Angels Landing and Other Utah Parks

 I just returned last week from a hiking trip to Utah to see the five (5) National Parks (and some additional state parks). It was such an adventure (especially Angels Landing!) that I had to share. To coordinate five parks in five days, I chose to go with an adventure company: MountainBased. They are a third-generation adventure travel company created in September of 2016. They currently offer trips in Colorado and Utah – with options for camping and lodging. I believe they will be expanding their offered trips in the next couple of years (possibly to include some trips out of the country). All the current guides are related; in fact, two brothers led our trip! I loved that they are a small, family-owned company.

The National Parks: Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion

Each park has its own cool features and stories. Using a travel adventure company provides you with constant information as they share cool facts and give geological explanations for the various rock formations and landscape features. I highly recommend checking out all five parks. Once you know your favorite park, you can return to spend more time in that location. I certainly had my favorite: Zion. But my decision was probably influenced by the fact that my favorite hike was in Zion (more on that below). Bryce Canyon and Arches came in a close second for me.  Honestly though, each and every park was interesting and unique. 

The State Parks: Dead Horse Point and Goblin Valley State Park

 Everyone wants to go hike the national parks, but few remember the value of state parks.  Both Dead Horse Point and Goblin Valley State Parks were very cool places with interesting stories. Also, they were less crowded than the National Parks. Goblin Valley in particular was very interesting. It is such a strange and almost alien atmosphere. The sandstone hoodoos really do look like goblins spread throughout the valley. As visitors to the park can trek off-trail through the “goblins” to explore, it really is a unique experience. 

Angels Landing Hike (Zion): 

This was my favorite part of the trip. You do not really know how afraid of heights you are until you reach the chain portion of the hike (the Angels Landing portion). Luckily, Scout’s Lookout is the flat area before the chain section of the hike where you can rest and assess your fear.  To have made it to Scout’s Lookout is strenuous (all the switchbacks and the steady incline), so that is an accomplishment on its own even if that becomes the stopping point of your hike.

The hike was very scary in places (don’t look down!), so just put one foot in front of the other, again and again, until you reach the top. There is a flat area at the top to rest and enjoy the accomplishment before returning via the chain section (because what goes up….must come down). The views are breathtaking but watch out for the chipmunks that will try to climb into your bag to steal your food. Going down the trail is easier than coming up – at least mentally because you know that you already did it so there is no fear of the unknown.

The bad thing about Angel’s Landing is its popularity. It is recommended that you go either early in the day or late in the day to avoid the crowds. MountainBased got us there early. Also, they were able to park closer to the trail head as a guide company than if you entered the park on your own and had to make your way to the start of the trail. This helped us avoid the crowds and made the hike much more pleasant. Once the trail becomes super crowded it can be stressful as traffic jams form on the chain section.

We had the chains almost to ourselves when we were going up. However, when we were coming down the crowds had increased such that there were times when you could not hold the chains because people were in the way. There is talk that, due to the hike’s popularity, you may soon have to get a permit to hike it. But for now, anyone can do it. I highly recommend it if you are not afraid of heights! Like any trail, just be sensible and do not do anything crazy trying to get a good photo. They have a sign at the beginning of the chain section noting that there have been 13 deaths on the trail since 2000; the most recent death occurred in February of 2021. No photo is worth falling. 

Safety Tips – Angels Landing:

• Do not hike if you have a crippling fear of heights
• This hike may not be suitable for young children or those not in good physical shape
• Stay on the trail
• Keep an eye on the weather before and during your hike
• Wait your turn to pass other hikers
• Wear the right shoes (traction, traction, traction!)

Best time to go to the Utah Parks:

The ideal time to explore the Utah parks is spring (April–May) and fall (September–October). The weather is much milder in the spring and fall, and crowds are smaller. If you go in the summer months, you can expect hot temperatures and large crowds.

Packing:

We went at the end of April.  My advice: layers. The weather varied greatly and changed quickly. For example: it snowed in Bryce Canyon on Tuesday of the week we were traveling, but when we arrived at Bryce on Thursday it was in the 80s! If you have layers, you can add or remove as needed.

Recommended Reading:

I am a bit dark, but I really enjoyed reading the books about deaths and dangers in the national parks that I visit. It is fascinating and makes you aware of the park dangers. We should learn from the mistakes of others so as not to repeat them. [and as a bonus, it gives you creepy cool things to tell others while you are in the park…]. The book I read about the Utah parks was: Minetor, Randi. Death in Zion National Park: Stories of Accidents and Foolhardiness in Utah’s Grand Circle. Lyons Press, 2017.

If you are interested in additional outfitters or feedback on the other state and national parks in Utah, I highly recommend reading an earlier post on Calling All Explorers titled, Canyons of the Southwest.

Miscellaneous Note about Utah and Alcohol:

 When traveling it is always important to know and respect local culture. As a Louisiana native (where drinking is a way of life), I found the Utah rules interesting. By all accounts they are not as strict as they once were. Nonetheless, one interesting rule that remains of which travelers should be aware: you cannot order a drink unless you also order food. So, if you want a drink, you must also order an appetizer or some other food item.