NP where you can stay. Young children should not do this hike. We skipped this last time we went to Zion because of crowds. As I have gotten older, I am having more problems with my knees, especially on hikes with a large descent at the end. So knowing the best time to go, here’s what to expect from the hike itself. Enjoy. Angels Landing is the most famous hike in Zion and features everything from strenuous switchbacks to breathtaking dropoffs. This article is pretty comprehensive, so feel free to click on the links below to jump to the section that is relevant to you: Scout Lookout + the start of Angels Landing. You can easily walk from Zion Lodge to the trailhead and beat the crowds. Read next: The stunning slot canyons of Grand Staircase Escalante. After buying a one way ticket to Istanbul we spent a year making our way through Asia before arriving in Australia, where we have been living ever since. Have you hiked Angels Landing? When it comes to staying in Zion, the majority of accommodation is concentrated in the nearby village of Springdale. After some flat walking you head up the first set of switchbacks which are wide and not particularly steep - this section of the trail is paved. Is it worth visiting Bryce Canyon in winter? 10 Great Hikes in Zion National Park: Which One Will Be Your Favorite? Check them out on REI or Amazon, Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. An Early Start Is Crucial. Shuttle ticket was easily purchased online while I walked up to the shuttle loading area. Angels Landing, known previously as the Temple of Aeolus, is a 1,488-foot (454 m) tall rock formation in Zion National Park in southwestern Utah, United States.A trail cut into solid rock in 1926 leads to the top of Angels Landing and provides views of Zion Canyon OFF. The FREE Springdale service, operated by St. George Shuttle, resumed July 15, 2020 and continues daily 7am to 9pm through October 2020. Distance: 5.4 miles (8.7 km) round-trip Hiking time: 2-4 hours Best season: March–November Difficulty: Strenuous Hazards: Cliff exposure; can be slippery and dangerous when wet.The Angels Landing hike is not recommended for young children. If you start really early, it’s possible to do this in … You’ll then take on the famous Walter’s Wiggles: a series of 21 short but steep switchbacks! As long as there is no snow on the trails, Angels Landing will be great. However, this doesn’t seem to escape the crowds as we’ve read about people still struggling to get on the first shuttle buses, and then seeing a lot of people on the trail. The hardest of the uphill section is done now and you’re only 5-10 minutes from the very top. We waited until we saw this trail completely clear of people before we began ascending. Luckily I ignored my instincts and pressed on and it really isn’t as bad or as long as it looks! The trail to the summit of Angels Landing was constructed in 1926 and includes a remarkable series of 21 short switchbacks called ''Walters Wiggles". Angel Stadium 2000 Gene Autry Way Anaheim, CA 92806 (714) 940-2000 Angels Landing Hike: One of the early sections of the trail, Angels Landing Hike: One of the more precarious sections. Have fun! Are you planning a trip to Zion? This hike starts at the north section of Zion National Park, 12 miles from Scouts Lookout. You can buy gloves with great grip from Home Depot for as little as $3, we used these and though we wouldn’t say you need them, they were nice to have. The 8 Best Moab Hikes for Adventure Lovers! The summit offers a stunning 360 degree view of the park and according to its discoverer Frederick Fisher, “only an angel could land on it.” The lodge is literally steps away from the entrance to the park and the Visitor Centre, meaning you won’t lose any time driving to and from the park! Without the crowds you can take this section as slow as you like, working out foot placements and what feels safest to you. Angels Landing Address: Angels Landing Trail, Hurricane, UT 84737, USA, Zion National Park, United States ; Angels Landing Contact Number: +1-4357723256 ; Angels Landing Timing: 24-hrs ; Best time to visit Angels Landing(preferred time): 07:00 am - 01:00 pm ; Time required to visit Angels Landing… This strenuous five-mile hike begins at the Grotto Trailhead and follows the river for a bit before rapidly (seriously, not joking) climbing in elevation to top out around 1,500 feet.. Read next: The perfect 1 day itinerary for Monument Valley. Thanks for your help, We stayed in the town of Springdale, which is at the entrance into Zion NP. IMPORTANT!! Don’t do what I did which is to look up at the spine stretching ahead of you and start doubting yourself. Thanks for sharing your experience! For more information about Zion National Park, click here to read our Guide to Zion National Park. Most emails are boring, ours aren’t! We recommend allowing at least 3 - 4 hours to do the Angels Landing hike (and possibly more if you don’t regularly hike up steep trails). If you don’t want to cycle or walk, your other option for avoiding the first shuttle bus and therefore having virtually no one on the hike with you is to stay at Zion Lodge. If you are new to hiking or are curious about what you should bring on a hike, check out our Hiking Gear Guide. I was nervous before taking on the hike and watched just about every youtube video ever made (a big mistake, they make it look way scarier than it actually is!) Between March and November, Zion runs a shuttle bus system everyday, which means you cannot park at any of the trails inside the canyon. There have been 17 deaths on the Angels Landing hike. Trailhead: The Grotto (stop #6 on the Zion Shuttle). Have fun! At the time, doubt went through my mind and I even said to Joe ‘I can’t believe how far I have to go still, I won’t make it’. Distance (roundtrip): 5.4 mi / 8.7 km Elevation Change: 1,488 ft / 453 m Estimated Hiking Time: 4 hours Description: Long drop-offs. This makes the Angels Landing hike problematic as you can’t make a really early start unless you are prepared to walk an extra six miles miles from the visitor centre or cycle to the trailhead. At 5 miles, it’s considerably longer than many of the trails more popular among new hikers, those with children along, or anyone with trouble walking long distances. Want to hike Angels Landing … Keep in mind that temperatures on summer afternoons get up into the 90s, sometimes topping 100 degrees. Angels Landing is open all year, but in winter the trail is more likely to be covered in snow, ice, or rain, which spells danger on the slickrock ridge. Luckily we didn’t need to. With chain-assisted rock scrambling sections, stunning views, and vertigo-inducing heights, this really is a thrilling hike. Yes, you can hike to Scouts Lookout, which is an area just before the narrow trail to Angels Landing begins. For the most part of the hike to the top it felt like we were the only ones on the trail, apart from the ubiquitous squirrels and chipmunks - don’t let them get anywhere near your bags!! They easily collapse down to fit in your luggage and hiking backpack, plus they are extremely lightweight. Some people get lucky, arriving at sunrise to find just a few others on the trail, then hit all the crowds on the way back down the chains. Read more: How to Day Hike the West Rim Trail. But survive (literally, people FALL. This gave us time to do the scrambles without people waiting. Am I good to go with Nike’s or shoes like that? For me, this was the most intimidating sight on the whole trail and it came after what I now know to be the hardest section of the chains. On a crowded day the trail would be pretty horrendous in our opinion as you would have to try to move round people continuously, meaning that one of you has to let go of the chains on a narrow section. I don’t know if you have heard reports, but you need to be in the park before sunrise to get a parking space. You are on trails that are uneven and rough in spots, and for the narrow sections and the rock scrambling, it is best to have a pair of hiking shoes with good traction. But in my opinion, it’s only worth hiking Angels Landing if you can do the entire hike, including the chains. We were surprised to find out that we were quicker on the way down than the way up and didn’t feel nervous once. This will give you extra confidence with grip on the chains and make the hike easier. This part of the trail is a blast, if you like this kind of thing. The next time we visited Zion NP, we climbed it again! We believe that this hike isn’t dangerous as long as you are careful, don’t rush and are aware of the steep drops and other people. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc. I can only imagine what it would look like during the peak season summer months. This was really helpful! This gives you plenty of time to hike the spine of Angels Landing before it gets crowded with other hikers. Do you know if it is possible to hike from the Visitor Center to the trail head? The hardiest of trees emerge from cracks in the rocks, providing a nice spot of shade to sit and enjoy the breathtaking views. Length of Time: 3 to 5 hours Like a lot of this trail, the photos make this section look a lot worse than it actually is. If you have the time and energy, from Scouts Lookout you can continue on the West Rim Trail. Angels Landing, Kayenta Trail, Upper Emerald Pools, West Rim from the Grotto Trailhead to Cabin Spring and the far end of the Lower Emerald Pools are among the trails closed. Scout Lookout is a gorgeous spot. Other people (with a fear of heights) have told us they thought it is worth it to only hike to Scout Lookout. Summer is the hottest and most popular season for the park, so be prepared to share the trail and sweat in the heat; an early morning start is preferable. Cheers, Julie. Emerald Pools and the Riverside Walk are nice. However, this was only two out of 30ish people we saw in both directions (with almost all being headed back down). The primary dangers on the trail are the huge drops which are most dangerous when the path is crowded. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Hi What virtually no one tries, is going late! This meant we could trust our feet and move at a decent speed. 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