Here's How to Hike the 'Most Dangerous' Trail in the U.S. Next Year

Zion National Park remains one of the most-trafficked national parks in the U.S., bringing millions of visitors every year to the Utah desert to take in the natural beauty. Angels Landing is one of the park's most breathtaking attractions, but the trail to get to the top isn't for the faint of heart—or for adventurers who don't plan ahead. In 2022, the National Park Service launched a pilot program requiring hikers to apply for a permit to get out on the trail.

Angel's Landing has often been nicknamed the "most dangerous" hiking trail in the country. Although that's not an official designation, there are more than a dozen deaths associated with the trail over the years. The trail's steep drop-offs and extremely crowded conditions are often to blame, part of why the NPS now requires permits.

With the new year right around the corner, the window to apply for an Angels Landing permit is approaching fast. The first seasonal lottery opens on Jan. 1 and covers the dates between March 1 and May 31, 2024. On April 1, the lottery opens for the summer season of June 1 to Aug. 31. The fall lottery for Sept. 1 through Nov. 30 opens July 1, and you can apply for a winter permit for Dec. 1 through Feb. 28, 2025 starting Oct. 1. 

According to the NPS, Zion has issued nearly 400,000 permits to hikers since the program launched in 2022. It's seemingly made for a more pleasant experience for everyone all around. 

"We’ve issued hundreds of thousands of permits to hike to Angels Landing since the program began in 2022," Zion National Park superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said, per KUTV. "Visitors and rangers report that the program has been successful at reducing crowding and congestion, and we are building on this success as we prepare for 2024."

If you're brave enough to take on the challenge, make sure you get your permit and prepare as much as possible for anything that might happen out on the trail.