Angel’s Landing

Ok! I am impressed. Wow! Might be a better exclamation. I knew Angel’s Landing, in Zion National Park, was a steep climb that had some real cliff exposure. I have read about people falling from the trail. One man was recently convicted for pushing his wife off the trail. So I expected there to be some places on the trail where we would be really close to the edge.




The hike starts normal enough. It leaves the parking lot and crosses the river on a bridge. The trail follows the course of the river for a short distance. Leaving the river the hiker begins the ascent. Here the trail is paved and steep. It continues for 1500 feet in elevation gain in 2.5 miles. The last 500 feet in elevation over the last ½ mile is along a very narrow ridge with a 1200 foot sheer drop to the canyon floor on one side and 900 feet on the other.

The park service has added chains to hold onto, and cut steps into the sandstone, but it is still very scary. When I walked up to the place where you see that last ½ mile and the steep sides, my stomach just flipped. There have been at least 5 or 6 people slip and fall to their death in the last 15 years.

If you are headed to Southern Utah and want a guide to help you on the Angel’s Landing hike, don’t call me. I DTA. (Did that already)