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Zion Narrows

The diverse trek through Zion's premier canyon is one of the most touted and breathtaking adventures in America. Extraordinary beauty and unique character describe this amazing gorge. Hanging gardens burst from dramatically colored perpendicular walls while trickling water threads its way through moss covered boulders. Gentle slopes give way to sheer walls funneling streams of water into fluted slides and twisting channels cutting deeper and deeper as the journey continues its path southward. Along the sandy perches of the banks, towering ponderosa send their roots downward, hungry for nutrients and water. The entire trip is wondrous. The Zion Narrows deserves its reputation as one of the best, if not the best, hike in the National Park System.

Zion Narrows at a Glance
Photo Album: Zion Narrows Pictures
Topo Map: Zion Narrows Map
Day Hike: It can be done as a long day hike or as a relaxed backpack.
Distance: 16-miles
Average Hiking Time: 13-hours. River hiking is time consuming. Don't underestimate your time.
Equipment: Dry bags, sturdy water shoes, neoprene socks, a pair of trekking poles, emergency supplies, emergency overnight gear and plenty of water. Hiking with just a single stick is not suggested in the narrows.
Difficulty: This is a strenuous route due to the demands of river hiking, slippery rocks and swift water crossings, however, the profile is a gentle downhill trek. Swimming is often required for short sections.
Elevation Loss: 1400 feet
Permits: Hikers are allowed to hike a few miles up the Narrows from the Riverside Walk and return without obtaining a permit. A permit is required to hike from Chamberlain's Ranch to Zion Canyon. There are a total of 80 permits allotted per day. 40 hikers are permitted through the online reservation system and 40 hikers are permitted as walk-in. Although you can get a permit the same day you are hiking, you will have better luck obtaining one of the few issued permits if you get your walk-in permit the day prior to the actual day of the hike. For more information call the backcountry desk at 1.435.772.0170 or log onto the parks website and use their online permit system.
Trail Conditions: Most of the route requires hiking in the river under conditions with swift water and slippery rocks, but there are some sandy and beaten paths on the side of the river that offer a short reprieve. Be sure to check the weather and river flow before starting this hike, as flash floods can, and do, happen and heavy river flow makes travel tedious and dangerous. The park will not issue permits unless the river is and has been flowing less than 120cfs (cubic feet per second) near Springdale for the previous twenty-four hours. The hike is best done in the summer after snow-melt in the high country has subsided and air temperature is warmer.
Trailhead: Chamberlain's Ranch is just off North Fork Road on the east side of the park. It's best to have a 4WD to navigate the dirt road to the trailhead, but it is not required if the road is dry. Commercial shuttles can be rented that leave from Springdale.
Trailend: The route will end at the Temple of Sinawava in Zion Canyon. Arrange a shuttle from the Riverside Walk in Zion Canyon, which will be where your hike ends. From late March to late October park at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center or in Springdale and ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle. From November until late March drive into the canyon and park at the Temple of Sinawava parking lot.
Trail Access: Usually from April 1st until October 30th Zion Canyon is accessed via the shuttle. Private cars are allowed in Zion Canyon in the rest of the year. Park at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to ride the shuttle and get off at the last shuttle stop, the rest of the year drive into the canyon and park at the Temple of Sinawava parking lot.
Off the Beaten Path: Only 80 hikers are allowed through the Zion Narrows per day. However, the section of the narrows near the Temple of Sinawava, where a permit is not required, will be populated.
Classic Zion Hike: Yes
Best Season: Mid-June to mid-September. The water is cold the rest of the year but the canyon can be hiked in a wetsuit. The Narrows is closed when the river gauge reads above 140 cfs
Permits are not issued from the top down when the gauge reads above 120 cfs
So during the spring it is usually closed when the snow is melting and there is sustained high - cold water due to run-off.

Southern Utah Flash Flood info.
North Fork Virgin River - Flash Flood Info

The Zion Narrows is a slot canyon and like any slot canyon there is a very real danger from flash flooding. Do not hike this trail if it is raining. Remember a storm far off can trigger a flash flood. Flash flood danger is high.

Directions to Zion National Park From the North: Travel I-15 south, past Beaver. Exit on Hwy 20. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take SR-9 to Zion's east entrance. From Arizona: Travel US-89A through Fredonia, Arizona and Kanab Utah. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take SR-9 to the east park entrance. From the South: Travel I-15 north. Take exit 16 and travel through Hurricane to LaVerkin. Continue on SR-9 to the south entrance of the park. SR-9 through Zion National Park is always open and is also called the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway.			Zion Photos: The magnificent Zion Narrows is a 16-mile long route hiking, wading and swimming downstream, with narrow canyon walls enclosing the route. The narrowest sections are near the trailhead.
	Zion National Park Lodging Lodging and services are available in East Zion. The main road through Zion, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (SR-9) is open year-round, and is not a route the Zion Canyon Shuttle takes. Zion Canyon is deep inside the park. Towering 3000' walls form a slot canyon, forged by the violent rush of torrent water over millions of years. From late March to late October access through the six mile stretch of road is via the Zion Canyon Shuttle, the rest of the year the canyon is accessed in private vehicles.

Zion Narrows - The road ends and a short beaten path drops into the river. The next 12 miles involves zigzagging in and out of the water so be sure to put all valuables into your dry bags. Keep eyes peeled on the right bank, during the next half-mile for a 50' jug handle arch. Beyond the arch, Navajo sandstone walls progressively elevate and several narrow sections begin to suggest the "flavor" to come. Soon, deep side canyons make their entrance and the first of twelve campsites are seen.

Waterfall - seemingly impassable waterfall is encountered about 7 miles into the hike but simply walk up the left embankment and pass through the cleft in the rock. Never jump off anything while in a canyon. Serious injuries have resulted in the past from hikers plunging from the top of the 20' waterfall into the pool below. As you continue down the canyon , high walls rise on either side and filtered sunrays cast shadows and reflect mystical colored light.

Deep Creek - The confluence of Deep Creek and the North Fork of the Virgin River appear at the halfway point of the hike. The new water from the side canyon almost triples the flow of water in your hiking path as it spills its crystalline, cold contents into the canyon. If you have not used hiking poles yet on this trip, now is the time.

Kolob Creek - Farther downstream Kolob Creek enters from the right and may possibly add yet more flow to the river "trail" depending on whether the Washington County Water Conservancy District is releasing water from the Kolob Reservoir for irrigation purposes or not.

Goose Creek - The next side stream is Goose Creek, which also enters from the right. Big Spring is a picturesque oasis, located just past Goose Creek, where water cascades through lush vegetation and tumbles to the river below.

Big Spring - This is a popular area to take a break and filter water for drinking for the rest of the hike. Nearly 11 miles into the hike, crowds that have hiked from the Riverside Walk start to appear. In this north-south running section of the Narrows the lighting is almost eerie. A glowing spectrum of orange, red and pink seem to radiate from within the rock itself. The most well known of the side canyons, Orderville Canyon, will be on your left, 2 miles down river. Expect this canyon to add a gentle flow of cold water to join the churning water you are now hiking in.

Orderville Canyon - This is a popular route that requires a permit but hikers can explore up the to the plaque at the first waterfall without one. A little over a mile farther Mystery Falls trickles down the steep side wall as the water from Mystery Spring escapes down the smooth rock face. Now with just a quarter-mile of river hiking left, crowds grow larger as curious tourists dabble in a short walk from the end of the Riverside Walk. Take this trail back to the shuttle or your awaiting vehicle depending on the time of year you have chosen to hike.

Orderville Canyon Narrows

Once in the Narrows there is a choice to go into the Orderville Canyon Narrows. The water is not as fresh as that of the Zion Narrows, but the slot canyon formations are spectacular and the canyon is much narrower than the Zion Narrows. This area is a tributary creek found about two hours upstream from the Zion Canyon entrance. The park allows hikers to go to the first waterfall when hiking from the Zion Narrows.

Remember slot canyons can change dramatically in a short time due to flash floods and water levels in this canyon change. These directions are only a general reference. Be prepared for variations in the canyon.

Backpacking Permit - A permit is needed for all overnight backpacks in the park as well as any trail that requires the use of technical equipment. Obtain permits at the Zion Canyon Visitors Center or by calling: 1.435.771.0172

GPS Coordinates - WGS84 Datum

Gate at Chamberlain Ranch:
37°23.3950N
112°49.9830W

Parking at Narrows Trailhead:
37°23.1200N
112°50.3230W

GPS coordinates are only references and may or may not be accurate. Do not rely on GPS coordinates as the sole method of navigation. Always have an accurate, detailed map at hand and have the proper map reading and navigation skills before setting out on any hike. Many of the hikes listed in this guide travel into canyons where a GPS has limited capabilities. Always check your position with a detailed map before dropping into a canyon.

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