The Trailhead

The trail begins at The Grotto, stop #6 on the Zion Canyon Shuttle Line. By the way, this is another recent crowd control measure instituted by the Park Service. Between May 21 and December 31 you cannot drive your car into Zion Canyon. Instead you have to park at the Visitors Center and ride the free shuttle. This actually works out very well because the shuttles run regularly. And since the most popular attractions in Zion National Park are along the one main canyon, it’s incredibly convenient to hop from spot to spot and let someone else do the driving. There is none of that car congestion that you see so often in places like Yellowstone.

After crossing a bridge over The Virgin River, you start a relatively easy climb. The trail eventually rises up the canyon wall approaching Angels Landing. Very soon, you enter a number of switchbacks as you climb higher over the canyon floor. Here, you begin to enjoy views down the valley. Eventually you turn up the side canyon, skirting the flank of Angels Landing high above. The canyon lets you enjoy some shade for much of the day, but this is also where you make much of your elevation gain.

And speaking of elevation gain, before too long you will come to the infamous Walter’s Wiggles. Part of your ascent is almost straight up a very narrow section of canyon. The solution to this is some of the most extreme switch backs you’ll ever see!

Scout Lookout and The Chains

Eventually you arrive at the top of the canyon, and onto the ridge leading up to the actual Angel Landing. A nice, open area called Scout Lookout makes a great destination with incredible views of the canyon. If you do not do well with heights, or otherwise don’t want to live on the edge (quite literally), this is a great spot to end your climb. In fact, you could even come this far without a permit because Scout Lookout is where rangers will stop you and check.

This is where your final half-mile ascent begins. The next section isn’t necessarily very strenuous as most other hikes might be. The challenge here is more one of technicality. The chain section requires you to be on your toes. It requires constant vigilance and introduces an upper-body aspect that doesn’t usually exist in hiking. Crowds present an additional challenge as you work to negotiate tight spaces with strings of hikers trying to move both directions along the trail.

The hike follows a narrow spine from the lookout to the summit of Angels Landing. If you’re relatively fit and can handle the heights and tight spaces, it’s a rewarding experience that I highly recommend.

The Summit

The views from the top are spectacular. As you sit and rest you can enjoy 360 degrees of views throughout Zion Canyon. The contrast is stark between the red rock cliffs and the deep blue sky above. And if you’re lucky you’ll enjoy a cooling breeze as you prepare for the climb back down.

Summary

We did this hike with a permit beginning before 9 a.m. We followed the common advice and arrived as early as possible. We did not quite getting the first shuttle of the morning, but pretty close. After the shuttle ride and a little last-minute prep, we started the hike at 7:30. This was good for avoiding the hottest part of the day. However, it did not do much for avoiding the crowds since it seems everyone else followed the same advice.

We didn’t mind, though, and had a good experience. We met two couples later in the day and were surprised to find out that they had hiked the trail in the early afternoon. They reported that the heat wasn’t really too bad, especially since the middle portion of the trail is in deep canyon where it’s shaded throughout the afternoon. Best of all, they said the only passed two other small groups on the entire trail. It seems that if you can handle the heat and are prepared with plenty of water this might be the way to go next time.

The trail, the effort and the crowds were worth it to experience this legendary trail.