Overview
- Park officials closed the final half‑mile of Angels Landing on Thursday after crews found damage to the anchored chain section and to the narrow spine hikers use to reach the summit.
- Rangers blocked access where the trail narrows to a few feet across because the chain anchors and rock footing are needed for safe passage on the knife‑edge ridge.
- The National Park Service warned that day‑before lottery permits may be canceled or delayed while maintenance crews inspect the anchors and plan repairs, and no reopening date has been set.
- Hikers may still reach Scout Lookout and are being directed to pivot onto the West Rim Trail via Walters Wiggles toward Cabin Springs as an alternative route.
- Angels Landing draws roughly 200,000 climbers a year and saw a fatal fall in April, and the closure highlights how the park’s reservation system and infrastructure needs affect visitor safety and trip plans.