Hold the Chains: Facing Fear on Angels Landing

An unforgettable ascent through fear and wonder on Zion’s most exhilarating trail.

By Mark Bradshaw

“Mark, I’m afraid of heights.”

Not exactly what you want to hear when you’re clinging to a sandstone spine fifteen hundred feet above the canyon floor. My wife Michelle had just confessed her fear as we began the final ascent of Angels Landing—one of the most iconic, and infamous, hikes in Zion National Park.

“Well,” I said, trying to sound calm, “this isn’t the best hike to do if you have a fear of heights. Why don’t you wait here, and I’ll go to the top and come back down for you?”

That suggestion earned me a competitive glare. Michelle was going up, fear or no fear.

A Hike with a Reputation

For years I’d read about Angels Landing and watched countless YouTube videos showing hikers gripping chains as they edged along cliffs no wider than a kitchen counter. The hype was equal parts awe and alarm.

When Michelle and I planned a spring 2023 trip to Zion, the trail was on my radar but never on my to-do list—until The Narrows, our favorite river hike, was closed due to high snowmelt. With that option gone, Angels Landing called our names.

The trail itself is short—just five miles round-trip—but distance is hardly the point. What makes Angels Landing legendary is the final half-mile: a narrow, exposed ridge that juts proudly into the heart of Zion Canyon. One slip, and you’d meet the Virgin River a thousand feet below.

Grateful for the Chains

Thankfully, there are chains. Sturdy steel links bolted into the rock, guiding hikers along the spine. Without them, the climb would be suicidal. With them, it’s merely thrilling—and terrifying.

The challenge reminded me of Yosemite’s Half Dome, which I climbed just before turning fifty. That’s the one that made me think I could handle this. Trevor James, co-owner of Moterra—the camper-van company we rent for our national park adventures—was the one who finally convinced me. “If you can do Half Dome,” he said, “you can do Angels Landing.”

The Lottery and the Leap

Easier said than done. Angels Landing is so popular the National Park Service now requires a permit, issued by lottery. I entered the seasonal drawing in January and was thrilled when our names were selected. We later met several people who hadn’t been so lucky.

So there we were, clinging to chains, inching up sandstone, with Michelle confronting her fear head-on. Every step demanded focus. Every glance down reminded us of the stakes.

The View from Heaven’s Edge

And then—suddenly—we were there. The top of Angels Landing. A 360-degree panorama of Zion’s red-and-gold cliffs stretching to infinity. Below, the Virgin River curled through the canyon like a silver ribbon. The air felt electric, our adrenaline finally giving way to quiet wonder.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. Would we do it again? I’m not sure. But standing there, gazing across one of the most spectacular landscapes in America, I knew we’d earned something special: a moment of courage, a view from heaven’s edge—and the satisfaction of checking Angels Landing off our bucket list.

Mark Bradshaw is a writer, photographer, and adventurer who explores America’s national parks with his wife, Michelle, one trail and one camper van at a time. Check out the podcast on our Angels Landing hike. And if you don't want to take on the scariest, most dangerous hike in America, you can buy this poster in our store.