Hiking Angels Landing
November 2023The Specs
Elevation Gain: 1,488 ft
Climb/Descent: 4,062 ft
Total Mileage: 5.6 mi
Hiking Time: 4.5 hours
Rating: Difficult
Where and What is Angels Landing?
Angels Landing is a beautiful wall of Navajo Sandstone in Zion National Park, with the base sitting in the Moenave Formation. The story behind the name is when Methodist minister Frederick Vining Fisher first visited Zion in 1916, he allegedly quipped that it was “so high only an angel could land on it.”
Because it’s the most popular hike in Zion, to help mitigate the crowding on the steep, narrow ridge, the Park Service has a permit program in place.
We entered the next-day permit lottery and got approved to make our trek up on Randy’s birthday!
This wiggly, switchbacking trail is just the beginning, literally.
Things really get interesting once the climb up “The Spine” starts.
This is the only trail up and down. This is why there’s a permit program.
Not quite to the top, but… this looks like…
…a good spot for…
…A PICNIC!
Not much
farther now!
