Hiking The Zion Narrows Guide, a 16-mile slot canyon carved out by the North Fork of the Utah Virgin River. This amazing trail is perhaps the greatest single overnight hike in the world. It is certainly an epic experience I will never forget. There are few places in the world where humans can venture 1,300′ into the depths of the planet on a path naturally cut out by a river. Need a little help figuring out the details for this classic Zion National Park hike? Then you have come to the right place.

Hiking the Zion Narrows Guide

• Which Way?
• Camping Permit
• Getting to the Trailhead
• Trail Details- Day 1
• Trail Details – Day 2
• Hiking Season
• Backpacking Gear
• Useful Links
• After the Hike

Which way do I hike The Narrows?

First off, there are two ways you can go about hiking the Zion Narrows. There is the bottom-up approach and the top-down approach. This will be primarily a description of the top-down way and it either requires a very long day hike (12+ hours) or an overnight commitment. Both need permits so read on.

Bottom-Up

For those who just want to get into The Narrows for a few hours, you can do the bottom-up and don’t really need a guide to do so or a permit. Take the Zion Shuttle to the end of the road at the Temple of Sinawava stop and head upstream. There is only one way in and out of The Narrows from this side so it is pretty hard to get lost, although it can still be dangerous so you may want to keep reading. With the bottom-up approach, you will not get to see nearly as much as those who hike the top-down, but you will still have an awesome time. Head upstream till you are halfway to dark and then turn around.

Top-Down

Unless you are just one of those people wanting the challenge of hiking 16 miles in a creek as proof of endurance and speed (and I know you are out there) then I suggest planning on a night of camping inside The Narrows. Either way, you will need to acquire a permit to hike the Top-Down. Keep in mind that slogging along a creek bed with loose boulders hidden underneath the water should be taken at a much slower pace than traipsing about on dry land. My wife and I took two solid days to complete the 16-mile traverse. If I could have taken longer I would have. Also, keep in mind that cell phones don’t work in a slot canyon so take it slow and stay safe.

This is a real-time permit availability tracker for day hiking the Top-Down. It is provided by our friends at Outdoor Status. They track cancelations so no permit goes unused. Sign up today to get emails sent directly to your inbox when your campsite becomes available.

Camping Permit

This is the real-time permit availability tracker for backpacking the Top-Down. Click on the calender and setup your account so you are ready when a permit becomes available.

For the top-down approach, the first thing you have to do is get a wilderness permit to camp inside The Narrows. This can be a crap shoot as they do shut down the hike if the river is at a level that is deemed dangerous or if the weather forecast is such that a flash flood is probable. So if you have a permit for a day when it gets shut down then you are just out of luck.

Permits for Hiking the Zion Narrows Guide

The permit process for hiking the Zion Narrows is a first-come, first-served system. They become available for reservations on the 5th day of every month, 1 month prior to the reservation month. For example; if you wanted to hike in June you would want to get on the zion website on the 5th day of May right at 10:00 AM (MT) to have the best possible chance of getting a permit at the site you choose on the day you request it.

Walk-in Permits

To make things more confusing, about half of the permits (known as walk-ins) are held until the day before and they are issued on a first-come, first-served basis as well. Those are available at the Zion Wilderness Reservation Desk inside the Visitor Center. The hours of operation vary, but it appears to open at 7:00 AM during the busy summer months.

Picking Up the Permit

The Wilderness Desk inside the Zion Visitor Center where all permits are picked up. So, if you are able to get a reservation through the online system, you must pick up your permit the day of or the day before departing.  The park will not issue permits any earlier than the day before because of potential flash flood concerns.

Getting to the Trailhead

Permits acquired, you are now ready to go. But, where do you start? You have to figure out how to get to the start of the trail at Chamberlain’s Ranch. This is about an hour and a half drive along a mostly gravel road from the Zion Visitor Center. So if you have a friend you can leave one vehicle parked near one of the Zion shuttle stops (Either the visitor center or in Springdale). Take the other to Chamberlain’s Ranch and leave it there to be picked up after the hike. Another option is to hire a group shuttle service to drop you off at Chamberlain’s Ranch and then take the Zion shuttle system back to wherever you left your vehicle. You can not drive your own vehicle to the temple of Senewa where the trail ends. Only park busses are allowed on the Zion Scenic Highway.

Hiking the Zion Narrows Guide Trail Details – Day 1

As for the trail itself, it is pretty simple. Once you arrive at the parking area at Chamberlain’s Ranch you will have your last normal bathroom possibility at the outhouse located in the parking lot. You then head west down the old dirt road. It will almost immediately pass through the Virgin River and go up a hillside where it continues for about 3 miles through private property. Stay on the trail/road… not the river… yet. This is private land so be respectful so that future hikers can enjoy this privilege as well.

Bulloch’s Cabin

At the end of the road, you will arrive at Bulloch’s Cabin (an old cabin) and then finally head into the river. From here you will follow the flow of the water for the remaining 13 miles until you reach the Temple of Sinawava.

Keep a Good Pace

The first 5 miles in the river gives you a glimpse of the greatness that is yet to come. It can be hard to gauge distance as landmarks are hard to come by so be cognitive of the few landmarks you can gauge distance by to know if you are making good time to reach your campsite by dark. One such landmark is the North Fork Falls at about 8.5-miles in. It is a 10′ waterfall created by a log jam in a narrow passage.

Getting around the North Fork Falls

As you approach the falls you will need to look for the crevice on the left (south) side of the river. It is a small channel that leads around the falls and the trail comes out about 25′ downstream. If you want, you can backtrack to get a better view of the falls.

The North Fork and Deep Creek Confluence

At mile 9 the confluence of the North Fork merges with that of Deep Creek. The water volume in The Narrows doubles and the swiftness of the water increases on its way through the canyon. The Deep Creek Canyon deserves exploration as well. We went only a short way upstream but got to see a few deer. It is bizarre to see large mammals milling about in a deep slot canyon.

The Narrows Campsites

After this, hikers will begin to see the labeled campsites on each side of the river. They have yellow stakes with the campsite number. Make sure you set up your campsite in the designated area only. Once set up, settle in and make sure to enjoy the quiet solitude of this place and try not to think too much about your impending doom should a flash flood come crashing through unexpectedly. 🙂

Hiking The Zion Narrows Guide Trail Details – Day 2

Compared to the adventures and grander that backpackers find inside The Narrows on Day 2, Day 1 is a walk in the park. Day 2 is filled with many boulder obstacles, but amazing rock walls and stunning waterfalls. Keep in mind that the water makes its way through so there is always a way for hikers to make it through. Depending on the water level, in most cases, you can stay dry from the waist up.

Big Springs Waterfall

At about 11.5 miles you will see a waterfall on your right known as Big Springs. The water seems to come gushing out of the wall from nowhere. This is where we came across our first bottom-up day hikers and this is extremely far in for most. It was another hour or so before we really started to see the massive crowds that come in from the bottom-up.

Wall Street inside The Narrows

Shortly after the falls, hikers enter into the deepest part of the canyon known as Wall Street. This is an impressive corridor with towering sheer walls rising up out of the Virgin River. This is a space that would make Shaq feel small.

Orderville Canyon

At about 13-miles in hikers will pass the even narrower Orderville Canyon coming in on the left (east) side. I really wanted to explore this canyon a bit, but we had taken too much time in other areas so we only made it about 50′ in before returning to the Virgin River.

Mystery Falls

At about 14.5 miles you will see the Mystery Falls sliding down the wall on your left. This section can be rather deep. The water was up to my waist and the only path ahead is through.

Temple of Sinawava

In another half mile, the Virgin River will arrive at a concrete walkway that will take hikers the final mile to the bus stop at the Temple of Sinawava. While the hike is no longer in the Vigin River the scenery of the surrounding wider canyon is still very beautiful.

Hiking Season

June may be the best time for hiking the Zion Narrows. This is when we went and the air was warm, but the water was cool. Stay away from March, April, and early May as The Narrows is often closed due to the spring runoff (snowmelt). Late July thru mid-September is considered the rainy season and the possibility of flash floods is higher. October is also a great time for hiking The Narrows. November thru March could be nice but bring a wet suit as the water will be cold.

Must-Have Gear for Hiking the Zion Narrows Guide

• Comfortable shoes. No Gortex! they hold in the water.
• Neoprene socks. If you wear cotton socks your foot will be one giant, pruney blister after 12+ hours of slogging through the Virgin River.
• Hiking poles. This is another must in my opinion. I think if we had not had ours I would have ended up face down in the water with a broken ankle at some point. In fact, we saw someone being pulled out by the park service emergency crew because he had broken his ankle… must have been a long painful wait for someone to go for help and then return. Take it slow and be safe!
• Dry bags. You’re going to have to get into some deep water so keep your stuff dry by carrying a dry bag pack or packing your stuff inside of dry bags inside your pack. We did the latter as we own overnight packs that are comfortable to carry.
• Headlamp. Always travel with a headlamp if there is even a slight chance of being out after dark on a hike. Especially on this hike as there isn’t any light that makes it into this deep slot canyon after dark.

Other Stuff to Consider when Hiking the Zion Narrows

• Proper clothing. Moister wicking is a must, but also keep in mind that you are in a deep slot canyon that receives little sunlight. We went in June and I would say the weather and water temperature were near perfect, but any sooner and it might have been frigid. If you go in the winter months, I would think wet suits are the dress code.
• Food and camping gear, obviously, if you are doing the overnight. You need food and shelter. Check out our post about how to choose the best backpacking gear for help on selecting the right gear for you.
• Plan to park. To avoid parking issues you’ll need to arrive early or park in the town of Springdale and ride the free town shuttle into the park.
• Be mentally prepared to poop in a bag. The Narrows is a pack-out EVERYTHING trail. As you are hiking in a river inside a slot canyon there is no place to bury your excrement that won’t eventually be underwater. You get to do your business in a bag, which the park is nice enough to provide you with… part of your permit fee.

Useful Links for Hiking The Zion Narrows Guide

Click here to acquire a Zion National Park backcountry permit.

Click here for a map with Zion National Park’s backcountry campsites, complete with capacity for each and if it can be reserved online.

For descriptions of each of The Narrows campsites click here.

After the Hiking The Zion Narrows Guide

Springdale, Utah is the closest town to Zion National Park. It is the gateway to the South entrance to the park. The Virgin River runs directly through the town and many of the beautiful rock formations that make up Zion rise above the beautiful small town. This is the best place to rest after hiking the Zion Narrows and a great base camp for exploring the rest of the park.

Camping

The Watchman Campground is the main camping area in Zion National Park. It is a beautiful campground with many amenities. It is separated from Springdale by the flow of the Virgin River and their is a footpath located just to the north of the campground that gives access to the town. Don’t forget to carry your park entrance pass with you when you walk to town as you will need it to re-enter the park. Individual campsites become available 6-months to the day in advance and are snatched up quickly.

The only major amenity the Watchman Campground is lacking is showers. However, there are clean showers available in Springdale at the Zion Outfitter located just across the bridge from the campground. They are found in the basement of the store along with laundry facilities. The showers are timed and operated by tokens that can be purchased from the machine located downstairs as well.

If you desire to save a little cash and like to boondock there are lots of options when traveling through this area of Utah. The Zion Scenic Byway Dispersed Camping area is our favorite spot located near the park. It is found on a hilltop to the east of the park. The elevation makes it cooler than the surrounding area which is nice during the long Utah summers. Getting there requires traveling a short distance on an old unmaintained road. It also requires passing through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. There are limitations to the size of vehicles the park allows through the tunnel so make sure your vehicle is within specs before going. Our truck camper was almost too wide and it is a nerve-racking drive every time we pass through.

Hotels

If you are looking for a bit of luxury as opposed to a campground, why not stay in the heart of the park at the Zion National Park Lodge? Not only is the hotel beautiful it has the added benefit of allowing guests to drive themselves to the lodge on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. All other visitors to this area of the park must ride the park bus.

For those who prefer to be near the many foods and shopping options in Springdale check out the Holiday Inn Express. It is one of the nicer hotels in the area and is relatively affordable.

Food

Porter’s Smokehouse and Grill is our favorite place in Springdale to refuel after a long hike. The meals are hearty and very tasty. Unfortunately, Porter’s had a fire and is temporarily closed while they rebuild.

Another great food option in Springdale is Oscar’s Cafe. They serve breakfast as well as their lunch/dinner menu. The flavors are great and they serve our favorite cuisine, tex-mex.

Hiking The Zion Narrows Guide

The Narrows in Zion National Park has a lot of hype surrounding it. It is a favorite hike of backpackers and day-hikers alike. However, to fully experience all that the slot canyon has to offer you should plan to spend a night inside its depths. While the 16-mile journey does have some challenges associated with walking almost exclusively on river rocks and over boulders it is a trail that anyone in decent shape and well-prepared can accomplish. Anyone who loves backcountry adventures should have this unique journey on their bucket list. We hope this Hiking the Zion Narrows Guide helps you have an amazing journey.

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