The Subway

Chappell Roan - Topic

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The video chronicles a full day on the world-famous Subway route, the sculpted slot canyon in Zion National Park’s Left Fork of North Creek. It opens with a dawn departure from the Kolob Terrace Road trailhead and immediately highlights the strict permit system, underscoring that both the “top-down” canyoneering descent and the “bottom-up” out-and-back hike require advance reservations from the Zion wilderness office. Viewers see the permit check, gear layout, and safety briefing, emphasizing essentials such as neoprene socks, dry bags, a 60-foot rope, a reliable GPS track, and plenty of layered clothing for the year-round 55-degree water.

The narrative follows the bottom-up route first. Hikers drop steeply 400 feet into the canyon, cross the gravel wash of North Creek repeatedly, and thread through cottonwoods and junipers scented with sage. Water levels, shown waist-deep in several pools, dictate pace. The host points out dinosaur tracks embedded in pink sandstone slabs and explains their Jurassic origins, adding a dose of paleontology that sets The Subway apart from other Zion hikes. Around mile three, the canyon walls tighten, water begins to echo, and the famous cylindrical “Subway tunnel” appears—an emerald corridor of undercut Kayenta sandstone. Slow-motion shots of the waterfall cascading into the tubular chamber capture the area’s almost cave-like acoustics, one of the key visuals attracting photographers from around the world.

After documenting lunch at “Keyhole Falls,” the video switches to a top-down descent filmed on another day. Starting from Wildcat Trailhead, the group orients with a compass across slickrock domes before dropping into Russell Gulch. Here, the technical portion begins: three rappels ranging from 20 to 30 feet, negotiated with ATCs and a pull-through system to avoid leaving hardware. Rope management, anchor inspection, and water jumps are covered in detail, illustrating why only experienced canyoneers should attempt the full through-hike. Helmet-cam footage shows narrow channels only two feet wide where flash floods have polished the walls smooth; the danger is underscored by real-time weather checks and a reminder to exit immediately if thunderclouds build over the plateau.

Wildlife sightings provide quieter moments: a ring-necked snake sunning on a boulder, canyon tree frogs clinging to the walls, and a pair of peregrine falcons circling at the confluence with North Creek. The host notes that autumn is prime season for The Subway because maples glow crimson against ivory sandstone, water flow is moderate, and temperatures hover in the 70s. Still, hypothermia risks remain as soon as shadows drape the canyon floor, so the video demonstrates layering up for the final miles.

The closing segment focuses on the egress: an arduous 800-foot scramble back to the car park. Boots come off, sand is shaken out, and the GPS is paused at 9.2 miles with 1,900 feet of cumulative elevation change. Final tips include packing out all trash, never stacking rocks for navigation, and starting before sunrise to secure lower parking-lot spaces and avoid summer heat.

By walking viewers through logistics, natural history, technical challenges, and seasonal nuances, the video positions The Subway as a bucket-list experience combining adventure, geology, and photographic wonder. Anyone planning the Subway hike or canyoneering descent gains step-by-step insight into permits, gear, hazards, and the unforgettable beauty awaiting inside Zion National Park’s sinuous sandstone subway.

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