Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Permit Required
This hike requires a permit or fee. Check current rules before you go: recreation.gov or the managing agency.
Why Hike This
Most of Zion's big hikes just ask for legs, but this one asks for a permit and a tolerance for exposure, and the two are separate problems. You climb from the Grotto up to Scout Lookout on your own, roughly 2.25 miles and 1,000 feet of it, and only the final half mile of chained fin needs the lottery permit. Rangers can ask to see that permit anywhere on the trail, so download it before you lose signal. If the chains rattle you, Scout Lookout is a fine place to stop.
The Trail
Chains section along a knife-edge fin to Zion's most famous perch. Permit lottery required.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Strenuous)
3+ liters water, broken-in boots, layers for weather swings, headlamp, real food (jerky, trail mix), trekking poles, first-aid kit, and an early start.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: South Campground (Zion) (Camping, 5 mi) · Watchman Campground (Camping, 5 mi) · Lava Point Campground (Camping, 9 mi) · Kolob Reservoir (Fishing, 13 mi)
More hikes nearby: The Narrows (Bottom-Up) (Hike, 1 mi) · Riverside Walk (Hike, 1 mi) · Emerald Pools (Hike, 1 mi) · Observation Point (East Mesa) (Hike, 3 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Angels Landing hike?
- 5.4 miles round trip with 1488 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Angels Landing?
- Strenuous. Kid rating: 1 out of 5.
- When should I hike Angels Landing?
- Best season: Spring & Fall.
- Why hike Angels Landing?
- Because the fin puts you out in the middle of Zion Canyon with air on both sides, which no other trail here does. The permit lottery keeps the chains from turning into a queue. Plan on about four hours, and be honest with yourself about heights first.