When I first saw that The Narrows was identified as a “strenuous” on the park’s map, I was like, “Pfffft. Yeah right.” Little did I know what I was actually signing myself up for. This hike took six hours round trip!
Brian and I did this hike on our first day in Zion National Park. We started the day with an easy morning hike and biked our way up to The Narrows. The park does close the infamous hike from time-to-time, depending on water levels. Flash flood warning signs are posted outside of the park and at the entrance of the Riverside Walk. The sign will show a rating from very unlikely to high alert of a flash flood. We didn’t have to worry about flash floods when were there due to the water levels being low when we were there.
2 Ways to Hike The Narrows
Top-Down: The hike from the top-down requires a permit and you will hike the entirety of the canyon. The top-down hike is 17 miles. Most visitors make it an overnight backpacking excursion out of this. The hike starts at the Chamberlain’s Ranch and you make your way down to The Narrows. Zion Guru has a fantastic guide and maps of both route options.
Bottom-Up: This route is the most popular as it’s friendly for all levels. We did the hike from the bottom-up, which means we started from the Temple of Sinawava. From there, we walked through the leisurely Riverside Walk leading up to the entrance to The Narrows.
What to Expect
Level of Difficulty
I mean, it’s definitely not a stroll down the Virgin River. The most challenging parts of this hike were the slippery rocks and water currents. I have a bruised big toe to show for it.
We trekked far down The Narrows and there’s only one way back from the bottom-up, which is the way you came in from. I’ll reiterate again that it took us six hours roundtrip.
Expect to Get Wet
There are dips in this bitch! The water level is mostly knee-high. The first dip is right before Mystery Falls. Therefore, the water becomes waist-deep for a few meters. You then get right back up to higher ground. That first dip was a lot of fun and hilarious for me to watch Brian power through the cold water.
Fork in the Road
As you make your way up the Virgin River and past Mystery Falls, you’ll come to a fork in the road. This fork is called the Confluence where Wall Street begins. If you continue straight, you’ll get to the end of the Narrows. We didn’t go this route. To our right, there was a route where the canyons were tall and vast. What do you think we did? We decided to take the route less traveled.
Just kidding. There were people on this route, just not as many. This route took us to the Veiled Falls. It takes a lot of climbing up small waterfalls to get to the Veiled Falls. At one point, I almost gave up. The level of difficulty required upper body strength that I simply don’t have. However, there were people we either passed by that helped me up or Brian would give me a boost.
It’s Harder Going Back
Making our way back down from the Veiled Falls was challenging. I wasn’t mentally prepared to play trust activities with Brian. I thought climbing over the waterfalls was going to be difficult. No, getting back down was the harder part. Just imagine me squeezing my way through a very small cave to get back down a waterfall.
First, we also thought the way back would be easier since we would be walking along the currents. Boy, were we wrong. Unbeknownst to me, the currents were stronger going back. Secondly, my body was also fatigued, making it more challenging to trek back.
Important Things You’ll Need
- Water Shoes: These are the pair that I got from Target. You need these; don’t even question it.
- Lunch & Snacks: You’re going to want to pack food in your backpacks. There are spots along the trek that you can rest and have lunch. Just make sure to pick up after yourself.
- Walking Stick: This seems optional, but it’s really not. You can rent or buy walking sticks at Zion Outfitter. There are sticks that people leave around the entrance to The Narrows that you can use, in other words, free. Keep in mind: the taller the stick, the better.
- Waterproof Backpack: Make sure your backpack is waterproof because you will get wet. Keep your electronics safe!
- Sunscreen and/or Hat: I recommend slathering on sunscreen and wearing a hat. The sun is hot and bright in Utah – my sunburnt lips are living proof.
- Water: Make sure to pack plenty of water! We brought three canteens of water and four plastic water bottles as refills.
- Bug Spray: We saw some giant ass mosquitos in the water. It’s hot in Zion – protect yourself!
Download The Narrows Packing List (printable):
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