The Subway Bottom-Up Approach

The Subway is one of the best-known routes in Zion's Kolob Terrace district, reached via the Left Fork trailhead off Kolob Terrace Road, about an hour from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. This is the bottom-up approach: a strenuous, off-trail out-and-back that wades and boulder-hops up the Left Fork of North Creek to the smooth red-rock tube that gives the hike its name. It runs about 9 miles round trip with roughly 1,300 feet of elevation gain, and most hikers need 6 to 10 hours.

Know before you go

• A wilderness permit is required year-round, issued through the NPS lottery and walk-up system — there is no bottom-up access without one
• There's no maintained trail; hikers scramble over boulders and cross the creek repeatedly, and people get lost here every year without a route description and map
• Pets aren't allowed, and overnight stays in Left Fork are prohibited
• This is the non-technical route; the top-down version requires rappelling gear and cold-water swimming

Cold water and flash-flood potential are real hazards — check the current NPS flood forecast before entering the canyon.