The Beta
The Angel’s Palace Trail in Kodachrome Basin State Park is an easy 1.6 mile trail with 224 feet of elevation change and is good for all skill levels. It’s best used from March until November, and during the earlier morning or evening to avoid hot temperatures and crowds. It’s a great family-friendly trail, with chances to see wildflowers when they’re in season, spectacular views of Kodachrome, and desert wildlife. This trail is short, but it is exposed; bring water, wear a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses, and long clothing if it’s especially sunny! Remember to stay hydrated – the Utah desert is very dry!
Need to Know
This trail is in near-full sun exposure. Luckily, since this trail is short, you can spend 30-40 minutes on this trail with a liter of water and be alright. However, don’t underestimate the power of the suns rays. You likely will be thirsty by the time you get back to the car! Besides being hydrated, there’s plenty of lizards running around on the hot rocks. Keep an eye out for them as you hike through!
Remember to stay on the trail, especially on this route. There are some sheer drop-offs that are well over 100 feet, but, these parts are considered part of the trail. While these aren’t on the main trail, they are fun to go see! Take extra care, watch where you plant your feet, and keep yourself (and children!) away from the edges.
Justin’s Suggestion
Do this hike early in the morning or in the late evening once the day is done. It’s a pretty easy hike, and really short. However, if you do this in the middle of the day (from 11am-3pm), it will feel a lot longer and hotter, especially in summer months from June-September. Avoid the heat by hiking after you’ve finished dinner or to start your day! Bring a camera with you, too – there’s lots of cool features that you get to see from different perspectives, including sweeping overlooks of Kodachrome!
Take A Hike!
Grab a buddy, your water, your sunscreen, and go hike! This trail is great – worth doing if you’re visiting Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument or Kodachrome Basin State Park!
If you’re looking for more details on other hikes in Kodachrome, check out my trail guides on the Grand Parade Trail and the Panorama Trail. They’re both a lot of fun! From box canyons to sweeping views, you’ll experience Southern Utah in full.
See you on the next one, and happy trails!
Parting shot:
Next blog: We’re heading into Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. First, we’ll do a viewpoint, then for the meaty blog. You ready?
Justin Fague 
This seems like great fun!! Glad the hike went well. I’ve done this one – it’s a lot hotter than it looks!!
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It was a good hike! I think we did it a little bit later in the day than we may have wanted – which was alright because it wasn’t too hot! It is definitely very exposed, though….Hat and sunscreen!
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