Angels Landing

Zion's famous chain-assisted ridge hike, thrilling and not for anyone casual about heights

Angels Landing is Zion's celebrity hike, and for once the fame is justified. The route climbs from the Grotto up Walter's Wiggles to Scout Lookout, then follows a narrow sandstone fin with fixed chains and sheer drops on both sides.

It is spectacular, exposed, and not something to attempt casually. A permit is required for the chained section, and the best decision some visitors make is to stop at Scout Lookout, enjoy the view, and leave the final ridge to those who are steady with heights.

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A story
The name came from early park promoter Frederick Fisher, who is said to have joked in 1916 that only angels could land on the summit. The trail that now reaches it was built in the 1920s, turning what looked unreachable from the canyon floor into one of America's most famous hikes.

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