The morning of our big hike was finally here. We had been planning and talking about this for months, and we were all excited and a little nervous that the day had finally come. Angels Landing was not only one of the most physically demanding hikes we had scheduled, but also one of the most mentally challenging.

The first part of the hike follows the West Rim Trail, which is a steady uphill climb with a couple of well-known sets of switchbacks that make everyone grumble. But the final half mile, starting at Scout’s Lookout, is where things get intense. This portion is known as the chains section, where the trail narrows significantly, with steep drop-offs and only chains to hold onto as you scramble your way to the top. There have been between 13 and 16 deaths from falls here since the 1980s, so we were definitely taking it seriously. Here is someone’s video from this section if you’re interested.

The lottery system for the chains section was introduced in 2022 to help reduce crowding and improve safety. Wanting to beat as much of the crowd as possible, we aimed for the very first shuttle leaving the Zion Visitor Center at 7:00 AM. I’m proud to say we were first in line. As the shuttle pulled away and our driver Ron began sharing fun facts about the park, we all sat there quietly, blaming the orange juice from breakfast for making us nauseous, but really, we were just nervous.

Ron dropped us off at Stop 5, The Grotto, and it was time to begin. The hike starts off following the Virgin River for a bit before heading into steeper terrain. There are two sets of switchbacks on the way up, though only the second is famously named. Honestly, I think the first set deserves a name too because they were brutal. The grade on those was no joke.

Once we powered through the first set of switchbacks, we passed through a canyon that had a quiet zone for Mexican Spotted Owls. We didn’t get to see any, but we made sure to keep the volume down as we hiked. It was also really sweet to see how much camaraderie there was between hikers. We’d pass a couple taking a break, then they’d pass us when we stopped, and that kind of leapfrogging led to some nice conversations along the way.

Then came the infamous Walter’s Wiggles—the second, named set of switchbacks. They were tight, steep, and a serious leg workout, but we crushed them with just one stop. We were so determined to make it to Scout’s Lookout without taking too many breaks.

After about an hour of hiking, we arrived at Scout’s Lookout. There’s a restroom here, and it has one of those conveyor belt-style toilets where you use the bathroom and then crank a foot lever to send everything off, which we thought was pretty funny. This is also the point where you decide whether or not to continue onto the chains section. Two kind women offered to take a photo of us with the peak in the background. That peak behind us was what we were about to climb!!

I didn’t get many photos or videos during the chains section because we were focused on safety. Honestly, there are thousands of better-quality photos online anyway. I do wish we had brought our GoPros though, just to have our own documentation. There weren’t too many people on the chains yet, which was great, and whenever we had to stop and let someone pass, I took the chance to snap a few pictures. Most photos online are taken with wide-angle lenses, which can make the drop-offs look even scarier. In person, it was still terrifying, but not quite as bad as I expected. That said, there were definitely some intense moments. We took it slow, stayed aware of our footing, and kept a firm grip on the chains the entire time, which helped us feel more secure.

It took us about 30 minutes to reach the summit of Angels Landing. I didn’t get too close to the edge, so my photos are mostly of rocks, but we were just happy to be there. We sat down for a bit to snack and refuel, but were quickly surrounded by a full-blown chipmunk army. These little guys are so used to being fed by hikers that they have no fear. They were darting between people’s legs and even climbing up bags looking for snacks. It was hilarious watching them surround one couple mid-snack.

It was freezing at the top, so we didn’t linger too long. After taking our “we did it” selfies, we started our descent. By that time, the trail was much busier than it had been on our way up.

Unfortunately, I did take a fall on one of the steep sections. I had been butt-scooting down to attempt to keep things safe but lost my footing and slipped. It definitely gave me an adrenaline rush and I felt shaky for a bit, but I was okay. Ironically, I had even taken a video earlier of Jordan navigating the same tricky spot. I was also kicking myself for not wearing long pants, but I had fully committed to my Halloween costume.

When we got back to Scout’s Lookout, we reunited with Tyson, who had opted to skip the chains section due to his fear of heights. The crowds were growing fast by then, even with the permit system in place. I was so glad we went early because doing that hike with heavy traffic would’ve been way more stressful. It was nice being able to go at our own pace and not have to constantly wait for others to pass. Tyson even got this great video of us descending from Scout’s Landing!

We hung out at Scout’s Lookout for a bit longer to take Halloween photos. Jordan and I were dressed as Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler from Jurassic Park, which turned out to be the perfect costumes—practical and hiking-friendly. Not too many people recognized us, but it was still fun. Caroline’s cat costume was a hit, and Tyson went full Indiana Jones, leather jacket and all. It was such a fun little twist to the day.

The chipmunks were still out in full force at Scout’s Lookout, and we had a blast watching them scurry around. As tempting as it was to feed them, we knew better, it’s terrible for their diet.

Apparently, the chains section wasn’t enough for Jordan, because he wanted to keep hiking along the West Rim Trail, which continues past Scout’s Lookout. The full trail is over 14.5 miles, but we just explored a little before turning back.

While we were resting at Scout’s again, we saw a bit of commotion. An older gentleman had suffered a seizure and needed medical help, so a rescue operation was underway. We watched several park staff and rescuers speed up the trail with massive medical packs. Their fitness was incredible.

Right before we started our descent, someone asked Caroline to take their photo, and at that moment she spotted a California Condor flying overhead. These enormous birds often perch around Angels Landing, and I had really hoped to see one. We’d spotted a few from a distance during our first trip to Zion, but I wanted that up-close moment. Caroline tried yelling at us, but we didn’t hear her. I did catch a glimpse of the bird flying toward the peak, but that was it. Still cool, but I was a little bummed. We did see what we think was a peregrine falcon, though.

We hung around for a bit longer hoping to spot another condor, but eventually we had to head back down to grab lunch. It felt really good to be walking down Walter’s Wiggles instead of climbing up them. No photo really does justice to how steep that incline is.

As we crossed the pedestrian bridge over the Virgin River, we got a surprise sighting: an American Dipper!! It was such a treat and definitely helped make up for missing the condor. This little bird was high on my list, since it’s North America’s only truly aquatic songbird. They’re known for their ability to walk, swim, and dive underwater to feed. It was so fun to watch it bob in and out of the water like a little duck.

When I finally let us stop watching the American Dipper, we hopped on the shuttle and returned to the Zion Lodge for a much-needed lunch. This time, we opted for the sit-down restaurant on the second floor. Service was slow, but the views made up for it. I didn’t get any pictures because I was too busy inhaling my food, but everything we ordered was delicious.

After lunch, we drove back into Springdale for lattes at Canyon Coffee. I’m obsessed with this town. The mountain views in every direction are just unreal. The caffeine boost was much needed after our early morning, and once we perked up, we decided to head back into the park for one final hike.

We made a quick stop at the Visitor Center to browse and pick up a few souvenirs—gotta support the park, right? With our collectibles in hand, we headed to the Canyon Overlook Trail, crossing our fingers that it would be open. Thankfully, it was. I love this trail because the reward at the top is so worth the effort. It’s short, not too difficult, and the views are incredible.

We waited around hoping to catch the sun setting behind the canyon, but after 20 minutes or so, we realized we’d be there a while longer than expected.

Since we had plans to check out the Halloween party at Zion Brew Pub, we decided to head back down and get ready for dinner. We had originally planned to return to the hotel, shower, and dress up, but we didn’t want to miss golden hour, so we just went straight to the pub.

There was a bit of a wait for a regular table, but they had what they called “wall seating,” which was basically bar-style seating facing the canyon wall. We skipped the wait and still got a gorgeous view, so that was a win.

Everything we ordered was great, and the server even brought me a full pitcher of lemonade as a refill, which absolutely made my night. I am a major lemonade girlie.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and soaked in the hot tub. This was such a nice ending to our night after all the vigorous hiking we did earlier. It was so relaxing and just what our muscles needed.

We called it an early night because the next morning, we were off to explore Bryce Canyon National Park!