The Subway
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| | Difficulty:3B III (v3a2 III) Raps:4, max ↨30ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:Required 20 min Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 5 Aug 2025
"Wetsuit wouldve been nice, pools were cold without one, was shivering pretty good by the last rappel. Suggest bringing one even in the summer if you |
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| Best season: | Spring; Summer; Fall
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37.3177, -113.0406
37.3399, -113.0758
37.2847, -113.0959
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Introduction[edit]
This page is for the Top-Down Canyoneering route of the Subway. If you're looking for the non-technical bottom-up hiking route, see: https://ropewiki.com/The_Subway_(Bottom_Up). Note the bottom-up route forms the exit for this top-down route.
This route requires a permit with your entry point listed as "Wildcat Canyon Trailhead."
The Subway is an extremely popular route through the Left Fork of North Creek. The "Subway" proper—the tunnel-like section that gives the route its name—is a relatively short portion of the canyon and can be accessed via this route or the non-technical bottom-up route. From this route, the "Subway" section is preceded by a long approach hike across slickrock that requires route finding; followed by a strenuous descent through the river gorge involving extensive boulder hopping in the watercourse, informal trails with several river crossings, and a steep climb through loose rock out of the canyon to the plateau.
The Subway is often described as a relatively easy canyoneering route—but that description only holds true if you already have solid canyoneering experience. Compared to many other technical canyons, it is on the easier side. But if you're a hiker, or only have a few canyoneering trips under your belt, you should not think of it as “easy.”
This is still a technical canyoneering route. It requires ropes, rappelling, the right gear, and the skills to use them. Because the rappels are bolted, the barrier to entry feels lower, and that gives many people a false sense of security. As long as nothing goes wrong, most groups make it through without issue. But when something does, the consequences are serious.
There have been many rescues, accidents, and fatalities in the Subway, including falls (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/sep/06/woman-falls-her-death-zion-national-park-while-hik/) and rappel-related incidents (http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54933651-78/canyon-hosobuchi-park-zion.html.csp). So while the Subway may be “easy” compared to other canyoneering routes, it should never be underestimated.
Variations[edit]
Descending Russell Gulch, Das Boot, or Upper Left Fork require a separate permit. If doing these upper routes and exiting out the Subway an additional permit for the Subway is required. Das Boot and Subway permits and availability information are available here. Russell Gulch permits may be obtained at the Zion Backcountry desk.
Getting There[edit]
The Subway Top-Down can be done either with a car shuttle or by hitchhiking. For both options drive north on the Kolob Terrace Road to the Left Fork Trailhead. This is the exit trailhead where you will leave a vehicle. From here either hitchhike, or drive a second vehicle up the KTR to the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead--which is where you will either leave a vehicle to recover later or simply get dropped off and begin hiking the approach.
NOTE: If hitchhiking it is advised to do so in the morning because:
- There is little if any traffic on the Kolob Terrace Road later in the day or at night.
- You will be clean and dry and therefore people will be more likely to give you a ride.
Approach[edit]
From the trailhead follow the Wildcat Canyon Trail out of the parking lot to the east until you encounter the Connector Trail junction. From here continue east until you very shortly reach the junction with the Northgate Peaks trail on the right (south). The Northgate Peaks trail heads due south and you will follow it briefly--for about 400 feet--until encountering a clear social trail on the left that spurs southeast down the slope and away from the plateau. This social trail is the Left Fork (Subway) Approach route. There may, or may not be signs for some or all of these turns and junctions so be vigilant as many groups have missed these turns in the past.
As you begin the approach trail down the slickrock gully, follow the cairns to an overlook. The area has seen a lot of use/abuse so there my be several paths. Try to stay on the main trail or in dry washes as this helps reduce impact. The GPX track on this page will be your best route option. Find a trail down from the overlook on its southeast side and continue past Russell Gulch and slightly uphill over the slickrock. Continue past the slickrock saddle and follow the cairns down the slickrock and through the brush to another overlook. Descend from this point to the confluence of Russell Gulch and Das Boot which forms the beginning of the technical route.
Descent[edit]
After completing the approach hike you will find yourself in the bottom of the canyon and in the watercourse of the Left Fork of North Creek. Follow the river down stream. From here there won't be any trails as you are now in the river gorge and the watercourse. This is where the technical portion of the route begins. As you make your way down canyon you will encounter some small up climbs, down climbs, and a few rappels on your way to the Subway proper. Once in sight of the Subway proper section there will be a waterfall and a final rappel off of two bolts on the RDC (Right Down Canyon) side. In the past there was a log at the top off the waterfall that could be crossed; however that log has been gone for over a decade now. While it is possible to jump the gap over the waterfall, it is not advised to do so. People jumping this gap have had close calls and landed with bad footing. If you find beta that says you do not need to rappel or that you can cross on the log then that beta is outdated and no longer applicable.
Rappels[edit]
The Subway Top-Down Route is a technical canyoneering route so expect there to be up to four possible rappels (depending on skill level and water level) but at least one mandatory rappel. All rappels are easy by canyoneering standards; however, by novice or beginner standards they are nothing to take lightly. Even the smallest rappel in the Subway has claimed a life. Don't underestimate the technicality of the Subway.
- R1: 25 feet - Anchored from bolts on downstream face of large, flat rock center canyon. This can be bypassed by downclimbing the rabbit hole on the DCR between the canyon wall and the boulder. This flares out at the bottom so may not be advisable for everyone.
- R2: 10 feet - Anchored from a rock pinch into a constriction with a smooth, nearly-spherical boulder at its base; a likely down-climb for skilled teams.
- R3 Keyhole Falls: 15 feet - Anchored from bolts RDC. This is the site of one death when the rappeler was inverted under the water flow and was unable to free himself.
- R4: 20 feet - Anchored from two bolts above a small pothole RDC.
Exit[edit]
Following the end of the technical section there are 2.2 miles of strenuous boulder-hopping and river crossing to the the point where you leave the watercourse and hike up a steep rocky switchback trail to the plateau. There is a sign (unless it gets washed out by floods) but this sign can be easily missed--especially if hiking in the dark. Have headlamps with you, a good GPS/mapping system, and the tracks downloaded. Many groups have missed this turn both in the dark and in the daylight.
After following the trail up the steep cliff the plateau, continue on the most prominent trail back to the Left Fork Trailhead parking lot and your exit vehicle.
Equipment Needed[edit]
Personal Protective Equipment
For the technical section each member of your group will need the following personal gear:
- Harness
- Helmet
- Descender (an ATC will suffice for this route)
- 1-2 locking carabiners
- gloves
- good shoes (sandals, flip fops, Chacos, etc. not advised)
Group Technical Gear / Skills
- 60 foot rope (this will allow for a double-strand rappel of the longest drop)
- Webbing and quicklinks in case any anchors or handlines need to be installed or replaced
- The tools and ability to rescue a person stuck on rope or inverted when rappelling
- All the other general equipment and skills for hiking that a group should possess
Should You Wear a Wetsuit in the Subway?[edit]
The question of whether to wear a wetsuit in the Subway comes up often—especially among novice canyoneers. While it is technically possible to descend without one on very hot days, bringing a wetsuit is strongly recommended, even in summer.
The Subway is one of the most popular technical canyons in Zion National Park. The park issues up to 80 permits per day, and the route is usually at full capacity. Because most groups start around the same time, the canyon can quickly become congested, and there can be frequent bottlenecks, traffic jams, and extended wait times at rappels, downclimbs, and other obstacles.
If you have to wait at these bottlenecks for any reason, you could be standing in cold water, in the shade, wet, and with an updraft blowing up the canyon—and under those conditions you can become very cold very quickly. Additionally, the Subway is spring-fed, so even in low-water conditions there will always be pools of cold water to negotiate. For this reason, a wetsuit isn’t just helpful—it’s the smart choice, even in the middle of summer.
You may think you don’t need a one, but if you get stuck waiting for any reason, you’ll quickly change your tune.
What Kind of Wetsuit Works Best?
- A full wetsuit (3/2 mm or 4/3 mm) with sleeves and legs is sufficient for most people.
- A Farmer John (sleeveless wetsuit) works well for many, especially if paired with a wetsuit jacket.
- A shorty wetsuit is better than nothing, but usually not enough for long waits in cold water.
Packing a wetsuit isn’t that difficult, and it’s far better to have one and not need it than the other way around.
What About a Dry Suit?
A dry suit is generally overkill for the Subway. It’s only needed in winter, when ice and snow are present, or during high-flow conditions such as spring melt. If you’re a novice canyoneer even thinking about attempting the Subway under those circumstances, you’re in over your head—winter canyoneering requires a completely different skill set, advanced training, and experience, and high flows introduce serious swiftwater hazards. For summer trips, stick with a wetsuit.
For an understanding of high-flow conditions in the Subway and the consequences please watch the Great Subway Escape:
Red tape[edit]
Permit Availability and Routes[edit]
A permit is required for the Subway and is difficult to get. The permits for the Subway operate differently from most Zion permits in that they are awarded as part of a lottery system rather than just the first-come, first-served calendar. The park issues 80 spots per day, shared between both the Top-Down canyoneering route and the Bottom-Up hiking route. Zion does not separate permits between these routes—it’s all one combined quota.
- 60 spots are distributed via an advance lottery.
- Any unclaimed spots roll over to the first-come, first-served calendar.
- The remaining 20 spots are released via a Last-Minute Drawing held the week of the trip.
When you apply, you must select an entry point, which determines your route:
- Wildcat Canyon Trailhead - This is the start for the Top-Down Canyoneering route
- Left Fork (Subway) Trailhead - This is the start for the Bottom-Up Hiking route
If you select the wrong one during the application, you cannot edit it through recreation.gov. However, once your reservation is confirmed and you're ready to print your permit (online or in person), you can change your entry point at that time. The park doesn’t track permits by route—only by total daily user count.
Group Size Limit[edit]
The Subway has a group size limit of 12, which is higher than the standard limit of 6 found in most other technical canyons in Zion. This is a hard limit. Zion defines a “group” as any people with a shared affiliation (e.g., club, friends, coworkers, scouts, family) entering the same canyon on the same day—even if they’re using separate permits. Affiliation matters more than permit paperwork. No matter how many permits are held, the total headcount for an affiliated group cannot exceed 12. https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringregulations.htm
Permit Reservations vs. Actual Permits[edit]
When you successfully apply, what you receive is a permit reservation, not the actual permit. A permit reservation does not guarantee you an actual permit either. The park service may decline to issue you a permit due to weather-related closures or other reasons. The actual permit will not be available to obtain or print (paper or digital copy) until a few days before your trip. There are two options for printing or obtaining the actual permit:
- In person, at the Zion Wilderness Desk
- Online, through your recreation.gov account (But only if 1) you have a current Zion Wilderness account linked to your recreaction.gov account and 2) you applied for your permit reservation while logged into that account. If you did not, or your ZWR account was not linked or expired you will not be able to transfer the reservation to a ZWR status and will instead have to pick up the permit in person at the Zion Wilderness Desk.)
To print online, your Zion Wilderness account must be set up and linked by park staff. This part of the system is unintuitive and often confuses people. If you don’t have the accounts properly connected, go to the desk in person. More info here: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringpermits.htm
Beta sites[edit]
BluuGnome.com : The Subway- Chris Brennen's Adventure Hikes (Southwest) : The Subway
- RoadTripRyan.com : The Subway (From the Top)
- CanyoneeringUSA.com : Subway (From the Top)
- HikeArizona.com : Zion Subway Top to Bottom
Zion Canyoneering Book by Tom Jones : Subway from the Top- ToddsHikingGuide.com : The Subway
- CanyonCollective.com : The Subway
- Super Amazing Map : The Subway
- ZionCanyoneering.com : The Subway from the Top
- SummitPost.org : The Subway
- Climb-Utah.com : Subway - Left Fork of North Creek
Trip reports and media[edit]
- https://www.stavislost.com/hikes/trail/south-guardian-angel-and-the-subway
- Chasing Adventure : May 27th, 2017
- Climb Utah Subway Canyon Video
- https://www.facebook.com/pat.winstanley.7/media_set?set=a.733327280059305.1073741925.100001461198708&type=3
- Candition.com : The Subway: Left Fork North Creek
Wikiloc.com : Subway Canyon - Zion National Park*- Das Boot and The Subway, Bob Allan, 2016
- [1] : Bogley Trip report Russell Gulch/Subway