Zion is a beautiful place, but in our opinion, it's almost impossible to enjoy without getting into the "back country". At most parks you can typically see lots of sights from inside your car or stop at overlooks for beautiful views, but Zion is not the place to do that. (You're more likely to be looking at the back of someone's head as you're crammed into standing room only spaces on the shuttle.) There are two main hikes that are world renowned: The Narrows, which is wading upriver through a narrow slot canyon, and Angels Landing. Preparation for the HikeIn the past, Angels Landing was seeing up to 4,000 climbers per day. All those people climbing up and down a narrow two-way sandstone mountain fin with drop offs on both sides is a recipe for disaster. In both 2019 and 2021, one of the 300,000 hikers per year died from falling off the mountain. Yes, I know...I didn't like those odds either. Fortunately, the national parks system is working to remedy overcrowding. In 2022, they began a lottery system at Recreation.gov for hiking Angels Landing. Visitors have two options: enter the quarterly lottery (if you know preferred dates for your hike) or enter a lottery between 12:01 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. the day before you hope to climb. A maximum of 900 lottery winners are spaced in three time frames throughout the day. We entered the lottery Monday afternoon and found out at 4:00 p.m. that we won!! We had reservations for Tuesday afternoon. Before we considered taking our kids on this hike, we talked to multiple people who had previously reached the Angels Landing summit. We read blogs about doing the hike with children. None of the people who had done the hike before said it was something we should not do. We knew our kids had the stamina, balance, and the technical skills to climb, but our concerns had nothing to do with their abilities. Crowding on the mountain was our worst fear. We conferred with rangers and read reviews on All Trails to get the timing right. Next, we had to be sure the kids were mentally prepared--and wanted to go. We showed them video footage and photographs and explained the trail to them. They were more than excited for the climb, but we also emphasized to them that if at any point they decided they didn't want to go forward, all they had to do was say the word and we would turn around. (We also threatened Brickhead that if he pushed the boundaries one time he wouldn't be allowed to continue.) Lastly, we checked the weather (perfect sunny 80 degrees) and made sure everyone had the right gear. Sturdy hiking boots were a must, as was a backpack with plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen. (And of course, don't forget a first aid kit just in case!) Our ExperienceWe left The Grotto shuttle drop off point around 1:00 p.m. in hopes of avoiding any major crowds. As we ascended the 2.2 miles up switchbacks on West Rim Trail, the sun beat down on us. We continued through a canyon, which allowed for a little more shade, then on to Walter's Wiggles, a series of 21 steep switchbacks that lift the hiker up 1,000 feet in elevation. From there, hikers can take a break at Scout Lookout where the Rim Trail splits into the optional, and permit-required Angels Landing. We sat at Scout Lookout for a while debating if we were going to take the plunge or not. A view of the trail is quite daunting. Hikers were describing the next half mile section where you gain another 500 ft in elevation as two narrow "humps," or sandstone fins, with 1,000 foot drop offs on both sides. Many people turned back after the first hump, saying it was "too sketchy," but quite a few who did the whole trail said it was great, well worth the trip, and not near as dangerous as photos (and views) made it seem. It seemed more a mental battle than a physical one. We decided to give it a try. After all, the crowds had died down by 3:15, and we figured we could always turn around if we needed to. The kids reminded us to always maintain three points of contact, so we continued through the trail, holding on to the chains at all times. Fortunately the many hikers who came before have eroded footsteps and handholds along much of the trail. There were plenty of spaces to step aside and allow others to pass, and everyone was really supportive of the kids braving out the trek. Brickhead followed all directions and did what he was supposed to do, and Banana was super encouraging, making sure I knew where I should step in any tricky parts. Both of them said repeatedly that the trail wasn't near as scary as the photos made it seem and it was much wider than they thought it would be. We're just so proud of their excellent climbing skills and hiker etiquette. It took about an hour to climb the half mile to the top, mostly because we would stop and wait for any hikers coming down before we attempted any narrow passageways. (It's important to not be in a hurry on this trail.) The views from the top were gorgeous and we had good company, sharing lots of laughs with strangers and celebrating our victories. Then it came time to go back the way we came. Let's just say the kids, with their strong, young bodies, did much better than I did. All together, the adventure took just short of five hours from start to finish. Should You Do It?I wouldn't say that Angel's Landing is a "Bucket List" item--it's more of a bragging right. The views are cool, but you can get better views on safer hikes. You need to be in good shape, and if heights scare you, this likely isn't the hike for you. Having just the right amount of confidence in yourself allows for a safe trip: overconfidence can kill you, and lack of confidence can cause you to freeze at inopportune times. Bring plenty of water, because you're going to need it, especially in the hot summer months. Most importantly, be prepared. Should you take your kids? You know your kids better than anyone else. We talked to three park Rangers before starting this hike and none of them batted an eye at us taking our ten and twelve year old up. Kids do this hike. But kids need to have plenty of hiking experience: they need the endurance to climb to such elevations in a short distance and they need to be sure-footed and have good balance. Most importantly, they need to be able to follow directions and practice the "three points of contact" rule. Parents need to be willing to turn around if the task seems too difficult for the child. We all said the hike wasn't as difficult as we thought it might be (aside from those 21 switchbacks! Those were killers!) I personally don't know that I'd do it again, but not because Angel's Landing was scary or difficult. At the risk of sounding redundant, I just didn't find the switchbacks to be worth the reward! Plenty of other hikers said the views were top notch though, so don't listen to me. If it's something you're interested in, give it a try! We're glad we did it...even if it was just for bragging rights.
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