Angels Landing Lottery Strategy: How to Win a Permit
Forget the horror stories about permit lotteries. NPS puts the odds across both lotteries at about 50% over the pilot program's first two years, and on quiet mid-week days they reach 100%. This guide is the strategy side: how the two lotteries work and how to aim your entry at the dates that actually go through.
Looking for quotas, fees, live availability, or alerts? Those live on the Angels Landing permit page. You can also check the Angels Landing lottery odds by month, or the 2026 lottery calendar.
~50%
NPS 2-Yr Odds
400/day
Permits Issued
$6
Permit Cost
Year-round
Season
5.4 mi
Round Trip
This Lottery Is Actually Winnable
Compare Angels Landing to Half Dome (22% in the preseason lottery) or the Enchantments advance lottery (under 10%), and about 50% starts to look like great news. NPS's own two-year report on the pilot permit program puts the spread at 8% to 100% depending on the date. Quiet mid-week days reach 100%. The permits that go fast are holiday weekends, with Memorial Day Weekend Sunday the worst day on the calendar at 8%.
Two Ways to Get a Permit
Seasonal Lottery
Plan ahead • Monthly
Opens the 1st of each month, closes the 15th
Covers hike dates roughly two months out
Part of the roughly 50% two-year average NPS reports across both lotteries
Day-Before Lottery
Last-minute option • Daily
Runs every day, 12:01 am - 3:00 pm Mountain Time
Enter it fresh every day of your trip
As low as 8% on Memorial Day Weekend Sunday, per NPS
Get Angels Landing Alerts
Be first to know when cancellations happen.
4 Strategies to Improve Your Odds
Start With the Seasonal Lottery
It opens the 1st of each month and closes the 15th, covering hike dates about two months out. Get your entry in before you book flights, not after.
Avoid Holidays and Weekends
NPS says that depending on the day of the week and time of year, between 10% and 100% of applicants get a permit. Memorial Day Weekend Sunday is the worst day on the calendar at 8%.
Enter Both Lotteries
Missed the seasonal lottery, or it's less than two months out? The day-before lottery is a completely independent shot at the same trail.
Retry Every Day of Your Trip
The day-before lottery runs daily. A 4-night Zion trip means four separate chances - your odds compound fast.
Didn't Win? You Still Have Options
Day-Before Lottery
Apply again every day of your trip - it's a fresh shot each time.
Cancellation Alerts
PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and alerts you instantly.
Hike to Scout Lookout
No permit needed. About 90% of the elevation gain, just can't summit.
Pro Tips for Summit Day
Catch the first shuttle
Arriving early avoids the worst chain-section crowding and the midday heat on exposed rock.
Bring gloves
The steel chains get hot in summer and rough on bare hands - grippy work gloves help a lot.
Skip it in storms or ice
Wet or icy sandstone on the chain section is genuinely dangerous. Check conditions before you go.
Have your permit ready
Rangers check permits at Scout Lookout - keep it accessible on your phone or printed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the odds of winning the Angels Landing lottery?
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Angels Landing is the friendliest big-name lottery in the park system. NPS reports that across the pilot program's first two years, the overall odds in both the Seasonal Lottery and the Day-before Lottery average to about 50%. The date you pick swings it hard: NPS puts the range from 8% in the Day-before Lottery on Memorial Day Weekend Sunday to 100% on random mid-week days.
How do I apply for the Angels Landing lottery?
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There are two lotteries. The seasonal lottery opens on the 1st of each month and closes on the 15th, covering hike dates about two months out. The day-before lottery runs every day from 12:01 am to 3:00 pm Mountain Time for next-day permits - you can enter it every day of your trip if you miss the seasonal lottery.
Do you need a permit to hike Angels Landing?
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Yes. Since 2022, a permit is required for the final chain section above Scout Lookout. You can hike to Scout Lookout - about 90% of the elevation gain - without any permit. Only the last 0.5 miles along the chains require one, and rangers check permits at Scout Lookout.
What happens if I don't win the Angels Landing lottery?
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Apply again in the day-before lottery, which runs daily and gives you a fresh shot for each day of your trip. You can also hike to Scout Lookout without a permit, or use PermitSnag to get instant alerts if a permit becomes available through a cancellation.
How hard is the Angels Landing hike?
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Strenuous but short - 5.4 miles round trip with 1,488 feet of elevation gain, typically taking 4-5 hours. The final half-mile along steel chains has severe drop-offs on both sides. It's not technical climbing, but exposure and crowding make it feel harder than the mileage suggests.
Everything else about this permit
This guide covers lottery strategy. The permit page has the rest: the 400-per-day quota, the $6 fee, group size limits, what the chains section actually involves, and live availability the moment a spot reopens.
Don't Miss Your Angels Landing Permit
Even with odds near 50%, plans change and permits get cancelled. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
Get Permit Alerts
