Hiking

The Narrows

Wade up the Virgin River between canyon walls 300 meters high and only a few meters apart.

Utah
16.0 km
2 min read

Photo: Jon Sullivan · Public domain

Distance: 16.0 km · 10.0 mi
Elevation gain: +102 m · 334 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Time needed: 4–8 hours, depending on how far you go
Route type: Out & back
Permit: Not required
Best season: Late June to September for warm water; spring snowmelt often closes it

The Narrows hike guide in Zion: the bottom-up route, Wall Street, Big Spring, water levels and flash floods, gear rental, distance, time and the best season.

Overview

The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon, where the walls rise up to 300 meters and the Virgin River fills almost the whole canyon floor. Hiking it means walking in the river itself, often knee-deep and sometimes deeper, over slippery stones.

The most popular way is the day hike from the bottom, which needs no permit: ride the park shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava, follow the paved Riverside Walk and then step into the water. The section called Wall Street, where the walls close in to a few meters apart, is the highlight, and Big Spring is the farthest point day hikers may go.

The park closes The Narrows when the river flow is too high, and flash floods from storms miles away can turn the river deadly within minutes. Check the forecast and flow at the visitor center the same morning, and rent canyoneering shoes, a walking stick and, in cold months, a drysuit in Springdale.

Stops along the way

1

Temple of Sinawava

The last shuttle stop in Zion Canyon, where the Riverside Walk begins.
2

End of the Riverside Walk

The paved path ends and the hike continues in the river itself.
3

Wall Street

The narrowest and most dramatic stretch, with walls only a few meters apart.
4

Big Spring

A spring pouring from the wall, the turnaround point for hikers going up from the bottom.