Angel's Landing is one of those hikes that lives up to the hype. The 360 views from the top are genuinely stunning, the chain section adds a real thrill factor, and finishing it feels like an accomplishment. But we found it’s more accessible than its reputation suggests and it could be fine for some kids. Here’s everything we learned on our recent adventure to Zion.
To get to the very top of Angel’s Landing, you have to get permits for everyone in your party (apply here). These are in high demand, so the National Park Service runs a lottery to determine who gets them. Each entry into the lottery is $6 and can request up to 6 permits for a group. If you win, you’ll pay an additional $3 per person.
Trust me, this is the hardest part of the entire hike. There are two ways to sag permits:
Advance lottery: First, there is a seasonal lottery that occurs quarterly for slots a few months out (I.e. you apply in April for hiking dates in June to August).
Day-before lottery: A second, smaller lottery opens the day before your intended hike date. Absolutely worth trying if you didn’t get a slot via the advanced lottery.
In our case, two of us applied to the advanced lottery and we didn’t win. Three of us applied for it the day before, and one of us won enough permits for our group. 😅
Odds of getting a permit vary by season and day, but if you really want to do the hike, I would have every adult in your party apply in advance, then if you don’t win, apply the day before for each day that you are at the park. This may require some flexibility in your daily plans.
Now, what if you have people who don’t know if they want to do the entire hike? I would recommend that you still get a permit for them anyway. They can go at least to Scout Lookout (which is still a good hike with awesome views), then they can decide if they want to go up the last section to Angels Landing. If they do, then at least you’ll have the permit ready.
Finally, permits have a specific time on them (before 9am, after 9am, afternoon, etc), and we were stressed we would miss our slot because of how long the bus line was. However, while there are rangers posted at Scout Landing to check permits, we were told they aren’t strict about start times because of how long it takes to get the bus in the mornings.
Zion doesn't allow private vehicles on the main canyon road during peak season. You park at the visitor center and take the free shuttle to the trailhead. In theory this is simple. In practice, the shuttle line on a busy morning is genuinely terrifying. If the parking lot at the visitor center is full, you may have to leave your car in Springdale (a town just before the park) and walk or bus in, then get on the shuttle that goes through the park.
We arrived at 7:15am and were able to get parking, but we still waited in the bus line for well over an hour before we got a ride. As I mentioned above, we had “before 9am” permits, and it was a bit stressful. We finally arrived at the trailhead around 8:45am.
So here is what I recommend: get there as early as possible. In peak season, the parking lot will be full by 7:30am until early afternoon, so plan on parking in Springdale if needed. Also plan on spending 60 to 90 minutes waiting for the bus at the visitor center to get up to the trailhead.
Once you are finally on the freaking bus, you’re looking for the Grotto stop, which is stop 6.
Round trip, the trail is 5.4 miles with a 1,488 foot elevation gain. It is a solid hike, but for adults in reasonable shape, it isn’t anything too crazy. The entire thing (including rest time at the top) took us about 2.5 hours, but that was for three guys. With kids it would have taken a lot longer.
The trail starts at the Grotto and climbs through a series of aggressive switchbacks called the Wiggles. They're relentless but well-maintained and mostly paved. At the top of the Wiggles, you reach Scout Lookout, a wide plateau with excellent views of the valley. This is also where the permit checkpoint is. No permit, this is your turnaround point. With a permit, you keep going.
From Scout Lookout, the trail changes completely. The paved path gives way to bare rock and the famous chain section begins. Steel chains are bolted into the rock face and serve as handholds as you scramble up the narrow ridge to the summit. The exposure on either side is real and the drop-offs are significant. It's not technical climbing, but it requires comfort on exposed terrain and the ability to navigate around other hikers on a shared trail.
One thing to know: the chains are shared by people going up and coming down, which creates traffic jams at busy times. Be patient and courteous. We got stuck behind a slow patch for a few minutes but it moved.
From Scout Lookout to the summit took us about 30 minutes. The views from the top are a full 360 degrees across the valley. The most dangerous thing up there, genuinely, is the chipmunks. They are bold and apparently have a track record of biting people who offer them food.
The descent is honestly a little worse than the ascent. Going down the chains means facing the drop-off the whole way rather than the rock face. Take your time. If you are afraid of heights, it will make you nervous. If not, it really isn’t that big of a deal.
Given the reputation that Angels Landing has for being a bit dangerous (people do fall off and die occasionally), we decided not to take our kids this first time. Having seen it now, I think any of them 8 and up would certainly have been able to do it.
The main thing is, they need to be able to hold on to the chain and ascend/descend the steeper sections by themselves and stay on the trail. If they don’t listen or are reckless, then it could be genuinely dangerous. I would not take our 6-year-olds up to the very top.
That said, the lower section up to Scout Lookout is fine for any kids who can walk the distance. It's steep but paved and well-defined. In future, we might take a bigger party up to that point, then just have the more adventurous folks summit Angels Landing while others wait at the Lookout. There is a bathroom at Scout Lookout.
So all that to say, our recommendation is 8 and up for the full hike, and only for kids who are already comfortable scrambling on rocks and not fazed by heights. If your kid is younger, hesitates on exposed terrain, or needs a hand to get over obstacles, Scout Lookout is a fantastic destination on its own and still worth the hike up.
The hike itself is not as hard as the reputation suggests. Most of the trail is paved. The chain section adds real exposure but it is not technical climbing. If you are reasonably fit and comfortable with heights, you can do this. Kids 8 and up probably can too.
Apply for permits early and often. Try the advance lottery first, then the day-before lottery as a backup. Have multiple adults in your party apply. Consider having a flexible agenda if you’re at the park for multiple days and apply for permits on multiple days.
Get to the park early. Parking fills up and the shuttle line gets long fast. During busy seasons, budget 90 minutes between parking and hitting the trail (IF you park at the visitor center).
Bring plenty of water and snacks. This may be obvious, but the dry desert air will suck the moisture out of you and the elevation change will sap your energy. This is especially critical if you are hiking with kids. Just don't feed the chipmunks, they are known to bite.
There are bathrooms at Scout Lookout. Helpful to know if part of your group is planning to wait there.
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Zion is one of the most spectacular parks in the country and Angel's Landing is the centerpiece hike for good reason. Get the permit, get there early, and go do it! Looking for some other awesome hikes? Check out these options:
