Hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park: You Gotta Do This Hike

The Narrows in Zion National Park is one of the most unforgettable hikes we’ve ever done. It’s a slot canyon carved by the Virgin River, and unlike most trails, this one doesn’t run alongside a river—it is the river. At times, the water was up to our armpits. And yes, we got completely soaked.

We’ve done this hike twice, both times using the bottom-up route that starts at the Temple of Sinawava, the final shuttle stop in Zion Canyon. If you go as far as you’re allowed without a permit, it’s a 10-mile round trip: 5 miles upriver, then 5 miles back. It took us about three hours to hike in, and three hours to return—though, as we found out, hiking through water slows you down quite a bit.

Trail Basics

Type: Out-and-back (bottom-up route)
Distance: About 10 miles round-trip
Permit: Not required for bottom-up day hike; permit required for top-down
Trailhead: Temple of Sinawava (Zion Shuttle Stop #9)
More Info: Check out the park’s webpage about this hike.

You don’t need a GPS for this one. As long as you’re in the river, you’re on the trail.

Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down

There are two ways to hike The Narrows:

Bottom-Up: This is the most popular option. You start at the bottom of the canyon, hike as far as Big Springs (about 5 miles in), then turn around. No permit required.
Top-Down: An approximately 16-mile one-way hike from Chamberlain Ranch. You need a permit and a shuttle to drop you off. You can do it in one long day (12+ hours) or turn it into an overnight with a backcountry campsite reservation.

We’ve only done the bottom-up route so far, but the top-down version is on our list. Though whether we’ll camp or do it all in one day is still up for debate.

When to Go

We hiked The Narrows in September and again in June. September was ideal: the air outside the canyon was 100°F, but inside, the water and shade from the canyon walls kept us cool. In June, the water was higher, colder, and moving faster. We eventually had to turn around because it got too deep for safe walking.

The National Park Service monitors the river’s flow in cubic feet per second (CFS):

Under 70 CFS: Generally safe, water knee to waist deep.
70–150 CFS: Challenging, thigh to chest deep.
Over 150 CFS: Closed to hikers.

Always check the current flow rate and weather forecast at the park’s visitor center. Flash floods are extremely dangerous in slot canyons.

What We Wore and Brought

Clothing: Synthetic shirts and pants that dry quickly. No cotton. We brought a change of clothes in our packs just in case.
Shoes: Regular hiking shoes and wool socks worked well for us. The riverbed is filled with slippery, bowling-ball-sized rocks. Avoid sandals or anything open-toed.
Gear: Trekking poles are a must. The ranger advised us to always maintain three points of contact with the ground.
Backpack: We packed everything in a large dry bag—lunch, extra clothes, first aid kit, and our camera. Expect everything to get wet.
Camera: On our first trip (before phones had cameras), we used a waterproof Pelican case for our point-and-shoot.
Toiletries: These days, we recommend bringing a wag back just in case you need to “go” while in the canyon. We prefer the ones made by Cleanwaste. And if you need to pee, believe it or not, it’s better to go in the river rather than the sandy banks, especially in dry environments like this.

Our Experience

We started early. By 9:30 a.m. we were on the Riverside Walk, the paved path that leads to the river. When we reached the end, we tiptoed around for a bit trying not to get too wet. We quickly realized that getting wet was the point of the hike so we splashed in and began hiking through the water.

The water was cold at first, but the beauty of the canyon quickly distracted us. Towering 1,000-foot walls closed in on either side, reflecting soft, glowing light. Because we started early, we had much of the hike to ourselves. We were even asked by folks on Instagram if we had edited the other people out of our pictures. (We didn’t, we just beat the crowds.)

Karen hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park

Wall Street Was a Highlight

The most breathtaking section of the hike was Wall Street, the narrowest stretch of the canyon. It felt like stepping into another world.

We didn’t bring a GPS or use a tracking app, so we can’t say exactly how far we went. But after about three hours of hiking, and with the water getting deeper, we found a sunny spot on a rock, dried off, and had lunch.

Making Our Way Back

On the way back, we started seeing more and more people. We passed a person carrying a baby through the river (not in a carrier), a guy on crutches, and, most memorably, an older man with his walker making his way upstream. By the time we reached the end, the river felt more like a summer beach scene than a backcountry trail; dozens of people wading, throwing frisbees, and playing music.

Soaked and muddy, we boarded the shuttle back to town, trying not to leak on the seats.

It’s a Must-Do Hike

If you’re up for a unique and immersive hiking experience, The Narrows is absolutely worth it. Plan ahead, go early, and talk to a ranger at the visitor center first (preferably the day before so you can get an early start on hike day). And embrace the fact that you’re going to get wet. But we promise, it’s one of the most magical hikes you’ll ever do.