The first portion of the hike is paved.  The hike continues along a decent grade which can get pretty steep at times.  Overall, it’s basically walking on an uphill ramp for an hour.  The next portion is called Walter’s Wiggles.  This is a section of short and steep switchbacks.  This is a picture looking down from the top of it.

Once you get to the top of the wiggles, you’ve come to Scout’s Lookout.  From here you can see the first set of chains and the beginning of Angel’s Landing.

Most people can climb the first set of chains with no hesitation.  It’s the second set that has a steep drop-off to the right.  Many people stop here and think about if they really want to do the rest of the hike.

Once you get past those chains you will see the entire spine of Angel’s Landing.  Believe me, it looks very high and far away.  This is another point where many hikers stop and think.  A decent percentage go no further than this point.

A close up look at hikers on the spine.

Then once you get to the top you are rewarded with a spectacular view!

More pictures below…

Putting down the cell phone	Scouts Lookout	View at the top	Friendly chipmunk
Right before Walter’s Wiggles	Grotto trailhead	Angel’s Landing from ground level	Angel’s chains
Angel’s spine	It’s a steep drop	Traffic jam	The final chain
It’s a steep drop	Climbing the spine	Climbing the chains	Another chain picture

It was a 4.5 hour drive from Salt Lake City to Zion National Park.  We had reservations at the Pioneer Lodge which is located just a mere 1/2 miles from the entrance of the park.  The lodge is in a great location if you are visiting Zion and want to stay outside the park.  Staying at the Zion Lodge would have been ideal, but the had no rooms available.

In the morning we ate breakfast at the Pioneer Lodge restaurant and then caught the free Springdale shuttle bus which took us to the entrance.  From there, we paid the park entrance fee and caught the Zion shuttle which brings you deep into the park.

The Narrows

The Narrows is hike is a like none that I’ve ever been on.  You hike up the Virgin river in a deep canyon.  This hike is about 75% in water.  The beginning of the hike is an easy paved 1 mile trail called the Riverside Walk.  When you get to the end of the trail, the fun begins.  I highly recommend getting hiking poles and some shoes made for water.  If you get a nice pair of hiking poles you can travel up the canyon alot faster, which will allow you to go further in.  Zion adventure company also rents equipment and we saw many people with their shoes and sticks.  If you don’t have a stick, look around, you should be able to find some walking sticks laying around at the first water crossing.

The park ranger told us that most people travel about 1 mile an hour on this hike.  It is slow going because you are stepping on wet rocks and are going against a pretty decent current.  We hiked about 2 miles in, ate lunch and then turned around and hiked back.

We did not get to Orderville Canyon, which was our goal.  In retrospect, we had plenty of time and could have easily made it there.  However, people coming back kept telling us it was still another hour or two’s hike out.  We were very close to reaching it.  Oh well, this leaves us a goal for the next time we do it.

Now, time for some pictures!