Angels Landing Permit Guide (2026)

How the Angels Landing permit system works

Zion National Park requires a permit for Angels Landing to manage crowding on the narrow, chain-assisted route to the summit. There are two ways to get one, both through Recreation.gov: a seasonal lottery for planners and a day-before lottery for people already near the park or with flexible plans.

The permit is only for the final stretch beyond Scout Lookout. You do not need one to enter the park, ride the shuttle, or hike the West Rim Trail from the Grotto up to Scout Lookout.

2026 seasonal lottery dates

The seasonal lottery is for hikes months in advance. Each season has its own application window on Recreation.gov, and results come out a few days after the window closes. These are the 2026 dates NPS announced in February 2026:

• The winter lottery is open now and closes October 20, 2026.
• You can rank up to 7 choices of days and time windows, or ranges of days and times.
• Each person may submit only one application per seasonal lottery. Duplicate applications are all canceled, with no refund.
• If you aren't selected, Recreation.gov doesn't send a denial notice. No permit simply means you didn't win.
• Spring 2027 dates have not been announced. In 2026, NPS announced them on February 11 and opened the spring lottery February 13, so expect a similar timeline.

The day-before lottery

The day-before lottery is for the next day only. Apply on Recreation.gov between 12:01 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mountain Time the day before you want to hike, and results are sent by 4 p.m. MT. You need internet or cell service to apply and to see your result.

Day-before permits can't be changed, and all fees are non-refundable. When the trail is closed, no permits are issued. Angels Landing is closed for scheduled trail maintenance October 5 to 8, 2026, so the next day-before lottery opens October 8 for hikes on October 9.

Fees, group size and the rules

These details come from the Recreation.gov permit page:

• Application fee: $6, non-refundable, for either lottery.
• Permit fee: $3 per person, charged only if you win a permit.
• Group size: up to six people on one application, including the applicant.
• Time slots: choose a start before 9 a.m., between 9 a.m. and noon, or after noon.
• Names must match photo ID. Rangers can ask for the permit and ID at checkpoints, so everyone in the group needs an ID that matches.
• The permit holder, or the alternate named on the application, must be with the group. An alternate can only be added when you apply and can't be changed later.
• Permits are not transferable.
• Cancellations: seasonal permits can be canceled up to two days before the hike date for a refund of the permit fee; the $6 application fee is never refunded. Day-before permits cannot be canceled for a refund.

What the permit covers

The permit covers the trail from Scout Lookout to the summit of Angels Landing. NPS says rangers may check permits at any point along the trail at any time of day or night, so carry a printed or downloaded copy. Cell service on the trail is not reliable.

It does not include a parking spot, a shuttle reservation or park entry. The Grotto trailhead is shuttle stop 6, and during shuttle season you must ride the bus to reach it. Check the last-bus time before you start: in fall 2026 the last shuttle leaves the Temple of Sinawava at 7:15 p.m. through October 24 and 6:15 p.m. from October 25 to November 28.

The hike itself

NPS lists Angels Landing as 5.4 miles round trip with 1,488 feet of elevation gain, taking about 4 hours. It starts at the Grotto, crosses the Virgin River and climbs the West Rim Trail through a series of switchbacks, including the tight set called Walter's Wiggles, to Scout Lookout.

From Scout Lookout, the route follows a narrow sandstone fin to the summit, with chains bolted into the rock for handholds and steep drops on both sides. This section is where you'll spend the most time, especially when it's crowded, because hikers going up and down have to pass each other on the same narrow path.

Safety on the chains

Angels Landing is dangerous, and falls have been fatal. A hiker died after a fall from the chained section on April 17, 2026. The permit limits crowding, but it doesn't make the route easier.

Turn around at Scout Lookout if you're uneasy with heights, if the rock is wet, icy or windy, or if a thunderstorm is building. There's no shame in it, and the view from Scout Lookout is excellent.

• Wear shoes with good grip and keep both hands free; use a pack, not handheld bottles.
• Hold the chains and let people pass at wider spots rather than squeezing by.
• Start early in summer. Highs on the canyon floor average about 100°F in July, and the climb is in the sun.
• Bring water, food, a headlamp, layers and a park map, as NPS recommends.
• In winter, the shaded switchbacks and the fin can be icy. Check conditions at the visitor center first.

No permit? Good alternatives

If you didn't win, you still have good options, several of them along the same trail.

• Scout Lookout: no permit needed. About 4.2 miles round trip and 1,000 feet of climbing on the West Rim Trail, with a close view of the Angels Landing fin and the chains.
• West Rim Trail beyond Scout Lookout: keep climbing toward the canyon rim for quieter views; no permit needed for a day hike.
• Canyon Overlook Trail: 1 mile round trip, off the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway east of the tunnel. Short, with a big view down Pine Creek and lower Zion Canyon.
• Watchman Trail: 3.3 miles round trip from the visitor center, no shuttle needed.
• Kayenta Trail and Emerald Pools: the Kayenta Trail (about 2 miles round trip) links the Grotto to the Emerald Pools, an easy add-on near the Angels Landing trailhead.
• Observation Point: higher than Angels Landing and looks down on it, but it can't be reached from Zion Canyon right now because of rockfall on the East Rim Trail. NPS says it can only be reached by hiking in from the east.
• Re-enter the day-before lottery: apply again each day of your trip.

More Zion guides

• Best Time to Visit Zion National ParkWhen to visit Zion month by month: spring and fall weather, summer heat, monsoon flash floods, Narrows closures, shuttle season dates and quiet winter days.