I’ve hiked Angel’s Landing twice, a well-known trail in Zion National Park in Utah. It is known as one of the deadliest trails in the world. As of 2025 there have been there are 18 confirmed deaths. Of those, 16 have been from falling. (https://theworldtravelguy.com/angels-landing-deaths-list/)
At many points the trail is only a few feet wide. The clifftop views are absolutely amazing. The hike is a series of many steeply inclined switchbacks. There is little shade. About half a mile from the summit is Scout’s Overlook. Many stop here and turn back (no shame in this as a stopping point). Here you can look down at the canyon. After Scout’s Overlook, it gets more intense. Then comes the chain section. You have to hug your body into the wall of the cliff, holding to a chain that is bolted into the rocks for balance. Finally, you reach Decision Point. The last couple 100 feet. This final climb is incredibly narrow. You don’t want to look back.
When you finally reached the summit, it seems very wide and flat. The views are incredible. The top feels wide and flat after what you’ve been through to reach the top. The canyon is vast but the river looks like a tiny stream of watercolor paint. When looking down the colors blend from brown to green to a tiny sliver of blue.
The closet I get to hiking now is making it down the driveway to the bus stop. Thanks to the kind director of transportation in Grass Lake my son’s stop was moved in front of my house. I miss hiking, probably more than I miss running. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Arches, Zion, Canyonlands, Great Basin, and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Utah has my favorite national parks, but Colorado is definitely up there. I went on an epic 3-week long road trip with my ex-boyfriend. We mostly slept in my small orange 2-person tent (discount compliments of my sister’s job). We stayed in a hotel for a couple nights in Vegas (I’m sure we smelled at check-in), once at his sister’s house in Arizona on the way to the Grand Canyon, and night in a hotel/casino called the Border Inn (located right on the Utah/Nevada border on highway 50).
I’ve hiked Angel’s Landing twice, a well-known trail in Zion National Park in Utah. It is known as one of the deadliest trails in the world. As of 2025 there have been there are 18 confirmed deaths. Of those, 16 have been from falling. (https://theworldtravelguy.com/angels-landing-deaths-list/)
At many points the trail is only a few feet wide. The clifftop views are absolutely amazing. The hike is a series of many steeply inclined switchbacks. There is little shade. About half a mile from the summit is Scout’s Overlook. Many stop here and turn back (no shame in this as a stopping point). Here you can look down at the canyon. After Scout’s Overlook it gets more intense. Then comes the chain section. You have to hug your body into the wall of the cliff, holding to a chain that is bolted into the rocks for balance. Finally, you reach Decision Point. The last couple 100 feet. This final climb is incredibly narrow. You don’t want to look back.
When you finally reached the summit, it seems very wide and flat. The views are incredible. The top feels wide and flat after what you’ve been through to reach the top. The canyon is vast but the river looks like a tiny stream of watercolor paint. When looking down the colors blend from brown to green to a tiny sliver of blue.
The first time I hiked Angel’s Landing I was by myself. I had run a 50K ultramarathon in Utah and slept in my car at the starting line. I drove to Zion National Park while I was in Utah because it has the reputation (rightfully so) of being one of the beautiful places in America. I wasn’t afraid of doing anything alone, but Angel’s Landing is especially intimidating, especially the second half. I did a lot of hyperventilating that day. Not afraid of heights, but I am afraid of falling. I could see myself falling to the canyon below. I almost turned back but a skinny guy with blond hair and glasses talked me through it. Complete stranger. He told me we would get through this together. And we did.
The second time I hiked Angel’s Landing I took my then boyfriend and we hiked up together. This was about a year after I separated from my ex-husband. Once we’ve reached the summit, I took some time by myself admiring the natural beauty of the deadly cliffs and canyon below. Then I threw my wedding ring off the cliff.
Go to this link to see someone hiking Angel’s Landing: https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrE_PClTtRoEwIACytXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3BpdnM-?p=angels+landing+hike&fr2=piv-web&type=E210US105G91904&fr=mcafee#id=4&vid=ed10d2110bc67ce93bec2dac3121506e&action=view
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