Walter's Wiggles

A Stairway Carved into the Cliff

The story of Walter's Wiggles begins with a problem every trail builder dreads: how to get people up a near-vertical face. Ruesch, then the park's first custodian, solved it around 1926 by cutting a series of tight, evenly spaced switchbacks directly into the solid rock. The result was considered an engineering marvel of its day, and the carved tread still feels deliberate underfoot, the zigzagging line clearly visible from below and virtually invisible when you are standing in the middle of it.↗↗↗

The trail you walk today is more durable than the original. Zion's West Rim path was first paved in the 1920s with oil and rock chips hauled up by pack horses, and in 1985 the section through the Wiggles was rebuilt in concrete to fight erosion and heavy use. That repair was a logistical feat of its own: crews used some 258 helicopter flights to deliver 88 cubic yards of concrete to the site, then brought it the rest of the way up by mule. So when your thighs start to burn, appreciate the smooth, drained tread beneath you and be glad you are not hauling cement.↗↗↗

The Approach Through Refrigerator Canyon

The Wiggles are the payoff at the end of a gentle build-up, not the start of the hike. Most walkers leave from The Grotto (shuttle stop 6), cross the footbridge over the Virgin River, and climb steadily up the wide, pink-paved West Rim Trail for roughly two miles. Because the path blends with the color of the surrounding sandstone, the ascent feels less like hiking a staircase and more like drifting up through the canyon wall.↗↗↗

Just before the switchbacks begins Refrigerator Canyon, a narrow, shady side canyon that earns its name from the cool air that lingers inside long after the open trailheads bake in the sun. It is the only real shade on this route and a welcome place to pause before the climb proper. At the far end of the canyon, the trail tilts sharply upward, and the first of the 21 tight turns comes into view.↗↗↗

The Climb and the Reward at Scout Lookout

Here the hiking changes character. Over a short distance the switchbacks lift you several hundred feet, turning each corner into a fresh burst of effort that gets your heart pounding and your calves and thighs complaining. Pace yourself, especially in the heat of midday, and use the cool morning to make the ascent easier. You will know you are getting near the top when the turns start to open out and the valley below spreads wider with every step.↗↗↗

At the summit of the Wiggles you reach Scout Lookout, a flat, sandy perch with pit toilets, impressive views down into Zion Canyon, and Angels Landing itself looming close ahead. This is the natural turnaround for anyone unwilling or unable to continue, and a fine destination in its own right, which is why it is also a popular spot to leave a waiting companion while others tackle the chained ridge. Reaching here without a permit is perfectly legal and, for many, plenty rewarding.↗↗↗

Continuing to Angels Landing

The narrow ridge that makes Angels Landing world-famous starts just beyond Scout Lookout, and the Wiggles are the physical price of admission. From here the trail climbs along a sandstone spine with sheer drop-offs, helped by chains anchored into the rock at exposed spots. Since April 2022, a permit won through the National Park Service lottery (applied for on recreation.gov) is required to pass beyond Scout Lookout; there is no permit needed to hike the Wiggles themselves.↗↗↗

It is a strenuous, exposed section, absolutely not a place for anyone with a fear of heights or young children, and the trail is narrow enough that you must yield to oncoming hikers. Rangers may check permits along the route, so bring a printed or downloaded copy of your confirmation, since phone service is unreliable at the checkpoint. The good news is that the lottery has eased the long lines that once clogged the chains, making the whole climb, Wiggles included, far more enjoyable.↗↗↗

Planning Your Visit

The trailhead sits at The Grotto, reached by the Zion Canyon shuttle from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center for most of the year, since private vehicles are restricted on the canyon road during peak months. The full out-and-back to Angels Landing runs about 5.4 miles with roughly 1,488 feet of elevation gain and takes most hikers three to five hours; just to conquer the Wiggles and reach Scout Lookout is a shorter, very doable half-day. Check the seasonal shuttle schedule and plan to be back before dark.↗↗↗

Spring and fall offer the coolest, most comfortable conditions, and an early start helps you beat both the heat and the crowds. The trail has no water on it, so fill up at the Grotto before leaving and carry plenty, along with broken-in boots with good grip, since rock can be slippery after rain or snow. Watch the forecast and turn back if storms roll in, the high, exposed ridge is no place to be during lightning.↗↗

Walter's Wiggles stays open year-round as part of the park trail system, and even when the Angels Landing chains are closed by weather or when you lack a permit, the switchback climb to Scout Lookout remains one of the most satisfying short adventures in Zion, a place to feel the weight of a century of hikers' footsteps and earn a magnificent view along the way.↗↗