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*Due to toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the water throughout Zion National Park, DO NOT drink from any streams in the park. Bring all the water you may need for your hike.
Zion National Park’s best hike The Subway hike is extremely popular and on most adventurer’s bucket lists! Famous for the unworldly tunnel-shaped slot canyon and shimmering emerald pools, The Subway has you hiking through ankle to thigh-deep waters, along waterfalls, and scrambling across boulders. Making this the best adventure in Zion National Park. After hiking the bottom-up, non-canyoneering route to The Subway in May 2024, I think hiking to The Subway is even better than hiking to Angel’s Landing or The Narrows!
However, with how famous and popular this hike is, getting a permit to hike to The Subway in Zion is extremely difficult. In this ultimate hiking guide for The Subway hike in Zion National Park, I’ll share with you:
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In my opinion, The Subway hike is the best water hike in Zion National Park (yes, even better than hiking The Narrows)! What makes this hike so famous is that along this 9-mile hike, you get some of the most unique and spectacular geology and landscape, including the unworldly tunnel-shaped slot canyon and vibrant, emerald-colored pools.
This hike packs a punch! As you hike to The Subway, you'll be hiking in ankle to thigh-deep water, scrambling across boulders, and over waterfalls with the best views of Zion's orangey-red canyons.
There are two routes to hike to The Subway in Zion:
Want to hike The Subway? Check out my ultimate Zion National Park hiking guide “How to Hike to The Subway Trail in Zion National Park: A Hiking Guide for the Bottom-Up (Non-Canyoneering) Route”.
Permits are REQUIRED to hike to the Subway, regardless of whether you are doing the bottom-up (non-technical) route or the top-down (canyoneering) route. With only 80 hiking permits available each day, winning permits is extremely difficult, especially since The Subway is one of the best hikes in Zion National Park.
Permits are based on a lottery system, which means that you must first enter an online lottery, and if you win, you’ll be awarded a permit to hike The Subway.
Getting a permit is purely based on luck. But if you’re lucky enough to get a permit, hiking the Subway is one of the most intimate, less-crowded experiences in all of Zion. During my hike in May 2024, I probably saw a total of a dozen people along the trail during the day. The trail was so quiet we had The Subway section all to ourselves for about 45 minutes!
Fortunately, you have 3 ways to get a permit to hike The Subway in Zion Here's what you need to know about getting a permit:
Out of the 80 available daily permits, 60 permits are issued during the Seasonal Lottery.
Months before you hike to The Subway, you’ll apply for the "Zion Left Fork North Creek (Subway) Seasonal Lottery" to earn a permit.
To figure out when to apply to The Subway lottery for your desired hike date, look at the seasonal lottery application periods under the “Important Dates” section.
When you go through the lottery application process, you’ll be able to:
Results from the lottery will be emailed to you 2 days after the lottery application period closes. If you win the lottery, it’s critical to follow the instructions in the email to confirm your permit reservation by the claim date. If you do not confirm your reservation, you will lose your permits. Any unclaimed permits will be available for others to win in the daily lottery or as walk-in permits.
Seasonal Lottery & Permit Fees for The Subway Hike:
*Entering the lottery does not guarantee a permit to hike The Subway.
If you weren't able to get a permit during the seasonal lottery or you missed the seasonal lottery deadline for your desired hike date, you can apply online for the daily lottery for a chance to get a permit to hike The Subway.
To enter the online daily lottery, you will need to submit a daily lottery application 2 days in advance of your trip date between 12:00 am MT - 3:00 pm MT. You can enter the lottery at www.recreation.gov and search for "Zion National Park Canyoneering Daily Lottery”.
You’ll be notified of your lottery results by 4:00 pm MT.
Daily Lottery & Permit Fees for The Subway Hike:
*Entering the lottery does not guarantee a permit to hike The Subway.
Any remaining permits not claimed through the seasonal lottery and the daily lottery will be available as Walk-In Permits the day before or the day of your trip date.
To try and get a last-minute permit to hike the Subway trail in Zion, head to the Zion Wilderness Office (near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center) as early as you can on the day of your hike (or even the day before) to see if there are any permit cancellations or unclaimed permits that you can snag!
If you’ve won a permit to hike to The Subway in Zion, you will not be able to print or screenshot your official permit, unfortunately.
Instead, you will need to pick up your permit to hike to The Subway in person at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk the day before or the day of your hike. During this time, you will check in with a ranger and review the trail conditions, safety issues, emergency contact information, and any other questions you may have before you receive your permit to hike. Have your vehicle information for your permit (make, model, and license plate).
Make sure to look up when the Wilderness Desk is open and plan enough time to pick up your permit, especially since the Wilderness Desk is a 40-minute drive from the Left Fork Trailhead, where you will start your hike.
Getting a permit to hike Zion National Park’s best hike, The Subway, is extremely difficult but worth it. As one of the best and most epic hikes in Zion National Park, The Subway hike is one of the most memorable and best outdoor adventures I’ve done.
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