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Do you always need a permit for Angels Landing?

You Will Need a Permit to Hike to Angels Landing In response to this, the National Park Service now requires hikers to have a permit, in order to limit the number of people on the trail. Permits are awarded by lottery, both seasonally and the day before your planned hike.



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Hikers must have a permit when accessing any portion of Angels Landing. Visitors are able to hike the West Rim Trail from the trailhead at the Grotto to Scout Lookout without a permit. Permits to hike are issued by lottery in two ways: seasonally (1-3 months prior) and day-before (1 day prior).

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Angels Landing is a must-do in Zion National Park. Yet, permits are difficult to get, with only 43% of lottery applicants being successful in 2022.

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ST. GEORGE, Utah — A permit is now required to hike Angels Landing at Zion National Park. Some of the first people to hike it Friday with the new system in place said it was less crowded and felt safer.

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With moderate elevation gain and a relatively limited mileage, the Angels Landing hike is in some ways beginner friendly. However, the Chains Section will be too intimidating for most beginners or anyone who struggles with vertigo or a fear of heights.

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Angels Landing is known as one of the most dangerous hikes in the United States. The summit is over a thousand feet off the valley floor and has no guard rails. People have hurt themselves, and even fallen to their deaths, so this is a trail to take seriously.

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To hike Angels Landing, you have to: Be in good shape, as the hike is 5 miles (round-trip) and ascends many steep switchbacks over 1,500 feet. Tolerate heights, as the last (and most famous) section of the hike goes across a narrow stretch of rock with cliffs on both sides called the Hog's Back.

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The out and back hike is rated strenuous and has an elevation gain of 453 m (1,488 ft). Round trip, the Angels Landing hike is 8.7 km (5.4 mi) and takes about 4 hours to complete. There are two distinct parts to the Angels Landing hike- before and after Scout Lookout.

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Pack What You Need Walking sticks are great for the hike to Scout Lookout, but once you start up Angel's Landing, they won't be much help. The climb is simply too steep, and clinging to the chains is far safer.

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You don't need any specialty gear in order to hike the Angels Landing Trail. However, there are a few things I would recommend bringing along: Hiking Shoes. You'll definitely want really good grip while hiking the Angels Landing Trail, so if possible, I recommend hiking shoes with traction over regular sneakers.

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At 1.9 miles you'll reach Scout's Landing. This is where the trail splits for the West Rim Hike to one side or the daring final half mile ascent to the top of Angels Landing. This is also the spot where hikers have the option to turn around if they have a fear of heights or small children.

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Zion National Park Day Hikes If you want to visit Zion National Park and do some of the popular non-technical day hikes, you'll only need a permit if you want to hike Angels Landing. All other trails do not require permits.

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The truth is that Angels Landing is one of the most dangerous hikes in the country. People do fall off the edge of this very, very tall chunk of rock — there are no guardrails, after all.

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The National Park Service considers ascending the 4,800 feet and traveling the minimum 14.5 miles to Half Dome's summit, “one of the most challenging day hikes in any national park.” Measured by vertical ascent, hiking Half Dome is roughly three times as challenging as hiking Angels Landing, and even includes a 7-mile ...

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Our #1 Tip: Take the First Shuttle of the Day For the best experience, this is a hike that needs to be started early in the day. By being on the first shuttle, you will be one of the first on the trail. This gives you plenty of time to hike the spine of Angels Landing before it gets crowded with other hikers.

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While the hike to Angels Landing is challenging based only on elevation gain, what makes it dangerous is the final ascent to the summit. The last half-mile of the trail is a ridge only a few feet across with steep drop-offs on either side.

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One trail that rivals an Angels Landing hike is the Narrows. This trail is perhaps even more unique than Angels Landing. Hikers travel up or downstream through the Virgin River, surrounded by towering canyon walls that narrow as you progress further into the canyon.

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To me, the scariest part about Angels Landing isn't the 1000 foot drop-offs on either side of the trail, but the fact that you have to share the trail with hundreds of other hikers. Otherwise, the trail is pretty well-protected along the way, and there are chains along the hike to help keep you stable.

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People have died after falling from the trail. Since the early 1900s, it is believed more than 15 people have died while hiking the Angels Landing trail. That includes five deaths in the past five years, two of which occurred in 2021.

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