Day Hiking The Adventurous Subway Trail In Zion National Park

Countless river crossings, no clear path, pure adventure, an extraordinary climax and a maximum of 80 permitted hikers per day: The Zion Subway Trail has all of the wow-factor and none of the crowds. In fact, we only saw 3 other people all day when we hiked alongside and quite literally through the Left Fork of North Creek to the striking tunnel-like formation.

In this guide we show you how to day hike The Subway from the bottom up in Zion National Park, based on our experiences.

Our Experience

We day hiked to The Subway on November 30th 2021 during our second trip to Zion. It was the only big hitter left on our hiking wishlist because we’d already done The Narrows and Angels Landing when we visited the park in October 2019. Back then Zion was jam-packed so we didn’t bother trying to win a coveted permit, instead deciding we’d go back in the off season for a better chance.

And it worked like a charm. We applied in-person for a next day Subway permit upon arriving to Zion on November 29th and the ranger gave us a permit right then and there. Early next morning we drove to Left Fork and hit the trail, forging our own path upstream until reaching one of the best endings to a hike we’ve ever seen. It took us around 7 hours, but it was so much fun! Read more about us.

READ: The hikes you can’t miss in Zion

What You Need To Know

Okay, let’s dive right in. Here are the most important things you need to know before day hiking The Subway from the bottom up:

• You must win a hiking permit (which we explain below)
• Bottom up is the non-technical version of the hike
• But it’s a tough trail with obstacles throughout
• Expect creek crossings, boulders and steep banks
• There’s no clear path to follow
• You must figure out your own route
• Slick rocks near the end are very slippery
• Consider hiring waterproof socks and shoes in Springdale
• If not, you must wear shoes with strong grips
• It can be dangerous with high water levels
• Check live conditions for flash flood warnings
• Do not drink water from the creek (toxic cyanobacteria)
• Dogs are not allowed on the trail

Trail Statistics

• Distance: 9 miles roundtrip
• Type: Out and back
• Elevation Gain: 1,300 feet
• Difficulty: Hard
• Time: 6-8 hours
• Trailhead: Left Fork

We’ve hiked hundreds of trails around the world, so we have reference points for rating difficulty. And we’d rate The Subway as a hard day hike. At 4.5 miles each way it’s a pretty long hike to begin with, but it’s made even longer because of the path finding element. We zig-zagged and had to go back on ourselves more than a few times.

Around half the total elevation change occurs on a steep cliff between the trailhead and the creek. But it’s not just steep, it’s also quite dangerous with loose stones and dirt so take extra care on this section. Once alongside the creek, the remaining elevation change is so gradual you’ll barely notice it.

READ: 50 amazing hikes in the US

Hiking Permit

Okay, The Subway can be hiked top down or bottom up. Top down is an overnight hike with technical canyoneering and rappelling elements, whereas bottom up is a day hike with no technical canyoneering. But it’s important to know that both versions require the same permit. Only 80 permits can be won on any given day, combined between the two trail versions (ie. 53 bottom up and 27 top down).

You can apply in advance through this seasonal lottery which accounts for 60 of the total 80 permits each day. Or you can apply through this canyoneering daily lottery which accounts for the remaining 20 permits. It costs $6 to enter the lottery and a further $10 per person to pick up winning permits.

The seasonal lottery works on a 2-4 months ahead basis, four times a year (ie. apply in February to hike in April, May or June / apply in May to hike in July, August or September). The daily lottery is for 2 days ahead, not the next day like it was when we won (ie. apply on Tuesday to hike on Thursday).

Trail Map

As you can see in the route map we created above, the trail to Zion’s Subway is actually pretty straightforward. You drop down to a creek, follow it for around 4 miles, turn around and go back the same way before climbing out of the creek.

There are no spur trails leading away in other directions or connecting trails leading to other areas of the park. Put simply, you just have to keep following the creek. But with that said, we recommend downloading an offline map onto one of the top mobile hiking apps to help with navigation. Here are two screenshots we took on our app during the hike:

We always use our Gaia Premium app to download offline maps for trails with no designated path, so we can track our live position and make sure we’re heading in the right direction (here’s our exclusive 10% discount link for Gaia Premium). You can of course use a different app like AllTrails instead. Either way, being able to see our live location helped!

Trailhead Parking

The bottom up day hike to The Subway begins and ends at Left Fork Trailhead in the Kolob Terrace region of Zion. From the main visitor center in Springdale it’s a 21.5-mile drive to Left Fork Trailhead, which takes around 30-35 minutes. Remember to factor in the drive time if you plan to get an early start on the hike.

From Springdale, head south and west on UT-9 before taking a right turn onto Kolob Terrace Road when you reach Zion Wildflower Resort near Virgin. It’s a narrow, bumpy and undulating 8-mile drive on Kolob Terrace Road to reach the trailhead.

The parking lot at Left Fork Trailhead is surprisingly small with space for maybe 25 cars if everyone does a good job of squeezing in. So, we’re not quite sure how parking would work on a day when all 80 permits are in use. There were only 3 cars in the lot on November 30th when we hiked The Subway, but we imagine it would be much busier in peak season.

Tip: Left Fork is part of Kolob Terrace which is inside Zion’s boundaries, so you’ll need to display your $35 entry pass or America the Beautiful Pass on your car dashboard (along with your Subway permit) during the hike.

Trail Walkthrough

Next, let’s walk through the hike exactly as we did it so you know what to expect.

1. Park At Left Fork Trailhead

The evening before we bought food for breakfast and a packed lunch at Sol Foods Supermarket in Springdale. Then we got all our hiking gear ready, checked the sunrise time for Springdale and set an alarm to go off 30 minutes before sunrise. In the morning we ate our breakfast and set off for Left Fork Trailhead as daylight was breaking.

There was only one other car in the gravel lot when we arrived (and only 3 cars in the lot when we returned from the hike). We grabbed our gear, used the vault toilets and checked out the information board. It showed a warning about toxic cyanobacteria in Left Fork of North Creek and not to fill water bottles from the river. We made sure we had plenty of fluids, despite the cool temperatures.

2. Gentle Start

The start of the hike was easy going on dirt and gravel paths, with some gentle undulations. We walked through a lightly forested area with dry creek beds and cacti for around 10 minutes until noticing a huge drop off to the right side. It was a narrow V-shaped gorge and we could just about see Left Fork of North Creek cutting through the bottom.

3. Steep Descent To The Creek

In order to reach the creek, we knew we had to drop down a steep cliff face. It started gradually but quickly turned into a very steep angle of descent. Loose stones and gravel were sliding out from underneath our feet, and there were times we used our hands to help with stability. It was a pretty brutal descent, and probably the hardest part of the hike (coming back up it later was easier).

4. Begin Hiking Left Fork

Eventually, we reached flat ground alongside the creek and noticed a small brown sign showing a right turn back to the trailhead. We took a mental note of the area so we wouldn’t miss it on the return journey. Then we set off upstream (heading northeast). The early part of the hike was easier and mostly on a dirt path, which gave us time to get used to things.

5. Multiple Creek Crossings

But before long, we started running into obstacles like massive boulders, steep bank climbs and especially creek crossings. We lost count of how many times we crossed from left to right and right to left. The water level was low so we didn’t get our feet wet until much later, but expect to get very wet if the water is high when you hike.

It’s important to note here that for around 3 miles each way you’ll be finding ways to continue hiking upstream. There’s a lot of decision making and short strenuous bursts of energy required to climb a steep sand bank or pull yourself over a boulder. It’s tiring. By the end you’ll be just as tired mentally as physically.

6. Archangel Falls

After about 3 miles of creekside path finding, we finally arrived at a very obvious change of topography and scenery. The river widened, we had to navigate enormous boulders and tall canyon walls closed in around us. Up ahead we could see photogenic multi-tiered rock ledges with dozens of tiny waterfalls cascading down and knew we’d made it to Archangel Falls.

7. Final Approach

Right after the waterfall, our excitement began to build and the final half mile before reaching The Subway was amazing. The path was wide open and flat, with smooth slippery rocks covered in shallow ankle deep water. Our feet were soaking wet by now but we didn’t care. The scenery was getting better by the minute and we could see a long sweeping meander to the right looking just like a tunnel.

8. The Zion Subway

As we inched around that final right meander, the tunnel-shaped Subway was instantly recognizable. The approach was slippery so we had to go slowly and carefully, but we finally made it inside and wow, just wow! We were blown away by an amazing scene of intense light filling the tunnel behind small emerald green pot hole pools. We spent around 30 minutes taking photos and enjoying the formations.

Note: The Subway bottom up day hike ends here. It’s very obvious because to continue you’d have to swim through pools and climb up boulders, which is only permitted on the top down version of the hike. If it’s hot you can take a dip in the pools, but don’t continue hiking upstream. The water was freezing cold in November, so needless to say, we did not have a dip!

9. The Way Back

It got cold inside the tunnel, so we turned around and hiked back to Archangel Falls to eat our lunch. Going down the slick rock was even worse, so we were like Bambi dancing on ice even with proper hiking boots. After lunch, it was a slog back to the climb. But our feet were wet so instead of going around obstacles we went directly through the water, which cut some time.

10. Climb Out Of Left Fork

Admittedly, the hike back became tedious and we couldn’t wait to finally reach the climb. It was still fun gliding between rocks and figuring out the trail, but after doing it all day we were ready for it to be over. The climb out was a beast because we’d spent our energy, but it was shorter than we remembered and it didn’t take long before we were back at the trailhead, ready for dinner and a cold beer.

Best Time To Hike The Zion Subway

We think late fall is the best time to visit Zion in general for a good balance between crowds and hiking temperatures, but we also think it’s the ideal time to hike The Subway because fewer people are applying for permits and water levels are lower.

In summer you’d be competing with more people for those 80 permits, it’s too hot to hike, there’s higher risk of flash floods and Zion is obscenely crowded. Spring would be another good time to hike but water levels are higher.

We hiked The Subway just as winter was beginning and it was perfect. The temperatures were ideal for a strenuous hike, we had no issues getting a permit, parking was easy and we only saw 2 other groups (a solo hiker and a couple) on the entire trail. Admittedly, we were slightly concerned about daylight hours, which is why we set off straight after daylight broke in the morning.

READ: What it’s like to visit Zion in winter

The Morgan Conclusion

What we like: The hike has a lost world feel and it’s a real adventure. And we like that it’s limited to a maximum of 80 permits each day to keep it that way. The ending is one of the most spectacular climaxes to hike we’ve seen, but maybe that’s because we love unique natural formations and photography.

What we don’t like: The steep descent was pretty sketchy and we could see people having issues. Towards the end, the trail got very repetitive and we got tired of having to figure out how to scramble across rocks and the creek. It’s also a half hour drive from Springdale, parking could be problematic and winning a permit could be hard in peak months.

Is The Subway in Zion worth it? Yes! The Subway is one of the most adventurous hikes in Zion and the entire US national park system. It’s also one of the only ways you can escape the crowds in Zion during peak months. The trail is perfect for strong hikers looking for a challenge and the end is stunning. What are you waiting for? Get your permit application submitted today!

More From Zion

• Hikes you can’t miss in Zion
• How to hike The Narrows
• How to hike Angels Landing
• Hiking Zion Canyon Overlook
• Where to stay around Zion
• One day Zion itinerary ideas
• Best month to visit Zion
• Visiting Zion in the winter
• Airports closest to Zion

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We hope our guide to hiking The Subway helps with planning your visit to Zion!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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