Scared yet? We're heading up there! Angel's Landing is the most well-known hike in Zion National Park, and a destination trip for nature lovers and thrill seekers across the US. When we first started planning our trip to Utah, I made the mistake of watching some seriously scary hiking videos on youtube where scaling the edge of Angel's Landing with nothing but a chain anchored into the rock face to support you was made that much more stomach turning by the chaotic motions of a GoPro. Taking into account that at least 5 people have died falling from Angel's Landing since the hike's inception in 1926, it's not for the faint of heart. But here's why I think you shouldn't back out if you find yourself staring up at this view and considering turning around.
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| Warning signs placed at the trailhead make you feel warm and fuzzy |
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| Heading up towards the base of Angel's Landing |
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| The views as you head even just slightly higher up get more beautiful and dramatic. |
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| Beauty of the valley below |
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| Don't let the Wiggles get you down! In fact, looking down at the poor people behind you is a good confidence boost - you've already come so far! |
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| Don't forget to grab your Angel's Landing photo-op here! This is the iconic view you've been waiting for. |
For some, this view is the reward. But there's a lot of trail left, and it gets a lot more harrowing. The path forward goes along the narrow spine of Angel's Landing, with metal posts and chains along the way to help anchor you to the better footing and away from the steep drop-off on either side. At any point the trail is roughly 6 feet wide, so not enough you feel like you are tight rope walking, but with a severe fear of heights the only way I made it was by focusing solely on looking ahead and avoiding glancing to either side.
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| Doesn't this chain make you feel so secure? Yeah.. not really. |
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| This narrow ledge, yep, that's the trail. |
It's more than just the insanity of walking on a cliff's edge that makes Angel's Landing a real gut check, though. The crowds at this most popular Zion hike are an obstacle that deserve their own considering. The path is narrow enough that passing slow or scared hikers is quite difficult; they have no place to "pull over" and rest off the trail so inherent traffic jams occur. There's nothing more nerve wracking than being on a steep, challenging cliff's edge hike and having 20 people breathing down your neck because you've all been stuck in the same location for the past 10 minutes.
By the time you get to the top of Angel's Landing, the lookout peak has epic views but can get a bit crowded. As a reward for accomplishment, most people sit down and eat a little picnic or set up shop for social media videos. It can be a bit of a cluster. Find your little space of zen reflection and take some moments to appreciate the view.
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| The view from the top! |
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| My man grabbing a perch for us to enjoy the view. What you can't see is the 50ish other people sitting on either side of us. |
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| But the great thing about having plenty of other people on your hike? You can ask someone to snap a memory! I always get REALLY freaked out when my back is to the edge of a cliff, hence the unfortunate Hunchback of Notre Dame posture. |
What goes up, must come down. There's only one path in and out, so once you've thoroughly enjoyed your epic view of the park below with the gently winding Virgin River cutting a bright blue streak through the valley floor, it's time to pack up and head back from whence you came. The downward path is no more challenging than going up with little traffic jams where there's only room for one way traffic. Downward travellers have right of way over those coming up the trail, so it does tend to move a bit more smoothly.
When we made it back to Walter's Wiggles, my sense of euphoria and accomplishment were through the roof. I had just known I was going to see Scout's Landing and said, nope that's enough. But I kept going. I was scared; I was nervous; I doubted my decision more than a few times heading up. The thrill of conquering your own self doubt, and well living to tell about it is powerful stuff. I had been too nervous on the top of Angel's Landing to snack in celebration, so on our Walter's Wiggles descent I decided it was time to reward myself with an apple, and I have to say, that apple is still the best one I've ever eaten to this day.
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| One of Zion's resident mule deer grazes by the Virgin River |
