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Details

Distance

16 miles

Route Type

Point-to-Point

Description

Added by Sarah Kortschak

The narrows are spectacular. Whether you do the entire 16 miles in a day, camp the night, or do the bottom up, here are a few things to know!  

This trip is quite the adventure. It's hard to describe the feeling of being in The Narrows. It's something that you have to experience to really understand why this place leaves so many people completely speechless. Here are a few things to know before you go!

The weather and river determine your trip.

If it rains, you're at risk for flash floods and it will be likely that the road to get to the top down portion of The Narrows will be closed. Check the weather and call a Park Ranger before your trip to determine the road conditions and weather reports. If the weather is bad, try to do the bottom up portion (no permit required) and go as far as you can up the canyon. Better to go early to avoid crowds. The first bus leaves the visitors center at 7am sharp. If you are spending the night, make sure to pack everything you'll need.

Book your shuttle early and rent shoes.

Zion Adventure Company is located in Springdale off the main road. They provide a shuttle service to the top down portion of The Narrows. You have to book your shuttle ahead of time and it is your ONLY option to get to the top down trail head. Book the earliest time possible (6:15am) and start your hike. There are other companies you can choose for this, but Zion Adventure Company is a reputable one. They also have special shoes designed for this hike. Get them! And the neoprene socks as well. And a dry bag if you don't have one. They have a deal for shoes, socks, and a stick. When the water is higher, a full dry suit is recommended. The Zion Shuttle bus runs from 7am-9:15pm and you can catch the bus at the end of either the top down hike or when you head back from the bottom up. 

The bottom up is still worth it.

The permits for doing the top down can be hard to come by. My group was unable to do the full top down hike because of road conditions. We decided to do the bottom up and didn't regret it at all. Some of the most magnificent parts of the canyon are in the last few miles. "Wall Street" is known as one of the most dramatic parts of The Narrows and can be accessed by doing the bottom up hike. Get on the 7am Zion Shuttle bus from the visitors center and get to the trailhead to enjoy a less busy experience. You can take the Shuttle Bus back to the visitors center at the end of your hike.

If you don't spend the night in The Narrows ask about camping on BLM land.

Ask at the visitors center or Zion Adventure Company about BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) that you can camp on. Rockville, the town right next to Springdale has some great land to camp on. No permits are needed but you will have to pack water. This is a great way to experience the crazy landscape that Utah has to offer without waiting to get a permit for camping in the park, which can be crowded and underwhelming.

Enjoy the beauty.

This park may be small but it has so much to see. Every day can be spent on another adventure. Make sure to do Angels Landing (early in the morning) for a different experience to compliment The Narrows. It's worth the 21 switchbacks, trust me!

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Features

Camping
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Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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