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Angels Landing permits (Zion): dates & how to apply

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Angels Landing seen from the Deertrap Mountain Trail in Zion National Park.

Photo: Marc Neidig, National Park Service. CC BY 2.0. Source

Before you apply

  • Decide who's hiking before you apply. After you get a permit you can't change the date, add people, transfer it, or switch to an alternate leader. For seasonal-lottery permits you can remove people until two days before your date (NPS: Angels Landing permits).
  • Rank your choices. The seasonal lottery lets you pick and rank seven days and times, or windows of days and times (NPS).
  • There's no need to apply the moment the window opens. NPS says that if you apply at any point while the window is open, you'll have "the same odds of getting a permit as any other applicant" (NPS, page updated Oct 8, 2026).
  • Check whether you need a permit at all. You only need one to go past Scout Lookout. You don't need one to hike to Scout Lookout, to hike the West Rim Trail, to enter the park, or to ride the shuttle (NPS: Angels Landing permits; NPS: Zion Canyon Shuttle System).

Common mistakes

  • Counting on your phone at the checkpoint. The confirmation email from Recreation.gov is your permit. Print or download it before you reach the trailhead, because NPS says mobile service at the checkpoint is unreliable. A ranger may check it at the Grotto (Shuttle Stop 6), at Scout Lookout or on the trail. "If you do not have your permit with you, we may not allow you to take your hike" (NPS).
  • Treating the permit time as a summit time. NPS says "The start time for your hike is at the Grotto," so leave time to get there (NPS).
  • Climbing into bad weather. NPS says not to start up the chains if storm clouds are in the area, the ground is wet or icy, it's dark, or you're afraid of heights. Thunderstorms happen more often in the afternoon (NPS).
  • Expecting to change a day-before lottery permit. Day-before permits can't be changed (NPS).

What changed this year

TBA. As of Oct 15, 2026, the official page doesn't announce rule changes for the coming season. Check NPS: Angels Landing permits.

Tips

  • Plan your ride to the Grotto. NPS says most hikers start from Shuttle Stop 6, the Grotto (NPS). Shuttles take about 45 minutes between the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and the Temple of Sinawava (NPS: Shuttle System).
  • Winter permits may mean driving yourself. When the shuttle isn't running, you drive to the trailhead and park on the pavement (NPS). NPS posts the shuttle's operating dates, including periods with "No Service," on the shuttle page, so check it against your permit date.
  • Don't wait for the last shuttle back. NPS warns that if the last shuttle is full or you miss it, "you may have to walk nine miles back" (NPS: Shuttle System).
  • Fill your water at the Grotto. It's the only place to fill up. NPS suggests 1 gallon (4 liters) per person per day (NPS).
  • Pack for a longer day than you planned. NPS says to bring a flashlight or headlamp with new batteries, some food and lots of water, plus a park map. In winter the chains are very cold, and "Gloves may be useful" (NPS).
  • Split the group at Scout Lookout if you need to. Anyone without a permit, or anyone uneasy with heights, can stop at Scout Lookout or walk the West Rim Trail. Neither needs a permit (NPS).
  • Bring a bag for waste. Solid human waste and toilet paper on the trail must be bagged and carried out (NPS).
  • Emergencies: try calling 911. With cell or data service, the call connects to the Zion Dispatch Office. NPS adds that "most people cannot connect to a mobile network in Zion Canyon," so without service, find a ranger or park volunteer (NPS).

Key dates

Seasonal lottery

October 1, 2026, 8:00 a.m.–October 20, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (MT) hikes Dec 1–Feb 28 (NPS: Angels Landing permits)

Permits issued: October 25, 2026 (NPS: Angels Landing permits)

Day-before lottery

12:01 a.m.–3:00 p.m., 1 days before (MT) (NPS: Angels Landing permits)

PATTERN. Published recurring schedule

Where to apply

Angels Landing: Fall (Hikes on September 1 – November 30): Check current availability on Recreation.gov.

Angels Landing: Spring (Hikes on March 1 -- May 31): Check current availability on Recreation.gov.

Angels Landing: Summer (Hikes on June 1 – August 31): Check current availability on Recreation.gov.

Angels Landing: Winter (Hikes on December 1 - February 28): Check current availability on Recreation.gov.

No availability data. Recreation.gov's public RIDB data has none, and we don't scrape it. Pages link each facility's booking page for current availability.

How it works

Recreation.gov. Rank up to 7 dates/times. $6 application (up to 6 people) + $3/person permit fee if selected. (NPS: Angels Landing permits)

Fees

Angels Landing: Fall (Hikes on September 1 – November 30)

Fees (as of October 15, 2026):

Angels Landing: Spring (Hikes on March 1 -- May 31)

Fees (as of October 15, 2026):

Angels Landing: Summer (Hikes on June 1 – August 31)

Fees (as of October 15, 2026):

Angels Landing: Winter (Hikes on December 1 - February 28)

Fees (as of October 15, 2026):

Timeline

On Recreation.gov

Data Source: Recreation.gov

Conditions

Check current conditions: NPS: current alerts and conditions

Weather: NWS forecast: Springdale

Official sources

Related permits

Mentioned in

No published issue mentions this permit yet.

Parks Ahead is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service or Recreation.gov.

Data Source: Recreation.gov