The Subway, Zion Nat'l Park

There are two ways to explore The Subway (the Left Fork of North Creek). Permits are required regardless of the direction of travel. Both trips involve extensive route finding. Visitors are encouraged to do the trip with an experienced hiker of The Subway or obtain a detailed route description. The Subway is a day-use area only. From the Bottom Up This is a strenuous 9-mile round-trip hike through the Left Fork of North Creek that requires route finding, creek crossing, and scrambling over boulders. This hike begins and ends at the Left Fork Trailhead on the Kolob Terrace Road. From the Top Down This is a strenuous 9.5-mile hike that requires rappelling skills, 60 feet of rope, and extensive route finding experience. The route also requires swimming through several deep pools of very cold debris-filled water. The trail begins at the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead and ends at the Left Fork Trailhead. Both trailheads are located on the Kolob Terrace Road. Due to the popularity of the Subway and Mystery Canyon, the park created an online lottery for reservations. The Advance Lottery does not run from November through March due to a low demand for permits. The Advance Lottery: 3 months prior Advance Lottery applications are completed online. Entries must be submitted three months prior to your planned trip. Entries are limited to one request per individual per month. Entrants can request three prioritized dates. The non-refundable lottery application is $5.00. Applicants will be sent a notification email on the fifth day of the following month with information about the status of their request. If a reservation is awarded, the permit must be obtained before the trip at a park visitor center. The cost of the permit will be based on your group size. Traveling into the wilderness, even on short trips, can be challenging and risky and requires careful planning before you begin. Your safety depends on your own good judgment, adequate preparation, and constant observation. Speak with park rangers at park visitor centers for current conditions, weather forecasts, and flash flood potential ratings.