The Narrows

Such a fun and different experience, even for frequent hikers/travelers. This hike is a must on a trip to Zion. As most have already stated, I'd definitely recommend spending the cash for waterproof gear and hiking stick to help stay warm and keep your balance on the rocks. We went in early April so the water was still pretty chilly but we were able to remain relatively comfortable all the way to Wall Street, however we passed many in shorts and an old pair of tennis shoes that looked the worse for wear. Also be prepared for crowds depending on the time of day/year and understand that, even if the Narrows was completely empty, speeding through this hike isn't really an option. You're going to spend most of the time walking along hidden rocks, through currents that could sweep you off your feet if you don't take your time and the water levels can vary from ankle to waist/chest deep. That being said, this hike was unlike anything I've ever done before I highly recommend it.

we visited the national parks of Utah in Sept 2020. the narrows was one of the least enjoyable mainly due to the massive amount of people who were there at the same time. it felt more like a hike near a big city.

the wall street area (where the narrows are well.. very narrow) was interesting. and there is a side canyon to the left that also was interesting because it was very narrow too.

the vast amount of people churn up the water to a very unattractive color. i would recommend visiting first thing in the morning (we visited at noon time) to avoid the crowds

Amazing experience. Such a unique "hike". Started at sunrise on a cold February weekday morning. Even with 25F air temperature at 7am, I stayed plenty warm wearing 4 layers on top and 2 layers on the bottom including wearing thermals. Gloves and hand warmers really helped and bring an extra pair of gloves as others have recommended. I had a small mishap on the return stepping into a trench with water up to my shoulders and my first pair of gloves got drenched. Dry bib package from Zion Outfitters worked great and the waterproof backpack that I added was quite helpful. Good boots and the hiking stick are needed. Feet are wet and cool with the Neoprene socks but not icy cold and very tolerable. I turned around at the end of Wall Street not too far past Floating Rock. Round trip took 6 hrs but I stopped a lot for photos. Best photography was on the return journey after 10am when the sun was overhead with light streaming down into the canyons. It was a Friday morning in February without shuttles running. Plenty of parking when I arrived just before sunrise. Beware that the rangers closed Zion Canyon Road later that morning to avoid overcrowding as many arrived at the Park for the weekend.

Zion is a bit of a zoo compared to other national parks which are quiet, peaceful, and tranquil - but the hike to the Narrows was still a fun and unique experience that I’d recommend.

Two of us went and did not bring any gear besides cheap water shoes from Walmart and we did just fine. We felt steady and were able to navigate the rocky waters since we could get a feel for what was below. It looked as if those heavily geared with boots and walking sticks were wobbly and unbalanced - but maybe those are needed further down the trail (we didn’t complete the whole thing).

Water was COLD but you get used to it after a few minutes :)

Let me start by saying I am a 57-year-old woman who does not exercise regularly and am a bit out of shape. In the Narrows, your traversing across and through a cold river from ankle to thigh depth 50% of the time! As such, you are stepping on lots of river rocks that you can see and not see. We feel very fortunate to get out of an 8 1/2 mile hike that was five hours long without twisting an angle on it. That being said, it’s a great adventure… Gorgeous Canyon views; I actually enjoy the cold water. What I want to strongly recommend is that you go to Zion guru or Zion outfitter’s and rent the neoprene socks and waterproof shoes with traction and a stick that really make a difference ($25 pp). Because there is no shuttle taking you to the entrance of the Narrows and we had no desire to walk 6 1/2 miles each way to do it ourselves… We also pay $40 per person RT for transportation to and from the trailhead entrance. How far you want to go it’s up to you… I would recommend at least a four hour hike2 he’s in and 2 hours out. If you’re in great shape you can double that!

Hiking The Narrows was our plan for our Zion National Park visit. We thought we would aim for an early arrival on day one, but we weren’t early enough. By the time we parked our car just outside the road closure for the scenic drive road, we learned we would have a six mile trek from that point just to get to the starting point of The Narrows. As the car limit had been reached, we planned for a different approach on day two. (Hint: You have to be at the park entrance extremely early, before that opens, for a shot at parking your car close to The Narrows trailhead).

We booked a shuttle at Zion Outfitters for the next day. Our names were put down for the 9am shuttle. The shuttle was well worth the cost given the difficulty of getting to the trailhead, especially these days with the park operating at limited capacity. We had also picked up a waterproof protective case for one of our iPhones as well as walking sticks (you’ll want a stick that is more sturdy than a hiking trekking pole). We boarded a full shuttle of about 10 people at 9am, donned our face masks (required for the ride), and shuttled on past the barricades to normal traffic at the scenic drive entrance.

The first portion of the hike was on a normal walking path from the parking area. After maybe 10 minutes or so of such walking, we entered the water. First ankle level, then rising slightly higher. At its highest, it rose to just about a quarter inch south of my “zone of discomfort”,

We made our way for a good hour and a half in mostly water, watching our footing. There were lots of passages with places to be careful - some difficulty in seeing under the water, watching for slick rocks, and in a few places, holding firm when the water currents sped up a bit.

We felt well suited for the adventure. Hiking sticks helped a lot. So many others made their way without any walking stick at all, while a few folks had carbon hiking sticks which while awesome tools on mountain hikes, lack the stiffness that works better in moving waters.

Some folks wore flip flops, some were barefoot. Several carried small children on their backs, no sticks. We watched and prayed those folks especially didn’t slip and fall.

This was an epic hike, an experience. A great way to round out our visit to Zion. The $30 a piece shuttle ride which guaranteed our way to the trailhead was well worth the expense.

My family of 5 (me and my wife, and our 16, 18, and 20 year old sons) hiked the Narrows this week (second week in March). Weather was in the 40s and the water temp was in the mid 30s so we were apprehensive about how comfortable we’d be. But we were appropriately outfitted (at the Zion Adventure Company) in a double layer of neoprene socks under our water hiking boots, appropriate clothing under our dry suits, and as a result we’re comfortable for our hike. The rocks are very uneven and slippery so it was critical for us that we had our walking sticks - those are fantastic. Our sons went at a faster pace than my wife and I. We only had about 3 1/2 hours for our actual hike in the water. My sons made it a little past Wall Street in that time, and my wife and I got to within a quarter mile of it. We were walking on the side of the river where possible so my wife and I covered about a third of the hike on dry land and the rest in the water. The greener the water the deeper it is! And you can clearly see when it’s running faster. So be strategic about charting your path, make sure you’re well equipped and enjoy the unique views and experiences. It really is beautiful and as the lighting changes you notice different things in the rocks and canyons.
Some people were doing this in shorts and sandals (which we thought was insane) - invariably they were from colder weather states but all were also suffering to some degree!

Text: I had a lot of trepidation about bringing my 5 kids (9, 10, 15, 17, 19) on this hike. There were flash flood warnings the day before but I guess that is common this time of year. The weather is typically dry in the morning with rain moving in in the evening. They often recommend people don’t enter the narrows in the afternoon when rain is possible. Knowing this we headed in EARLY! We arrived in Zion at 6:15 am, took a shuttle and arrived to the trailhead at 7:15. We started our hike around 7:30 am. We hiked the first paved mile and then we entered the river portion by around 8 am. There were very few people on the trail and it was very peaceful. We hiked up the river and reached the Wall Street by around 9:30. We went another 30 minutes and hiked just past the floating rock by 10 am. At that point, we turned around and headed back. We reached the paved trail at 11:50 am and the shuttle by 12:15. At this point, the river and paved trail was packed and there were many people just wandering in the water a bit and turning back. It was very crowded. Go early if you want peace and solitude. By the time we returned, the river was packed.

To be prepared, you NEED good shoes and a strong walking stick. People struggled getting across river beds without a good walking stick. We rented shoes, socks and walking sticks from Zion outfitters the night before so we had them to head in at 6 am, before Zion outfitters even opened. You are in water 80% of the time and at times it reached my daughters waist (see photo). This was a strenuous walk. We didn’t see a lot of kids my youngest girls age in the Narrows. I would say, if your kids are used to hiking and love adventure (my kids are) go for it. If your kids are not used to a lot of tough work, don’t plan on going very far.

We hiked 6.5 miles in just under 5 hours.

Considers Kanarra creek waterfall trail if the Narrows seems a little too much for you or your kids. This was another slot canyon that was shorter, narrower, less busy, and the water was only ankle deep. Very peaceful and pretty. Reservations required as they only let in 150 people a day.

A nephew posted his trip pics and convinced us we could do this hike. I am so glad we did but do not attempt this unprepared. It seems most hikers rented equipment but we thought we could save the dough. I ordered neoprene socks from swim outlet but the rental socks and flexible boots might have been a smarter choice. We did know enough to bring hiking sticks and I cannot imagine being without.
The afternoon before we previewed the starting point by walking the pathway to check it out.
The next day we headed out again about 11am. I was a bit surprised by how many adventurers were joining us but we were easily able to pace ourselves ahead of or behind crowds.
Like most will tell you the hike demands careful attention and precise foot placement especially when fording the river. Walking on slippery bowling balls best describes it but you can do it slow and steady. I took one tumble on dry ground because I stupidly turned back to see how far behind my husband was trekking. Plenty of helpful fellow hikers rushed to be sure I was ok and after a bit of rubbing down my knee I was ok and back at it.
I am glad we carried a waterproof bag for our lunch, brought plenty of water, and stopped for a much needed rest just over halfway back. Bringing along sandwiches was a brilliant necessary move as your body does become fatigued from so much careful concentration and stepping.
We are healthy 62 year olds and saw many older and younger along the way- even parents toting babies in papooses but no one too short as the water was thigh deep in spots.
I wish we would have stayed to the left at the Y as our right choice just lead to more of the same down the walked canyon and we missed the arch or bridge or whatever was to the left.
Our return was much quicker and we made the round trip in just over 4.5 hours.
The queue was over an hour long to catch the shuttle back down so we just kept on trucking to the next shuttle stop. That provided a lovely cool down for our muscles, along with the Aleve we packed!
You too can do this! Go for it.

The Narrows is gorgeous and not as hard as I thought from reading reviews. The water is cold but you honestly get used to it within seconds because you're so overwhelmed and excited to be there. A walking stick was a life saver to most in our group but we did have a few of our teens skip it. Dont get too freaked out about shoes. Hiking shoes are probably the best but we had some in our party use old tennis shoes and even river shoes. One person lost BOTH the soles of his shoes (he brought REALLY old shoes) and his sock feet were sticking out of the bottom of what was left. He wasn't comfortable at times but he managed. Wool socks are the best but don't get all worried about shoes and clothing and just do it! Go EARLY.seems like the crowd really picked up around 11 and 12 and it was harder to fight them to get back to the start. We just did the hike on 6/1 and only got up to our hips once briefly. Most of the hike was ankle to knee deep. I think the best photo shots are early as well with the sun but it's beautiful there all day I'm sure. We started the hike around 9am and had to be back for our private shuttle by 145p so we turned around at the fork and then got back an hour too early. You definitely want to take your time and stop and look UP once in a while because you have to look down most of the time to find your next step.