Your Ultimate Guide to Visiting Zion National Park - Angel's Landing and The Narrows
- Jennifer Evans
- Aug 24, 2024
- 8 min read
Utah is one of my absolute favorite states in the country because it’s home to the famous “Mighty 5” which refer to five National Parks all off the same interstate. On the west side of the state, you have Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. In the middle, you have Capitol Reef National Park. And on the east, you have Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park.
I’ve been to Zion twice and it will always be one of my favorite National Parks in America. Zion has two crazy hikes called Angel’s Landing and the Narrows. Oddly enough, one takes you to the highest part of the National Park and the other takes you to the lowest.
But trust me, you won't want to leave Zion before seeing both extremes!
ANGEL'S LANDING - THE TOP OF THE PARK
Now, pardon the 2015 cell phone picture. But if you were to Google "Zion National Park," I guarantee you one of the very first photos that will pop up is your view from the top of Angel's Landing!
I'm about to describe something that sounds a little miserable (which is can be) but the view at the top is worth every ounce of energy you have to put into it. Trust me! You won't want to miss this.
Angel’s Landing is the hike of all hikes. According to AllTrails, Angel’s Landing is:
Distance: 4.3 miles
Elevation Gain of 1,827ft
Disclaimer: You now need permits for a portion of Angel’s Landing prior to arriving so be sure to check out Recreation.gov to secure those permits
Angel’s Landing is an “out and back” trail meaning that you are hiking to a certain stopping point and then turning around to come back the same way you went. You start the trail with what’s called “switchbacks” which refer to parts of the trail that “switches back and forth.” Think of walking in a zig-zag shape, but with a steep incline/decline.
PRO TIP: The switchbacks don’t have a lot of opportunity for shade so be sure to wear sun protective clothing or you’ll have a miserable experience before you even make it to the top.
Some of my favorite sun protective equipment that we've personally used and recommend includes:
THIS Yeti Water Bottle for electrolytes (don't put electrolytes in your bladder)
The bad parts about switchbacks are that it often feels like you walk forever before making any “real” progress and the incline can be pretty difficult sometimes (especially on hikes like Angel’s Landing). But the great part about switchbacks is that I’ve never been on a hike with switchbacks that ended with an ugly view.
TRAIL TIP: If you don’t like heights, feel free to stop after the switchbacks because the next part gets pretty wild!
After the switchbacks, you have the “chain section.” This hiking path takes you along a ridge of a rock face that gets as narrow as 3ft wide with up to a 1,200 ft drop on either side. They have chains embedded into the rock that you simply hold onto to help keep your balance.
Part of why they’ve implemented a permit system for Angel’s Landing is to prevent this section from getting overcrowded to enhance safety. As someone who did this hike prior to the permit system, I can definitely attest to the fact that this area would be crowded making it even more dangerous.
With all that being said, you can have a perfectly safe experience. Just don’t be “that person” that dies via selfie. As long as you stay aware of your surroundings and make smart decisions, you’ll be totally fine on this hike. It's an adrenaline rush, but one that can be done in a safe manner!
TRAIL TIP: Don’t be afraid to hike slowly and take your time. Some people are so eager to make it to the top or want to keep a quick pace that they forget to enjoy the view around them. Feel free to go slow to make the experience a little less miserable, but be sure to let others around you politely.
Once you get to the top, the views are like no other. The mountains look so high, the valleys look so low, and the red rock just simply pops against the blue sky and green trees and you'll feel like you're literally in a movie or looking at a postcard.
PRO TIP: Take your time once you make it to the top. Soak in the views, take the time to rest, and refuel your body. You have a long hike back down but you also never know when you’ll have the opportunity to see this view again.
LATE NIGHT EXPERIENCE
Now before we get into details about the Narrows, some people are absolutely wild and attempt to do both of these hikes on the same day.
This is something I do NOT recommend doing as it will set you up for a miserable experience.
What I DO highly recommend however is to visit Zion National Park in the middle of the night. This view has to be one of the best night skies I’ve ever seen as it’s considered one of the International Dark Sky Parks. The abundance of stars you can see with a clear sky in Zion is incomparable and gives you an extra reason to visit this part of our country.
Your eyes adjust to the view the longer you sit there and just when you think you can't see anymore stars, you'll notice more and more. I could have easily sat there all night.
THE NARROWS (THE BOTTOM OF THE PARK)
Moving onto the Narrows.
Assuming you’re now well rested, it’s time to hike the Narrows which is hiking through the Virgin River in the middle of a massive slot canyon. Be prepared to get WET!
According to AllTrails, the Narrows is:
Distance: 16.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,076 feet
Now, I’ve never hiked the Narrows in its entirety (and you do not either). But this is the only hike I’ve done both times that I was in Zion and I’d get back on it again tomorrow if I had the opportunity to.
PRO TIP: Arrive VERY early in the morning for this hike. Here’s why.
The parking lot at the Visitor Center fills up fast and getting a parking space at the Visitor Center is the key to success.
At the Visitor Center, you’ll find Zion’s first shuttle stop on the route. This is a seasonal shuttle that runs from March-November. During the shuttle season, the Visitor Center is one of the only places you’re allowed to park. Since the Narrows hike starts at the last shuttle stop, Temple of Sinawava, meaning the Narrows is very hard to access without the shuttle.
If you aren’t able to secure a parking lot at the Visitor Center, you’ll have to go back out into Springdale (the city that Zion National Park is outside of) and wait for a shuttle from town to bring you to the Visitor Center to then get on Zion’s shuttle.
This is definitely a “doable” option. However, by the time you leave Zion, find somewhere to park, get back on a shuttle, and get back into the park, the lines are going to be very long which could lead to hours of waiting and the Narrows is going to be extremely crowded once you get there.
That brings me to my next point - if you show up early, the views of the Narrows will be SO much better because you’ll have less people. It’ll feel less like a tourist attraction and more like the beautiful slot canyon that it is.
PRO TIP: Make sure your time in Zion is long enough for flexibility. The Narrows will close due to weather but you do NOT want to miss this while you’re there.
Now is there really a hike that’s worth this logistical nightmare?
The short answer is, yes.
I wouldn’t be raving about this place if it wasn’t one of my sincere favorite places in this country.
PRO TIP: Purchase the rental gear to prevent yourself from having a miserable experience!
There are many places in Springdale that offer Narrows Rental Gear which includes a trekking pole, boots with ankle support, and socks that are meant to endure a lot of water. If you’re there during the cold months, you can also rent a dry suit. You can technically go without the rental gear in the summer months (which I don’t recommend because this is a very slippery hike) but in the winter, a dry suit is basically a must have.
Before you start hiking in the river, you have a flat and paved trail that runs parallel to the river to your entry point. Every time I’ve been here, I’ve seen people getting in the river before they have to and I’ve never understood this because you want to preserve as much energy as possible for this hike.
The funniest part of this hike is the wildlife you’ll see before you get into the river. There are typically squirrels running around and they literally look like they’re going to explode because of how much food people feed them. They also get insanely close to your camera so be ready to take a picture! They’re loving the red carpet life.
The Narrows is a down and back trail like Angel’s Landing meaning you can just keep hiking until you feel like turning around.
However, I will say that the further you hike, the more beautiful it gets. You have fewer and fewer people as time goes on and eventually, you feel like you truly have this place to yourself. And there is nothing more magical than that!
The very beginning of the hike once you’ve made it to the river is usually pretty chaotic. You have hikers ready to begin their trek, hikers who are trying to leave, and even more hikers who just want to get in, take their photos, and leave.
The worst part of the beginning is everyone around you is getting used to how slippery this hike truly is which can lead to a lot of accidental collisions.
The water levels change throughout your hike but typically don’t get extremely deep unless you hike way past where most hikers turn around.
PRO TIP: Bring a dry bag like this to store your phone, snacks, and any other belongings that you don’t want to get wet. Bringing snacks is key to keeping your energy up and there will be plenty of sandbar-type places that you can stop and take a breather.
Once you’ve made it past the initial chaos, you’re really able to take it at your own speed. If you have a GoPro, or our favorite knock-off like this, this hike is the perfect opportunity to try it out!
This hike is truly indescribable. At the beginning of the hike, you’ll be hiking against the current which is a physically challenging thing to do. But seeing the sun bounce off the rocks that create this deep slot canyon is one of the most beautiful sights you’ll ever see.
The slot canyon twists and turns which allows for you to see different colors and even the time of day dictates your views.
You could hike through this slot canyon a million times and probably get a million different views along the way.
On the way back, you can coast with the current until you make it back to the chubby squirrels, the Zion shuttle, and eventually back to your night sky full of stars!
CONCLUSION
Zion National Park is home to a lot more than just Angel’s Landing and the Narrows.
But if you’re looking to get the most out of your visit to Zion, I recommend making the time for these two thrill-seeking adventures.
You won’t be disappointed. And maybe, just like me, you’ll even go back for more!
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