Angels Landing, known previously as the Temple of Aeolus, is a tall

rock formation A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term ''rock formation'' can also refer to specific sediment ...

in Zion National Park in southwestern

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

, United States. A renowned trail cut into solid rock in 1926 leads to the top of Angels Landing and provides panoramic views of

Zion Canyon Zion Canyon (also called Little Zion, Mukuntuweap, Mu-Loon'-Tu-Weap, and Straight Cañon; ''weap'' is Paiute for canyon) is a deep and narrow gorge in southwestern Utah, United States, carved by the North Fork of the Virgin River. Nearly the entir ...

Trail

The trail to Angels Landing is long with an approximate elevation gain. The hike is rated as a class 3 difficulty based on the

Yosemite Decimal System The Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs, primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. It was first devised by members of the Sierra Club in Southern Cal ...

. It begins at the Grotto drop off point on the park's shuttle system, which operates from early spring through late fall. It roughly follows the path of the Virgin River for some time along the West Rim Trail, slowly gaining elevation in sandy terrain. Most of the trail is uphill on the way up to Angels Landing. As the trail gets steeper and leaves behind the river, it becomes paved. After a series of steep switchbacks, the trail goes through the area between Angels Landing and the Zion Canyon that is a gradual ascent. Walter's Wiggles, a series of 21 steep switchbacks, are the last hurdle before Scout Lookout. The wiggles are named after Walter Ruesch, who was the first superintendent for Zion National Park and constructed the switchbacks in 1926. Scout Lookout is generally the turnaround point for those who are unwilling to make the final summit push to the top of Angels Landing. The last half-mile of the trail is strenuous and lined with numerous sharp drop offs and narrow paths. Chains to grip are provided for portions of the last half-mile to the top at . The half-mile section up the spine, the

Angels Landing Trail-West Rim Trail The historical buildings and structures of Zion National Park represent a variety of buildings, interpretive structures, signs and infrastructure associated with the National Park Service's operations in Zion National Park, Utah. Structures vary i ...

, was listed in the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1987. As of March 15, 2021, 13 people have died from falling while hiking the trail. In July 2018, the trail was closed following damage due to a severe storm and was re-opened in September 2018. Beginning in 2022, hikers will be required to have a permit. Zion National Park wants to improve visitor experiences, protect the park and increase the safety of the hike. One of the main reasons is that the route has been overcrowded in recent years. In addition to a day-before lottery, there will be a quarterly seasonal lottery for which people can register.

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Angels Landing. According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, it is located in a

Cold semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.

Climbing routes

Climbing Routes on Angels Landing include: * Prodigal Son - V C2 - 9 pitches * Lowe Route - IV/V C3 - 13 pitches * Northeast Buttress - IV - 8 pitches * South Face - II - 3 pitches * Ball and Chain - V A0 - 9 pitches * Angels Hair - V - 11 pitches

Gallery

File:The summit of Angels Landing.jpg, File:Zion angels landing view.jpg, File:Angel's Landing Summit.JPG, Looking toward the top of Angel's Landing File:Angel's Landing Trail.JPG, Angel's Landing trail including chain cables File:Zion-AngelsLandingEdge.jpg, Zion Canyon viewed from Angel's Landing, showing the immense vertical relief

References

External links