The Scenic Utah Hike That Attracts The Masses Even With Such A Disturbing, Deadly Reputation

Some trails gain a buzzy reputation among avid hikers as crowning, daredevil achievements. These hikes usually involve peaks, valleys, or canyons where all that danger-driven adrenaline rewards you with the opportunity to stand at the pinnacle of a spectacularly vertiginous vista point and cry out, "Look at me! I'm on top of the world!" Yosemite's Half-Dome is just such a location. Hawaii's iconic yet dangerous Kalalau Trail is another. One of the buzziest and busiest of them all is the hike up Angels Landing in Southern Utah's Zion National Park.

The strenuous hike rises 1,500 feet in under 3 miles but isn't technically difficult. However, the last half-mile of the trail follows a blade-like rock ridge, often with 1,000-foot drop-offs on either side. To assist hikers, a metal chain-link railing has been installed, and in recent years, a permit system has been established to reduce crowding on this dangerous section. Nonetheless, some 14 people have perished by falling from Angels Landing in the last 100 years, so it's not like riding a roller coaster where your sensation of fear is thrilling but unreal — you're straight up risking death.

To hike Angels Landing, a national park trail best left to experienced hikers, you must first obtain a permit through one of two lotteries, three months in advance or next-day. However, getting a permit isn't the only planning you should do. On the trail, it isn't even the heights that can make you afraid during the steep sections; it's the uneasy feeling of being in a dangerous situation amid a crowd of inexperienced, ill-prepared hikers. Since the chained section of the trail is single-file, you have to let go to pass people going the opposite direction, potentially leaving you at the mercy of someone wearing slippery sandals and taking you with them when they slide off the trail.

So to avoid a human traffic jam, try to catch the earliest shuttle bus, which leaves at 6 a.m. The only way to leave earlier is to spend the night at the rustic Zion Lodge, which will let you walk to the trailhead at 4 a.m. with your headlamp leading the way. If this hike is on your bucket list, that might just be the power move — and it's a pretty sure bet any other hikers you meet on the trail in the pre-dawn hours will be the kind of experienced adventurers who belong on challenging trails, rather than selfie-stick wielding hooligans.

With the right preparation, mindset, and timing, the hike to Angels Landing could well be the highlight of an unforgettable road trip through Utah's five national parks. The first 2.25 miles of the hike, during which you'll gain 1,000 feet of elevation traveling up the West Rim Trail, would be considered world-class even without adding the final leg with the scary bits, thanks to a nonstop parade of gorgeous views and fun features.

You'll start by crossing a charming footbridge and following the Virgin River for a pleasant spell; then, you'll pass through Refrigerator Canyon (a cool, shady green respite you'll particularly appreciate coming back down while hot and weary). Next, you'll come to a set of rock-lined switchbacks called Walter's Wiggles that are as fun to climb as that name implies.

Eventually, you'll arrive at Scout Lookout, where you can get an eyeful of the incredible scenery: the shimmering ribbon of the Virgin River winding through the red rock canyon below. The good news is that you're free to do this portion of the hike without a permit, and the views are top-notch, so you can end there if you can't score a reservation for Angels Landing or you have the other kind of reservations about exposing yourself to its risks.