My first visit to Zion National Park was 2 days of a 7-day road trip through Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion. When choosing hikes, the famous Angel’s Landing was, of course, one of our top options. But after reading all the warnings, we decided to opt for the slightly less terrifying, Observation Point. I knew I’d be back to Zion and figured I could always try hiking Angel’s Landing next time.
Well, next time came when my husband and I stopped by Zion on our way back to Las Vegas after our trip to Havasu Falls. The thought still terrified me, but I knew Chris really wanted to do it, so I figured I could just back out if I ever felt too uncomfortable.
The Trail
- Distance: ~5.4 miles RT
- Elevation Change: ~1,500 feet
- Difficulty Level: Strenuous
- Trailhead: the Grotto (6th stop on Zion Canyon Shuttle)
Hiking Angel’s Landing
Angel’s Landing starts at the Grotto, the 6th stop on the Zion Canyon Shuttle. The hike starts along the West Rim Trail. Angel’s Landing refers to the narrow ridge that extends out into the canyon. The trail is about 2.7 miles one way with 1,500 feet of elevation change. This felt like way more than 1,500 feet of elevation change, but maybe its because it was the last hike of our trip.
The trail quickly leads to a set of really steep switchbacks before it levels out a bit inside a canyon that offers shade and cooler temperatures. Then, you’ll come to Walter’s Wiggles, another set of compact switchbacks that feel like they are never ending. I was so set on just getting out of the switchbacks, I never stopped to get a picture of them! Soon after Walter’s Wiggles, you’ll come to Scout’s Lookout, where you can see the rest of the trail leading to Angel’s Landing. We stopped here for a quick snack break before taking on the narrow ridge 1,500 feet above the canyon floor.
This last part of the trail is where it gets sketchy. The trail is along a very narrow ridge that climbs an additional 500 feet for another half a mile. Nothing but chains that separate you from 1,500 foot drops on either side of the ridge.
After the first set of chains, I made the decision to stop and hold onto a tiny tree stump for dear life while Chris continued. I had gotten nervous to the point where I was getting tripped up over steps that weren’t even tricky. That’s when I knew my nerves would actually make this even more dangerous and I had to stop.
Warnings and Crowds
I’ve heard so many warnings about this hike and know that it’s not for the faint-hearted and not for those afraid of heights. But so many trails that I’ve done before have had that warning, so I figured once I was there I would probably be okay. I wasn’t. I’m not going to say you won’t be fine if you choose to do this hike as hundreds of people were hiking it with Chris and all came back in one piece. But, I wouldn’t really call myself faint-hearted and I don’t think I have a fear of heights – I mean I’m a skier and a rock climber! I climbed down to Mooney Falls just a few days ago! But, this trail absolutely terrified me.
Being surrounded by people and needing to let go of the chains to move out of the way for people coming the opposite direction certainly doesn’t help the situation. I likely won’t ever do this hike again, so one piece of advice I have for you if you are planning to head to Angel’s Landing is to start early and get the first shuttle of the day to try to avoid the crowds.
If you do choose to finish the hike, you’ll be rewarded with an apparently incredible 360 degree view of the canyon…and bragging rights to say you’ve completed one of the scariest hikes in the USA!
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