Zion - Mount Carmel Highway
Angel's Landing Hike
Zion National Park
On the Angel's Landing Trail
Zion National Park is located in the southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. The park boasts large canyons with exposed rock dating back hundreds of millions of years. Zion is famous for it's extravagant natural scenery, including points of special interest such as the Virgin River, The Narrows, Lava Point, Emerald Pools, and The Subway.
Angel's Landing and The Narrows are Zion's most famous hikes. The Angel's Landing hike takes you up to the top of the cliffs that you were staring at from the canyon floor below. Along the hike you're presented with incredible views of Zion Canyon.
If you're an experienced hiker, you won't have much trouble on this hike, but, if you're scared of heights, you may have a tough time. The last half mile of the hike is scary, steep, and narrow. You walk along narrow cliff walls, cling to a chain, and there's several hundred foot drops on both side of you. Don't let go!
Is the Angel's Landing hike scary?
Coming from someone who is deathly afraid of heights (me), Angel's Landing was surprisingly not that scary. Okay, I'll admit, it is scary. But I personally wasn't too scared because my tolerance for death defying hikes changed after I did the Half Dome hike in Yosemite.
The very tip top of Angel's Landing - this is where Angels land
Angel's Landing felt like a cakewalk to me, but how will it feel for you? If you're not sure about whether the Angel's Landing hike is for you, I encourage you to take the hike as far as you can. You can get pretty far and see some pretty nice views even before you get to the scary part.
Planning and Preparing to visit Zion and Hiking to Angel's Landing
If you're planning on camping in this beautiful canyon, be sure to book a campground in advance. If you miss the opportunity to book in advance and all the spots are full, arrive at the park as early as possible the morning if your visit to try and secure a first come first serve camping spot. We managed to snag the last available walk-in spot in Watchman Campground when we arrived at around 11am on a Friday. More information on camping in Zion can be found here and you can reserve campgrounds here. I also heard that there's a lot of backcountry camping near Zion on BLM land.
Items you might want to consider bringing for the Angel's Landing Hike:
Clothes according to the weather
Good hiking boots or trail shoes
How to get to Zion National Park
Zion National Park is a 6 hour drive from Los Angeles, 2 1/2 hours from Las Vegas, 4 hours from Salt Lake City, and 6 hours from Phoenix. If you're far from Zion, consider taking a plane to Las Vegas and then renting a car and driving 2 1/2 hours to Zion.
What conquering Angel's Landing feels like
In Zion head to the visitor center and speak to a guide about which of the hikes fit your skill level. Once you decide, take a bus straight from the visitor center to the trailhead, then begin your awesome hike up to Angel's Landing!
If you’re bringing an RV to Zion, read our Harvest Host review to learn more about unique and local places you can stop along the way.
What to do in Zion National Park
In addition to the Angel's Landing hike, Zion National Park is also great for:
If you brought your car, drive up Zion - Mount Carmel Highway from majestic views and a long tunnel.
From Zion you can also travel and visit what's known as the Grand Circle, a tour of National Parks and Monuments across five states, such as Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Mesa Verde National Park. And it doesn't hurt that Las Vegas is not too far from this National Park!
Tips for the Angel's Landing Hike
You don't need a permit for the Angel's Landing hike
The campgrounds at Zion are some of the best quality we've stayed at, the bathrooms are clean and there is a sink with running water and soap to wash your dishes
The town near the entrance to Zion National Park, Springfield, is known as the Gateway to Zion and is full of restaurants, Airbnbs, overflow campgrounds, and shops
Visit Zion and do the Angel's Landing hike today!
Zion Canyon is super fun to adventure around; there's so much to do and see. The beauty of Zion is overpowering at times and leaves you with a lasting impression that you won't be able to shake off for a while. Along the Angels Landing hike I met someone from New England who said there is nothing like Zion NP back home. When I heard this I felt really lucky to have grown up on the West Coast and to have such a spectacular collection of outdoor adventures pretty much in my backyard, such as Point Lobos, Yosemite, Sequoia/King's Canyon, and Catalina Island. If you're craving more hiking that is similar to Zion, be sure to check out Grand Canyon National Park, Pinnacles National Park, and Yosemite National Park.
Angel's Landing FAQ
How long does the angel's landing hike take?
The Angel's Landing hike took us about 3-4 hours, so we still had a lot of time in our day to do other things around Zion as well. Take your time on the hike, it's a little steep. The last part of the hike, where you hold on to the metal chain, is only .5 miles long but takes over 30 minutes because of how slow you have to take it!
Is Angel's Landing a hard hike?
Angel's Landing is a moderate-tough hike. There's a lot of steep uphill, train at least a little bit beforehand!
Is Angel's Landing worth it?
Yes, very much so. Getting to Angel's Landing is an accomplishment that you will remember for the rest of your life.
Is Angel's Landing open? Is Angel's Landing closed?
Angel's Landing is open to hikers usually all year long, but be sure to stop by the visitor's center to inquire about current conditions. The best time to do the Angel's Landing hike during good weather, bring plenty of water, dress accordingly, and start early.
Is Angel's Landing dangerous?
Yes, very much so. People do die during the Angel's Landing hike. If you get to the scary part and don't feel comfortable, pay it safe and stay back. Also, don't be too confident during the hike, respect the difficulty of the trail and proceed with caution.