The Angels Landing hike is one of the most iconic hikes in the entire country. It includes a section over a narrow ridge with steep drop offs on both sides, that has chains for you to hold on to. This section is narrow. And the Angels Landing trail is extremely popular. This resulted in congestion and long lines on the trail.
In order to alleviate this overcrowding and congestion and to improve safety, the National Park Service has introduced a lottery system to get Angels Landing permits.
The permit system can be a little complicated. I am a national park expert and I have written this detailed guide to the Angels Landing lottery to make your planning easy and help ensure you can get to do this incredible hike.
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If you are planning to visit Zion Canyon National Park by yourself, make your planning easy and stress free with a detailed itinerary. I have 1-, 2- and 3-day itineraries for Zion National Park that include all the park highlights (including Angels Landing, of course), give you choices based on your preferred activity level, and take all the stress out of planning your trip.
Additional help with your Zion trip planning:
>> The Best Time of Year to Visit Zion National Park
>> Best Vacation Rentals Near Zion National Park
>> How to Plan a Trip to Zion National Park
>> Best Hikes in Zion National Park
>> How to visit Zion Without Shuttle Tickets
>> Zion Shuttle Guide
>> Best Photo Spots in Zion National Park
>> How Many Days to Spend in Zion National Park
>> Best Airports for Zion National Park
>> Fascinating (and Useful) Books About Zion National Park
Type of reservations
Permits to hike Angel’s Landing will be issued via a lottery system. Permits are issued for three time slots each day (see below). Once you start the hike, you can take as long as you like.
When is an Angels Landing permit required?
You will need a permit to hike Angel’s Landing at any time of the year (and any time of the day). The permit is only needed for the section with chains from Scout’s Lookout to Angels Landing.
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How To Get Angels Landing Permits
How to get an Angels Landing pass
The permits are released via two types of lotteries. You can apply for a permit for up to six people (including you).
1) Seasonal Lottery
Most permits are released in advance via the ‘seasonal lottery’. The lottery is run four times/ year. You enter the lottery within the window for your trip dates (see schedule below).
You can pick up to seven dates or date ranges with corresponding start times (ranked in order of preference).
It does not matter when in the lottery period you enter. For example, the first lottery window of the year is January 1 – January 20. Whether you enter on January 1, January 10 or January 20, your name goes in the lottery in the same way. There is no advantage to entering on the 1st over entering on the 20th – you have the same chance of having your name called whenever you entered the lottery.
| Hike Dates | Lottery Opens | Lottery Closes | Permits Issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 1 to May 31, 2023 | January 1 | January 20 | January 25 |
| June 1 to August 31, 2023 | April 1 | April 20 | April 25 |
| September 1 to November 30, 2023 | July 1 | July 20 | July 25 |
| December 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024 | October 1 | October 20 | October 25 |
* Times are the time you can start the hike at the Grotto Trailhead (Shuttle Stop 6)
In the day that permits are issued, if you entered the lottery, you’ll get an email telling you got it (and charging you an extra $3 per person) or telling you that you were not successful.
If you don’t get a permit, you can apply again the day before you want to do the hike. Or, if your travel plans are flexible, try another seasonal pass for different dates.
2) Day Before Lottery
You can apply for a permit the day before your planned hike. The lottery opens at 12:01 AM (just after midnight) MT and closes at 3:00PM MT.
You can enter the lottery any time within this period. There is no advantage to entering at 12:01 compared with any other time in the lottery period. So, for example, if you enter the lottery at 2:00PM, you have the same chances of getting a permit as if you entered the lottery at 1:00AM. However, I don’t recommend leaving it to close to 3:00PM in case the system crashes or something else goes wrong and you miss out being able to enter.
You can select multiple preferences for hike start times if your plans are flexible.
Results are emailed at 4:00PM MT the same day you enter (the day before the hike).
How much do Angels Landing tickets costs?
It costs $6 to apply for a permit for up to six people (seasonal or day-before). This fee is non-refundable and you pay it whether you get a permit or not. The $6 covers however many people you apply for (it is NOT per person).
If you get a permit, you will be automatically charged an additional $3 per person.
Note: If you get a permit using the seasonal lottery, you can cancel the permit (or reduce the number of permits) up to two days before the hike date. You will get a full refund of the $3 per person fee for any cancellations or reductions in people. The $6 application fee is not refundable.
Note: You cannot:
- Change the date of your hike
- Increase the number of people in your group
- Transfer the permit to someone else or nominate an alternate leader
On the day of your Angels Landing (Zion National Park) hike
Be sure to print out or download your permit before you get to the trailhead. Rangers will be checking permits at the Grotto (Shuttle Stop 6), at Scout Lookout, or along the trail. If you don’t have a permit to show, you will probably be turned away.
Tips for entering the Angel’s Landing lottery
Here are some tips that the NPS has issued based on common problems they’ve observed:
- Fill out the entire application to take advantage of the ranked-choice application system.
- Pick multiple hike start times and/or days that work best for your group.
- Select different group sizes if the number of hikers will change on different dates or at different start times.
- Be mindful of schedules for both Seasonal Lotteries (which happen quarterly) and Day-before Lotteries (open 12:01 AM to 3:00PM MT the day-before your planned hike).
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How To Get Angels Landing Permits
Good luck and enjoy hiking Zion National Park Angels Landing!
Do you have any other thoughts about Angel’s Landing permits? I’d love to hear them. Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
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If you are thinking about traveling to some other national parks, don’t miss my guides to:
Which national parks require reservations
Glacier National Park’s Going to The Sun Road in reservation system
Yosemite National Park day use reservations
Rocky Mountain National Park timed entry system
Acadia Cadillac Mountain reservation system
Arches National Park timed entry system
Are you just starting to think about taking a national parks trip? Get Inspiration
Are you starting to plan a trip to Zion National Park? Read my Guide to Zion National Park
Are you looking for a place to stay near Zion National Park? Find a vacation rental near Zion
Are you ready to book your trip? Use these Planning and Booking Resources
Do you want to read a book about Zion National Park? Check out my Recommended Reading List for Zion National Park
About the Author
James Ian has traveled to 82 countries and all 7 continents. He has visited all of the main national parks in the United States, as well as many national monuments and state parks.
He has rafted through the Grand Canyon; rappelled down slot canyons near Zion and Arches; hiked among the hoodoos in Bryce and the enormous trees in Sequoia; admired the waterfalls in Yosemite and the colored hot springs in Yellowstone; seen moose in Grand Tetons and seals in the Channel Islands, and much more.
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