Spotlight: Zion National Park - The Subway

Spotlight: If you ask any avid hiker to name the best hikes in the country, at least one of the Big Three hikes located in Zion National Park will make the list - if not all three: Angels Landing, The Subway, and The Narrows. Yet, while many avid hikers are familiar with the names of all three hikes, chances are good that if the hiker has only hiked two of them, those two would be Angels Landing and The Narrows. That isn't because those two hikes are necessarily more popular; rather, it is because they are more accessible. You don't need a permit to hike Angels Landing or the bottom section of The Narrows. Anyone in the park can gain access to them (although you do need a permit to hike the upper section of The Narrows). However, no one can legally enter the Subway without a permit; and anyone who does will likely end up paying a hefty fine. Since those permits are limited to 80 persons/day, they are worth more than their weight in gold. The Subway is without a doubt one of the most spectacular hikes in the nation. It sat at the top of my bucket list for years until I was finally able to check it off a few years ago. When I finally did, I wasn't disappointed. If you are an avid hiker, these three hikes are absolute musts!

Location: The Subway is located along the Left Fork of North Creek inside Zion National Park off of Kolob Terrace Road.

Cost: $30/private vehicle for a week-long pass. Commercial vehicles are charged $15/person. In addition, you must apply for a permit (non-refundable $5) which you might not get since there is a lottery in place. Once you win, you need to pay for the permit, which is $15 for 1-2 people, $20 for 3-7 people, and $25 for 8-12.

Time: The hike takes about 6-9 hours. The earlier you start, the better. You don't want to risk getting stuck in the canyon in wet clothes after dark!

Description: There are two ways to hike the Subway. Both are strenuous and require hikers to be in good physical condition. The more adventurous route is to hike down from the top. "This is a strenuous 9.5-mile hike that requires rappelling skills, 60 feet of rope, and extensive route finding experience. The route also requires swimming through several deep pools of very cold debris-filled water. The trail begins at the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead and ends at the Left Fork Trailhead. Both trailheads are located on the Kolob Terrace Road." My group didn't take this route because we didn't have enough rappelling experience or a Subway veteran to lead us (more on that later).

A group rappelling into the Subway

     The other route is to hike up from the bottom and back out again. "This is a strenuous 9-mile round-trip hike through the Left Fork of North Creek that requires route finding, creek crossing, and scrambling over boulders. This hike begins and ends at the Left Fork Trailhead on the Kolob Terrace Road." This is the route we took. Even though we missed out on some of the adventure involved in rappelling down the cliffs, we had a lot of fun jumping into pools of water, sliding down slick-rock water slides, and sitting under waterfalls.

     The trailhead is located several hundred feet above the Left Fork of North Creek. From the parking lot, you follow the trail northeast for about half a mile. The trail then zigzags down a steep cliff for about 400 feet. The trail has a lot of loose rocks and sand, so use caution. Once you reach the bottom, it is a good idea to look back up the cliff and take a mental picture of black volcanic rock outcropping so that you will remember where you need to climb back up.

The cliff

     As you hike up the stream, try to follow the designated trail. Even then, much of the time you will be trudging through the stream or boulder-hopping. In any case, always use care since rocks and boulders may be slippery or loose.

     After roughly two miles, you will start hiking on the slickrock. At this stage, you will see several cascades and waterfalls. The falls can be bypassed on the right. When hiking up the cascades, use caution because they can be extremely slippery due to moss growth. Upstream from the second waterfall is the famous "train track" crack where much of the water flows through a long, narrow crack.

Train Track Crack

     Soon, the canyon will make a sharp right turn and the magnificent Subway formation will become visible. It is a narrow canyon that widens at the bottom creating what looks like a subway tunnel. Once you hike into this section, you will see several small emerald pools you can swim/wade in. If you want to get soaked, continue through these to the Waterfall Room where a 20 foot waterfall cascades down into the pool. This marks the turnaround point since you can't go on without rappelling gear.

The Subway

     Enjoy the scenery from the opposite view as you hike out. You might want to take some time to try out the natural slickrock slides that are present at a few different spots. When you reach the end, the hike back up the 400 foot cliff can be draining, so make sure you leave enough time to get out before dark.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - You must have a permit to hike the Subway, regardless of the direction you travel. Only 80 permits are issued each day in order to keep the area from being destroyed from heavy foot traffic. To obtain a permit, you should apply for one through an advanced lottery system. On-line reservations for each new month (3 months ahead) become available on the 5th day of every month at 10:00 am MT. A few permits are saved for a "Last Minute Drawing." These can be applied for on-line during a window from 7-2 days before the hike (at noon MT).
- After reserving your permit on-line, you must pick up your permit in person the day before (or the day of) your hike at the Zion Canyon or Kolob Canyon Visitor Centers.
- There is no lottery to hike from November-March due to the scarcity of applications. However, hiking during this time frame requires cold water protective gear.
- Hiking in April is more challenging due to spring run-off.
- Do not hike the canyon if there is rain due to the flash flood potential. It is difficult to lose a hard-earned permit, but it is better than losing your life.
- Camping is not permitted in the Left Fork.
- Only experienced hikers should hike the Subway! Regardless, it is always a good idea to hike with a first aid kit since there is always the chance of cuts and bruises due to loose rocks or slippery stones. It is also a good idea to carry some moleskin to take care of blisters.
- There are many "false trails" that have been made by careless hikers. If a trail is "blocked off" by rocks or logs, it isn't the right trail.
- Regardless of how experienced the hikers are, they should be accompanied by someone who knows the route or obtain a detailed route description. Even then, it is easy to stray off the trail. Some friends of mine hiked from the top down and took a wrong turn that took them to a cliff which was taller than their rope. Since it was getting late, they were compelled to go down it anyway so as not to be caught in the canyon after dark. One of them suffered severe rope burns on his hands and another fell about ten feet and hit his head. Luckily no one was injured worse. The moral of the story is that everyone in the group should be familiar with the landmarks of the trail so as to decrease the chances of you taking a wrong turn.

Nearby: Angels Landing, Birch Creek Falls, Pioneer Park (St. George), Snow Canyon St. Park