Angels Landing is one of America’s most Instagrammable National Park hikes, but it’s also one of the deadliest. On April 17, a 68-year-old man from Texas was hiking the famous trail when he slipped and fell on the steep section with chain railings. He subsequently died from his injuries. His death marks the 18th known fatality on Angels Landing.
Located in Zion National Park, this 4-mile trail has a long history of accidents and fatalities. While other trails, like Grand Canyon National Park’s Bright Angel Trail, see more rescues per year, no other national park trail has seen as many fall deaths as Angels Landing.
So what makes this popular hike so dangerous? GearJunkie dug in to find out.
The Hike
Angels Landing is a 4-mile out-and-back trail that leads hikers to a stunning panoramic view of Zion. The elevation gain is significant: a total ascent of over 2,140 feet and a maximum grade of 85%. The last 0.5 miles to the viewpoint are quite extreme. Still, roughly 200,000 people hike this permitted trail every year.
“The strenuous, challenging trail follows a steep, narrow ridge with uneven steps cut into the rock and chains anchored intermittently along the route. You must navigate a trail only a few feet wide in some areas, with exposed edges and sheer drop-offs of as much as 1,000 feet on each side,” the National Park Service (NPS) explains.
In its description of the hike, onX says, “Caution is absolutely critical.” AllTrails says “the route is best done in dry, calm weather with sturdy shoes, patience, and confidence on exposed rock.”
A Sad History
According to a study published in the academic journal Health Promotion and Physical Activity, 17 people have died on this hike. The recent death in April brings that number to 18.
Since 2000 alone, 11 people have died on the final chained section, according to an NPS representative. The most common issue is falls. The terrain is rocky and uneven, and a small slip can quickly spiral into a deadly fall, especially if it’s rained recently. The sandstone becomes extremely slippery when wet.
A fall does not have to be from that great a height to be deadly. According to a 2020 study, a fall onto a hard surface from a height of 49 feet has a 50% fatality rate, while a fall from 78 feet has a 90% fatality rate.
Sometimes deaths can happen not as a result of falls, but from medical episodes happening while on trial. For example, in January 2024, a man had a heart attack on the Angels Landing trail, and efforts to revive him with CPR were unsuccessful.
The number of deaths on the trail ebbs and flows. From 2010 to 2017, there were no fatalities; from 2017 to 2019, there were three.
In the Instagram era of the outdoors, the impressive views and videos of Zion from Angels Landing that people post on social media have made the hike more famous and popular than ever. If there is one trail people come to Zion for, it’s this one.
However, not everyone may be prepared to embark on the hike. A lack of fitness, hiking experience, or proper footwear is a major risk factor.
By the Numbers
Due to the popularity of Angels Landing, it is also just statistically more likely to have more accidents. No other trail in the park sees as much traffic as Angels Landing. In fact, no other permitted trail in the entire national park system gets more visitors. Angels Landing is one of the most hiked national park trails in the U.S.
That simple fact mathematically means that there will be more accidents. However, the trail’s extreme nature is what makes it so dangerous and even deadly.
Safety Improvements
Over the years, the NPS has instituted several changes to make the hike safer. In 2010, the park service added to the original chains installed in 1926. NPS staff installed additional signage, chains, and carved steps into the rock for better footing.
In 2022, the NPS addressed overcrowding through a permit lottery system. This method, which is still in use today, limits the number of people who can embark on the hike on a given day. Congestion can be dangerous if it forces people off-trail or prevents them from using safety tools, such as the chain railings, during bottlenecks. Prior to the permit system, its estimated that around 330,000 people hiked this trail annually.
The recent fatality in April underscores the importance of caution at Angels Landing and is a reminder that safety is not guaranteed.
