Angels Landing trail at Zion National Park closes for chain repairs ahead of summer

The Angels Landing Trail averages more than 1,200 hikers per day during peak season. Photo:

SPRINGDALE, Utah — A trail renowned for both its breathtaking views and its hazards has gone dark for the peak travel season after the National Park Service confirmed damage to a key safety feature.

Angels Landing, in Zion National Park, shut down Thursday while crews assess repairs to its chain section. Those chains run along the trail’s final, exposed stretch to the summit, where sheer drop-offs on either side make them essential for safe passage.

No reopening date has been announced. The park service said its day-before lottery system, which distributes limited permits for trail access, could face cancellations or delays as a result. Hikers looking for an alternative can still reach Scout Lookout, a vantage point lower on the mountain that does not require continuing to the summit.

The shutdown follows a fatal accident in April, when a 68-year-old man from Texas died after falling on the trail. That death was among more than a dozen recorded on Angels Landing since 2000, a toll that has long shadowed the trail’s popularity and contributed to the park service introducing the permit lottery system in recent years.

Zion draws millions of visitors annually, and the closure arrives just as foot traffic begins its seasonal surge. Angels Landing has historically been one of the most sought-after hikes in the entire national park system, with demand for permits regularly outpacing supply.

The park service has not disclosed what caused the chain damage or how extensive the repairs will be.