Re: Zion: Angels Landing Trail to be Temporarily Closed on September 1

Angels Landing Trail to be Temporarily Closed on September 1
Date: August 28, 2009
Contact: David Eaker, 435-772-7811
Contact: Kevin Killian, 435-772-7825

Superintendent Jock Whitworth has announced that Angels Landing Trail in Zion National Park will be temporarily closed on Tuesday, September 1 from 6 AM to Noon. The closure will be from the Grotto Trailhead in Zion Canyon to the area just west of Scout Lookout. This portion of the trail is also the southern end of the 14 mile West Rim Trail, which begins near Lava Point in the northern portion of the park. This closure is to provide for the safety of the public and park employees during helicopter operations to remove barrels of human waste from the composting toilets at Scout Lookout. In addition, the Big Bend Scenic Viewpoint along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive will also be closed during the same time period to facilitate helicopter operations.

Periodically the park has to perform maintenance as well as remove the waste from the composting toilets at Scout Lookout in order for them to function properly. The composting toilets were installed in 2004 to replace the pre-existing vault toilets which had to be emptied every year to keep up with the amount of use from visitors along the very popular Angels Landing Trail. Zion National Park apologizes for any inconvenience that visitors may experience during this temporary closure.

For more information on this trail closure call 435-772-7610 or visit the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/zion.

Given my current health as far as hiking a long way (I no longer can't), how easy a hike is Angels Landing?

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Vince
Given my current health as far as hiking a long way (I no longer can't), how easy a hike is Angels Landing?

It isn't very long mileage-wise, just a couple miles each way, but the elevation gain is about 1,400 feet IIRC. For a reasonably fit person, not a big deal - the trail most of the way is good footing and well-graded, if steep. The real test comes at the top - not so much steep or hard walking, but it requires a bit of nerve as the one walks along 1,000-foot plus cliffs on a "trail" only a couple of feet wide, with no railing. There are cables and such to hang onto, but nothing, really, to prevent a slip or fall.

My 10-year-old son had no problem with it. My wife hated it ;-)