Angels Landing is Zion’s most famous hike: a steep climb up the West Rim Trail and Walter’s Wiggles, then a narrow, chain-assisted scramble along a fin of rock with drops of up to 1,000 feet on either side, to one of the best views in the national park system. It’s thrilling, it’s strenuous, and since 2022 you’ve needed a permit to do it.
It was named in 1916 by Frederick Vining Fisher, a Methodist minister, who said the angels would never land on the nearby Great White Throne but would pause at the foot of this smaller peak. This guide covers how to get a permit, the hike step by step, how hard it really is and how to stay safe. If heights aren’t your thing, Scout Lookout, halfway up, still gives you superb views without a permit.
Why Hike Angels Landing? What’s So Special About the Trail?
Angels Landing is one of the most famous hikes in the world, and one of Zion National Park’s best hikes. A bold statement, we know, but one we stand behind.
Starting from the Grotto, the trail climbs 1,488 feet in 2.7 miles to a summit around 5,790 feet above sea level. Along the way you’ll hike paved switchbacks carved into the cliff, a cool, shady side canyon and the famous Walter’s Wiggles, before the final half-mile along the exposed spine of rock.
It’s also a genuinely dangerous hike and not for the faint-hearted. The final section is less than 3 feet wide in places, the chains are intermittent, and people have died falling from it, most recently in April 2026. If you’re afraid of heights or unsure on your feet, this isn’t the hike for you, and there’s no shame in stopping at Scout Lookout, which needs no permit and has spectacular views of its own.
Hiking The Angels Landing Trail: In Detail
Getting to the Angels Landing Trailhead
The hike starts at the Grotto, Stop 6 on the Zion Canyon Shuttle. For most of the year, the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to private cars, so you’ll need to take the shuttle from the Visitor Center. In 2026 it runs from 7 March to 28 November, plus 26 December to 2 January, with the first bus at 7am. When the shuttle isn’t running, you can drive to the Grotto, but the car park fills early.
Top Tip: Make sure you have your permit before you set out (see below). Rangers can check permits anywhere on the trail, so carry it with photo ID, and be at the Grotto by the start time printed on it.
Angels Landing Hike: Step by Step
The Grotto
Take our advice: fill your water bottles and use the toilets at the Grotto before you start. In summer, the park recommends carrying 3 to 4 litres of water each.
From the shuttle stop, cross the footbridge over the Virgin River and turn right onto the West Rim Trail. Almost straight away, the fin of Angels Landing comes into view high above you.
The West Rim Trail
The first stretch follows the river before climbing a series of long, paved switchbacks up the cliff face. It’s steady going, with little shade, so it can be hot work later in the day. The trail was built in the mid-1920s and opened in 1926, and it’s an engineering marvel in its own right.
At the top of the switchbacks, the trail enters Refrigerator Canyon, a narrow side canyon that stays cool and shady even in summer. It’s the best place on the route to catch your breath and have a drink.
Walter’s Wiggles
Once you’re ready, it’s on to Walter’s Wiggles, a tight stack of 21 short, steep switchbacks named after Walter Ruesch, Zion’s first custodian, who came up with the idea for this section in the 1920s. The name may make you giggle, but trust us, your thighs will burn.
At the top is Scout Lookout, just over 2 miles and about 1,000 feet of climbing from the Grotto. It’s a wide sandy saddle with toilets and superb views down Zion Canyon, and it’s as far as you can go without a permit. Scout Lookout and back is 4.2 miles and takes about three hours.
Scout Lookout to the Summit
Take a deep breath. The final half-mile from Scout Lookout to the summit is the most challenging and exposed part of the hike, climbing roughly 500 feet along the narrow spine of Angels Landing.
Chains are bolted into the rock along much of the route. Use them wherever they’re provided, keep three points of contact on the steepest sections and watch your footing on the sandstone steps, which can be slippery with sand.
In places the trail is so narrow that only one person can pass at a time, so be patient and take turns with hikers coming the other way. Drops of up to 1,000 feet fall away on both sides, down to the Virgin River and Big Bend on one side and the West Rim Trail on the other. Take it slow and steady, and you’ll soon be at the top.
Angels Landing Summit
After the last stretch of chains, you’ll reach one of the finest views in Zion. Zion Canyon stretches out in both directions, with the Virgin River curving around Big Bend far below, the Great White Throne and Red Arch Mountain across the canyon, and the entrance to The Narrows upstream.
It’s a view that begs you to get your camera out, but keep well back from the edges. Once you’ve caught your breath, had a drink and taken it all in, head back down the way you came, taking just as much care on the chains on the way down.
Practical Tips for Hiking Angels Landing, Zion National Park
How to Get Your Angels Landing Permit
To protect hikers and the trail, you need a permit to hike beyond Scout Lookout, all year round. We’ll level with you: getting one takes some planning. Permits are allocated by lottery on Recreation.gov, and there are two ways in.
The seasonal lottery opens a few months ahead for each season. You can rank up to seven preferred days and start times (before 9am, 9am to noon, or after noon), and apply for up to six people. The 2026-27 windows are:
- Spring (March to May): apply in February, with results at the end of the month.
- Summer (June to August): apply 1 to 20 April, results 25 April.
- Autumn (September to November): apply 1 to 20 July, results 25 July.
- Winter (1 December 2026 to 28 February 2027): apply 1 to 20 October, results 25 October.
The day-before lottery is your second chance. Apply between 12:01am and 3pm Mountain Time the day before you want to hike, and you’ll hear by 4pm.
Each application costs $6, which isn’t refundable, and if you win you pay another $3 per person. That’s on top of the park entrance fee. Only submit one application per lottery: duplicates cancel all your entries. You can find full details on the National Park Service website.
No luck in the lottery? This guided Angels Landing hike with Zion Guide Hub includes the permit, plus lunch and microspikes if needed (from around $325, park pass not included).
Leave No Trace
This is a beautiful hike that deserves your respect. Whatever you take up must come back down with you, from snack wrappers to water bottles, and don’t feed the squirrels at Scout Lookout, however cheeky they get.
Hike With Caution
The park is clear that falls from cliffs on trails have caused deaths, and Angels Landing isn’t suitable for young children or anyone afraid of heights. We’d avoid the chains section when it’s wet, icy or windy, and in summer keep an eye on the forecast for afternoon thunderstorms, which are common from July to September.
Be considerate of other hikers, especially between Scout Lookout and the summit, and know your limits. There’s no shame in turning back at Scout Lookout.
Start Early in the Day
Summer temperatures in Zion Canyon regularly top 100°F, and the trail still gets busy despite the permit system. Aim for the before-9am permit slot if you can: you’ll miss the worst of the heat and most of the crowds on the chains.
Use the Chains and Take Regular Rests
The chains are there for a reason, so use them. Take regular rests too: Refrigerator Canyon, the bottom of Walter’s Wiggles and Scout Lookout are all good places to stop.
Get a Good Pair of Hiking Boots
This is a strenuous hike on steep, sandy rock, so wear comfortable hiking boots with good grip. In winter, add traction devices: Walter’s Wiggles and the chains section can be icy.
Angels Landing Hike Zion National Park: FAQs
How Long is The Angels Landing Hike?
Angels Landing is a 5.4-mile (8.7km) out-and-back hike from the Grotto, and it takes most people around four hours.
How Hard is the Angels Landing Trail?
It’s rated strenuous, with 1,488 feet of elevation gain, and the final section involves exposed scrambling with chains. You need to be reasonably fit, sure-footed and comfortable with heights.
If you’re not sure, try another hike first, such as the Watchman Trail when it reopens, or hike as far as Scout Lookout and decide there.
Do You Need a Permit for Scout Lookout?
No. You can hike the West Rim Trail and Walter’s Wiggles to Scout Lookout without a permit. You only need one to continue onto the chains section to the summit.
When is the Best Time to Hike Angels Landing?
The trail is open all year, but spring and autumn bring the most comfortable temperatures. Summer is very hot, and in winter the trail can be icy and occasionally closes for unsafe conditions. Early March and mid-November are good times to go with fewer people around.
For more planning tips, read our guide to the best time to visit Zion and our things to know before traveling to Zion.
