The Angels Landing permit lottery, explained
The chained section of Angels Landing, from Scout Lookout to the summit, needs a permit, and rangers can check it at any time of day or night. The permit comes from two lotteries on Recreation.gov that Zion National Park describes: a seasonal lottery for each quarter of the year and a day-before lottery. The park’s page states that it was last updated on 8 October 2026 and gives exact windows and fees; they are below, with the date we read them.
Who needs a permit
Everyone hiking the chains section from Scout Lookout to Angels Landing needs one. The West Rim Trail up to Scout Lookout does not. The confirmation email from Recreation.gov is the permit: print or download it, because phone service at the checkpoint is unreliable.
Visiting the area? A guided trip is a separate booking
This is a tour of the area, not a permit: it neither includes nor replaces the permit for the hike in this guide.
Exact tour we link to:Zion & Bryce Canyons Day Trip
See guided visits & pricesBooking partner: Civitatis. Cancellation terms change from tour to tour: read them on the booking page before you pay.
The seasonal lottery: four windows a year
Applications open at 8 a.m. Mountain Time on the opening day and close at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on the closing day; results are sent on the “Permits Issued” date. For hikes from March 1 to May 31, the lottery opens January 1, closes January 20 and issues permits January 25. For June 1 to August 31: April 1, April 20 and April 25. For September 1 to November 30: July 1, July 20 and July 25. For December 1 to the end of February: October 1, October 20 and October 25.
The park’s table names no years, so the same four windows repeat every year. On 16 October 2026 the round for 1 December to the end of February is open: it closes on 20 October, with results on 25 October.
The application fee is $6, covers up to 6 people and is non-refundable; each selected person pays a $3 permit fee. You can cancel or reduce the group until two days before the reservation date and get back the $3 for each person removed, but not the $6. Cancelled seasonal permits roll over to the day-before lottery. You cannot change the hike date, add people, transfer the permit or change the group leader.
The day-before lottery
You apply the day before your hike. The window opens at 12:01 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. Mountain Time, and results are sent after 4 p.m. the same day. The application fee is $6 for up to 6 people, including the applicant, and is non-refundable; each selected person pays a $3 permit fee. Permits from this lottery cannot be changed, and unsuccessful applicants can apply again in a later lottery.
Odds, and what to do without a permit
The park does not publish how many permits are issued per day, how many people apply or what the selection odds are. It says only that everyone who applies during an open window has the same odds, so which of the two draws is easier cannot be answered from official data.
If you do not win, the West Rim Trail up to Scout Lookout needs no permit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for the whole hike?
No. Only the chains section from Scout Lookout to Angels Landing needs a permit. The West Rim Trail up to Scout Lookout does not.
When do results come out?
For the day-before lottery, after 4 p.m. Mountain Time on the day you apply. For the seasonal lottery, on the “Permits Issued” date of the window: January 25, April 25, July 25 or October 25.
How much does an Angels Landing permit cost?
The application fee is $6 for up to 6 people and is non-refundable. Each selected person then pays a $3 permit fee.
Can I cancel an Angels Landing permit?
A seasonal permit can be cancelled, or the group reduced, until two days before the reservation date, with the $3 per person refunded but not the $6. Permits from the day-before lottery cannot be changed and all fees are non-refundable.
Sources
Official pages read for this guide
- NPS: Angels Landing hiking permits (Zion National Park) · read on Oct 16, 2026