The Subway is one of Zion National Park‘s geologic marvels — a curved, hollowed-out canyon reminiscent of a subway tunnel. When the light is right, the “tunnel” emits a warm, ethereal glow. A series of cascading pools, exquisitely sculpted into the bedrock, add to the remote alcove’s mystical allure.

To get to The Subway, you’ll need to descend a steep canyon, then hike three to five hours alongside the Left Fork of North Creek. The rugged trail, which is faint in places, has multiple river crossings.

The left fork of North Creek is known as the Subway for the nearly tunnel like aspect that the walls of this slot canyon have developed from centuries of flash flooding. This is backcountry Zion national park at it very best. Pristine, lush, and remote this program requires a high degree of self reliance, stamina and preparation. The Subway, also known as the Left Fork of North Creek, is one of Zion National Park's most popular and most technical slot canyons. It should not be attempted by those who are not experienced in canyoneering, route finding and desert travel unless with a guide. Rain had been pouring on Zion for weeks, causing high water levels and flash flooding risks in the slot canyons. We were ‘advised’ not to attempt this route in such conditions, but if we must, we were told to start at the bottom and hike up instead of rappelling down. The bottom half of the canyon is wide and safe (read.

This is a long, challenging hike, but the payoff is one of Utah’s most enchanting destinations.

Note: due to The Subway’s immense popularity, you’ll need a permit to hike the trail (see below).

The Subway Trail Facts

Rating: Strenuous
Hiking Time: 6–10 hours
Distance: 9 miles, round-trip
Elevation Change: 1,000 feet

Zion National Park requires all visitors to The Subway to have permits.

Subway Hiking Permits

The park service allocates 60 Subway permits a day, most of which are granted through a lottery three months in advance. A lottery for the remaining permits is open seven to two days in advance. Visit Zion’s Subway permit page to learn more about the process.

Note: The Subway top-down route (which also requires a permit) involves technical canyoneering.

Subway Slot Canyon In Zion National Park South Rim

Recommended Hiking Gear

Hiking to The Subway involves multiple river crossings over the Left Fork of North Creek. I highly recommend closed-toe water shoes and hiking poles.

The Subway Trailhead

The Left Fork (Subway) trailhead is located off Kolob Reservoir Road, 8.3 miles north of the junction with Route 9 in the town of Virgin. From the parking area, the trail drops through a piñon-juniper forest as it approaches the rim of Great West Canyon. The route is fairly obvious, but a sandy wash littered with footprints sometimes lures hikers off trail.

Trail Description

Canyon Rim (0.5 Miles)

From the canyon rim, it’s a steep hike down to the Left Fork of North Creek. The steep trail is often interspaced with log steps, but in places the red dirt is loose and crumbly. Use great caution at sections near dropoffs. Hiking poles are helpful.

Junction with Left Fork of North Creek (1 Mile)

This junction is hard to miss on the way down but easy to miss on the way back. Scan your surroundings and take a strong mental note. Even better, take a photo with your phone for later reference.

Looking for a Color Topographic Hiking Map of The Subway?

There’s one in Zion: The Complete Guide!

From the junction, the trail parallels the river bank with some occasional stream crossings. Follow the well-traveled path, sometimes marked with cairns (small stone piles). If you get confused, don’t hesitate to backtrack to reorient yourself. Another option is strapping on water shoes and splashing upstream through the river.

En route to The Subway, you’ll pass several beautiful waterfalls and cascades. Be careful where you walk! The red rocks are extremely slippery.

Dinosaur Tracks (1.7 Miles)

On the left (north) side of the river, two slabs of light-colored Kayenta Formation rock contain dinosaur footprints. The tracks probably belonged to a theropod, a three-toed dinosaur suborder that included velociraptors and Tyrannosaurus rex.

Red Waterfalls (4.3 Miles)

Just before reaching The Subway, you’ll pass a dramatic series of waterfalls cascading over delicate layers of red rock. Most hikers, determined to reach the Subway, march right past them — which is a shame because they’re a worthy destination on their own. Take some time to enjoy the tranquil scenery.

The Subway (4.5 Miles)

After rounding a sharp bend, the curved, streaked walls of The Subway appear. As you continue upstream, undulating walls envelop the canyon, nearly blocking out the sun. You are now inside the Subway. Cascading “potholes” shelter cold, clear pools a few feet deep. Watch your step! The floor of The Subway is often wet and slippery.

Deep pools eventually block further progress on foot, but swimmers can continue to a nice waterfall. Pass through the curtain of water to explore a hidden alcove known as the Waterfall Room.

You might encounter canyoneers rappelling into The Subway. These rugged adventurers dropped down from the canyon rim, which is an even more challenging way to visit The Subway.

Subway Photo Tips

Looking for the perfect Subway shot? The light shifts throughout the day, so it can sometimes be hard to take great photos. Check out Zion: The Complete Guide for info on the best times to photograph The Subway.

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Canyoneering is an activity that involves hiking as well as rappelling, downclimbing, route finding, rope work, and swimming in cold water to allow you to see much more remote and secluded scenery than you could by simply hiking. Zion National Park is considered a mecca for canyoneering with several world-famous canyons like the Zion Narrows and the Subway, as well as countless obscure and remote canyons. These routes are not suitable for hikers who have no technical canyoneering experience.

• A canyoneering permit is required for any canyoneering route that requires the use of descending gear or ropes. Reservations for the well-known canyons can be made online and you must pick up your actual permit at the Wilderness Desk the day before or the day of your hike. A lottery system is in place for Subway and Mystery Canyon permits due to their epic popularity. Detailed permit info can be found on the NPS website.
• You need a climbing harness and a rappel device (ATC-type device or a device like the Petzl Pirana) and you must know how to use them for rappelling.
• You need canyoneering rope long enough for the longest rappel. Static canyoneering rope is prefered to dynamic climbing rope. (Note: general-purpose rope that you find at the hardware store is absolutely NOT acceptable.) You typically bring double the length of the longest rappel since you pull and take your rope with you.
• Inspect all anchors before you rappel off of them. While rappel stations in the popular canyons are usually in good shape, they are not officially maintained by NPS staff. Bolts and webbing are replaced by white knights in the canyoneering community. You should bring webbing and a few rapid links and be knowledgeable to clean up any anchor that looks like it's in bad shape. Your safety is your responsibility.
• Be prepared to get wet and cold. Most canyons have sections of water, often in dark corridors that don't get much direct sunlight. Bring drybags to protect all of your camera gear, electronics, and anything else that needs to stay dry. Canyons like Keyhole Canyon and Pine Creek have perpetually cold swims, so you will want a wetsuit even on a hot day in summer.
• Be prepared to deal with random obstacles. Many canyons have short drops that require careful downclimbing, chimneying, and/or stemming. Good upper-body strength and some climbing experience are very useful. Random logs and debris will need to be evaluated and navigated.
• Flash floods are a real danger and have killed several people over the years. Pay attention to the weather forecast and cancel your canyon plans if there is a threat of rain. Your safety is your responsibility.
• You cannot hire a guide to take you through the technical canyons of Zion National Park; commercial guiding is prohibited. Outfitters in the area do offer canyoneering training classes and they also lead canyoneering adventures in public lands outside of NPS. Most outfitters also rent canyoneering gear (harnesses, wetsuits, footwear, drybags, etc.), but typically not rope.
• Do not poach any canyon that you do not have a permit for. Rangers can and do ask to see your canyoneering permit, especially in popular canyons like the Subway.

THE SUBWAY TOP-DOWN ROUTE (via Russell Gulch)
Rating: strenuous hiking/semi-technical canyoneering.

The Subway 'top-down' route via Russell Gulch is the classic way to hike the Left Fork of North Creek. This route is a long strenuous day and it involves several short rappels, a few downclimbs, and several cold swims. Starting from the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead, the hike goes down Russell Gulch to join the Left Fork. The highlight is the half-mile section of canyon known as The Subway. Once beyond the Subway section, the canyon opens up and it is a less-interesting hike out to the Left Fork Trailhead. This amazing hike is well worth the effort!

ORDERVILLE CANYON
Rating: strenuous hiking/semi-technical canyoneering.

Orderville Canyon is the amazing little sister to the famous Zion Narrows and is a good long day hike for beginning canyoneers. The lower sections can be explored as a side hike from the Zion Narrows, but the much better way is to do the top-down 'semi-technical' canyoneering route. This hike involves two short rappels, several short swims, and a lot of downclimbs over boulders and rock formations. The canyon is tall, narrow, dark and wonderfully mysterious, and it is well worth the effort that it takes to get through it all!

KEYHOLE CANYON (Starfish Canyon)
Rating: short technical canyoneering.

Keyhole Canyon barely shows up on a topo map, but it is a beautiful little subterranean slot that offers up some amazing other-worldly slot canyon scenery. This route takes roughly two hours to complete and involves 2-3 short rappels, and as such, it is quite a popular route for beginning canyoneers. This canyon also has many down-climbing obstacles, and a few wades and swims through cold water, so even though it is short, it should still be taken seriously. Full technical gear is required and wetsuits are recommended.

PINE CREEK (Middle Pine Creek)
Rating: technical canyoneering route.

Subway Slot Canyon In Zion National Park Reservations

Pine Creek is one of the most popular technical canyoneering routes in Zion National Park and exemplifies the beauty of subterranean slot canyons. Starting at the Canyon Overlook parking lot and ending at the Route 9 switchbacks in the main canyon, Pine Creek is one of the few beautiful slot canyons that features such easy access. Although it is one of the easier technical canyons in Zion, it is still serious business with several rappels, downclimbs, and many swims through cold water. This route features the beautiful 'Cathedral' section (complete with an arch doorway) and the final rappel -- an intimidating 100-ft free rappel.

MYSTERY CANYON
Rating: fairly strenuous technical canyoneering.

Subway Slot Canyon In Zion National Park

Mystery Canyon is indeed a mystery… a deep and beautiful hanging canyon that feeds into the bigger Zion Narrows. This 'hike' is one of the the crown-jewel canyoneering adventures in Zion National Park, featuring a steep and intimidating entrance, numerous rappels in beautiful dark sculpted narrows, an enormous landslide/rockfall obstacle in the middle of the canyon, and two big-wall rappels near the end that really get your attention. The grand finale is the rappel down Mystery Falls that lands you right in the Zion Narrows only a quarter of a mile upstream from the Temple of Sinawava.