How Find The Best Photo View in Zion National Park

Let’s face it - you’ve seen the photo above of Zion National Park’s iconic canyon view before. You know you want to get to that vantage point and gander down that epic canyon with your own two eyes. This moment is what you imagined for your trip to Zion. Maybe you want the perfect photo to sum up your Zion trip on Instagram or maybe you don’t want to capture any pixels at all but just absorb the beauty that nature has created for awhile. Maybe you want to propose to your partner and think this is the perfect spot to do it. Whatever your reasoning, you’re going to see this damn view of massive deep red temple cliffs. But, you just need to know how.

Well, this how you get this view: Hike to the top of Angel’s Landing.

The view of Zion National Park from Angels Landing - best photo opportunity in the park.

But hold on for a minute, getting to the top of Angel’s Landing is not for the faint of heart. Read on to learn more about this hike.

Hiking to Angels Landing

Time Required: 4-6 hours

Elevation Gain: ~1500 feet

Trail Length: ~2.7 miles (one way); ~5 miles (round trip)

More Trail Details:

This hike provides the iconic Zion canyon view that you’ve likely seen many times in your life, even without realizing it was Zion. The hike up is strenuous, with nearly 1500 feet of elevation gain over 2.7 miles.

But, the real challenge is the last half mile before the summit, when you sharply ascend about 400ft while relying on guide chains and your own balance to maneuver a narrow scramble with ~1000ft cliffs on either side as you. In fact, settlers in the area deemed the peak so unreachable that only angels could land there, giving it its memorable name. This section is not for the faint of heart, but if you’re up for the challenge, this could be one of the most exciting scrambles of your life.

The narrow & final scramble before reaching Angels Landing. The best Instagram-worthy photos of Zion are reserved for those at the top of this adventure trail.

Permits Required: As of April 2022, permits are now required for Angel’s Landing (though you can still hike to Scout Lookout if you don’t snap a permit). You can apply for the seasonal permit lottery 2-4 months before your trip or for a permit the day before your hike. Check out the National Park Service’s website for the latest information and how to apply for a permit.

No shame in backing down: if this does not sound like your cup of tea, there is no shame in stopping at Scout Lookout, where there are still great views of Zion Canyon just before the scramble begins.