Angel’s Landing Day Hike in Zion’s National Park, Utah

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Heights. If you don’t like heights, you might be one of the many who will turn back on this trail. From the main drag, the Scenic Drive, the trailhead for Angel’s landing is on both sides of the road. angels landing zion's national parkIt is easily found on a park map. This hike is only 2.5 miles to destination, but it is a slow 2.5 miles on the way up. This trail is popular, and the tough incline slows many down, so don’t expect solitude. At times, the trail is dug into cliff sides that offer great midway views so take some pictures.

There are some interesting little caves when you get into a side canyon. We climbed around in them and kept heading up. Up and up, my god it was never ending, but this one is worth it. Continue up on “Walter’s Wiggles” and just a spell farther is the first turn around point for many. angels landing zion's national parkThis is the last stop you have that so far, you have not been very nervous about what you are getting yourself into. From here you have a fantastic view looking directly down the spine of the Angel’s Landing Trail as it crawls its way to the pinnacle- Angel’s Landing. This next leg is quite the experience. Young children should not hike this, and also drunk people.

Exercise caution: several have fallen to their deaths on this trail. At times, the trail is only two feet wide with a 800 ft. drop on one side and a 1,200 ft. drop on the other. Sometimes there is ice, sometimes there are wet handholds. angels landing zion's national parkThe hazards are many, but when I saw a group of Asians taking photos on their iphones of each other giving peace signs, I knew at least I could do it.

The finale is amazing. You are standing high above on a spire of rock that sits in the middle of an ancient river bend carved deep into countless visible mineral layers. To the East, on the opposite canyon wall you can see Hidden Canyon Trail and E Rim Trail and Weeping Rock. To the South is the Park’s entrance far off and below, wide and perfect symmetry. angels landing zion's national parkNorth gives views of The Narrows; a deep canyon who’s walls meander together forming a fissure allowing the Virgin River to cut farther down.

To the West is the spine that your trail follows out. This is a good opportunity to amaze yourself that you walked up that! Pat yourself on your back, as many people turn back at different points, but you are a warrior of wonder, a trekker of trail, a viking of views, and you just saw one of the greatest views in the West, and even the world.

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