The Narrows in Zion National Park is hands down one of our favorite trails in America. In essence, it’s a unique and adventurous hike through a shallow river flanked by tall and narrow slot canyon walls. Sounds like fun, right? Well, trust us when we tell you it’s a hundred times better in person.
In this guide we explain everything you need to know about day hiking The Narrows bottom up, based on our experiences.
Note: This article contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Our Experience
We day hiked The Narrows bottom up during our first trip to Zion back in October 2019. It took us a total of 8 hours to wade through ankle deep, shin deep, knee deep and even waist deep water from the trailhead to the end of the permitted route on a day hike (Big Springs) and back again. But we took it easy, enjoyed the experience and stopped for plenty of photos.
The water was cold, so we knew the only way we’d realistically make it to the end was to hire waterproof equipment. Kitted out with shoes, socks, pants and a pole, we took an early shuttle into the canyon and set off at a good pace. After around one hour the crowds thinned out and before long we had the entire slot canyon to ourselves. It was a truly unforgettable hike and we can’t wait to do it again! Read more about us.
SHOP: Our Zion National Park travel guidebook
Important Trail Information
Let’s get the essential things you need to know out of the way first before we get into the trail walkthrough:
Permits
You do not need to apply for or obtain a permit to day hike The Narrows bottom up. But it’s important to know that you do need this permit if you want to hike The Narrows top down instead. The top down version is an overnight hike, but in this guide we only discuss the bottom up day hike because it’s what the overwhelming majority of visitors to Zion do.
Turning Back
The Narrows bottom up is an out-and-back day hike through a slot canyon beginning at the Temple of Sinawava and ending at Big Springs (a series of small waterfalls). You are not permitted to go beyond Big Springs on a day hike. But the beauty of this hike is that you absolutely do not have to go all the way to the end. Just go as far as you feel comfortable and turn around, even if it’s just half an hour each way.
Waterproofs + Pole
If you visit Zion outside of the summer months and you want to make it all the way to Big Springs you should hire waterproofs at one of several outfitters in Springdale. We got the dry pants package for about $50/person from Zion Outfitter. It included neoprene socks, pants and shoes. But the most important thing you must take into the slot canyon is a solid wooden walking pole. Trust us, you won’t get far without one. Personally we wouldn’t use trekking poles as a replacement because they’re too flimsy. Get a thickset wooden pole instead.
Beginners
If you’re new to hiking or you’re not the most confident hiker, this probably isn’t the best trail for you to try because it’s very challenging. You can take the flat and easy Riverside Walk from the Temple of Sinawava to The Narrows trailhead, but it’s very uneven and slippery underfoot as soon as you step into the Virgin River. We saw many people falling over rocks during our hike, so make sure you’re up to it.
Safety
The major safety issue for this hike is flash flooding during Southwest Utah’s monsoon season in July, August and September. It can quickly become dangerous, so the river slot canyon closes to hikers when the flow rate exceeds 150 cubic feet per second or when the National Weather Service issues a flash flood warning. You also need to be aware of toxic cyanobacteria, so keep on top of current conditions in the park. Here’s more about safety in the slot canyon.
Packing
Packing for this hike requires a bit of forward thinking. Even if you just go a mile in and a mile back, you’re still going to have things like a wallet, phone, car keys and hotel room key on your person. And if you plan to go further into the canyon you’ll also need things like lunch, snacks, fluids and clothing layers. You could just take a day pack, but what if you fall over or have to wade through deep water? We hired a waterproof day pack from Zion Outfitter to pack all our gear and it worked perfectly. But we wished we’d bought one at home before going to Zion.
Trail Statistics
- Distance: 9.4 miles roundtrip (maximum)
- Elevation: up to 300 feet
- Type: Out and back
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- Time: 1-10 hours
If you go all the way to Big Springs, The Narrows bottom up day hike is 9.4 miles roundtrip with around 300 feet elevation gain. That includes 1 mile each way hiking Riverside Walk and 3.7 miles each way hiking inside the river slot canyon. Obviously, the distance and elevation will be less if you only go into the canyon for an hour or two. Looking at the map we created above, Wall Street is a very popular turnaround point for a shorter day hike.
We’ve hiked a lot of trails so we’re pretty good at rating difficulty. For us, this is a very strenuous hike, but not in the classic sense of a steep elevation gradient or super long distance. It’s hard because you have to carefully think about each foot placement the entire time you’re hiking. And trust us, by the end your brain will be just as exhausted as your body.
Getting To The Narrows Trailhead
The Narrows bottom up day hike begins at the Temple of Sinawava, which is located at the very end of Zion Canyon Road. Here’s how to reach it:
March-November
Zion Canyon Road is closed to private vehicles so you must use the Zion Canyon Shuttle to reach the Temple of Sinawava, which is the last stop on the route (#9). It takes a good 30-40 minutes because it stops at 8 other places on the way. We highly recommend you arrive at the shuttle station next to Zion Visitor Center before the first scheduled shuttle of the day. No fee or permit is required to use the shuttle. Here’s more shuttle information.
You could also walk or cycle from Springdale to the Temple of Sinawava. But the walk will take around 2h 45m and doing it on a bike means you’d have to carry a padlock along with all your waterproof gear. It’s much easier to hop on a shuttle!
December-February
With the exception of the holiday season at the end of December, you are permitted to drive your private vehicle into Zion Canyon. You can drive your car all the way to the Temple of Sinawava and park in one of maybe 40 available spaces. You’d think with it being winter and icy cold water inside The Narrows that parking might be easy. Well, think again. You should arrive early to avoid a stressful parking situation.
Need help planning your trip to Zion?
Our popular Zion travel guidebook helps you with planning every aspect of your visit, including the unmissable hikes, where to eat and stay, itinerary ideas and map!
View Zion GuidebookWalkthrough: Our Narrows Bottom Up Day Hike
Let’s walk through how we day hiked from the Temple of Sinawava to Big Springs and back again, so you know exactly what to expect:
1. Shuttle Bus
We set an early alarm and had breakfast in our hotel room, which we bought the night before at Sol Foods Supermarket in Springdale. Next, we drove to Zion Visitor Center and had no problems parking because it was so early. We put our waterproofs on and grabbed our poles (which we rented the previous evening ready for this morning), before arriving as the third group in line for the first canyon shuttle.
2. Riverside Walk
The shuttle took around 35 minutes to reach the Temple of Sinawava. A few people got off to hike Angels Landing, but most stayed on for The Narrows. It was pretty obvious who was doing it because they had waterproofs and poles. We quickly used the restrooms after getting off the shuttle, then we hiked the easy paved Riverside Walk for what felt like a very long mile.
3. Enter The Virgin River
At the end of Riverside Walk we arrived at a kind of staging area where people were changing into waterproofs, packing essentials into bags and getting ready to enter the river. It wasn’t too busy because we set off early, but there were still quite a few people around. So we decided to hoof it a bit to get ahead of the crowds. It took a minute to figure out footing, how to efficiently use the pole and pacing but we quickly settled into a nice rhythm.
4. Orderville Canyon + Wall Street
After twisting and turning for 2 miles through the slot canyon we arrived at the first major landmarks called Orderville Canyon and Wall Street. At Wall Street it got so narrow we could spread our arms and touch each side, which was pretty wild. This is a popular place to turn around for a shorter hike, but we continued ahead and from here on we saw very few people.
5. Slot Canyon Hiking
The next 2 hours or so were simply mind-blowing, it felt like being dropped into a computer game or a maze but with only one direction so we couldn’t get lost. Being alone for long periods wading through the river with intimidating walls to either side was thrilling but also strangely eerie. There were also lots of obstacles to contend with like steep banks, deep sections of water and climbing over huge boulders.
6. Big Springs
If it seems like you can’t go any further, just remember you haven’t made it to the end until you reach three small waterfalls and a passage leading away from the river. If you see someone coming the other way who says the next obstacle is the end, it isn’t. We had no idea how far we’d gone and admittedly we did wonder once or twice if we were on the right tracks, but eventually we reached the waterfalls.
7. The Way Back
After eating lunch at Big Springs, we turned around and all feelings of anxiety had vanished. The fear of the unknown was over. We knew what we had to do to get back, wade through water and carefully watch our footing for hours. Again, we barely saw another soul. It was an incredible experience but we were getting fatigued at the end and we were happy to be back on the bus, ready for food and a beer!
Hiking Tips
Here are our top tips for The Narrows day hike:
- Hire your waterproof equipment the night before to save time in the morning
- Get the first shuttle of the day to beat the crowds
- Starting early also gives you more daylight hours
- Remember you’ll be shaded from the sun almost the entire hike
- It’s cold inside the slot canyon so take plenty of layers
- Use a waterproof pack to protect your gear
- Always carry out whatever you take into the slot canyon
- Do not forget to hire a thick wooden pole
- You’ll need plenty of food for fuel if you want to go far
- Make sure you carry enough fluids to stay hydrated
But our most important tip is to be realistic with yourself. Only attempt the full bottom up day hike through The Narrows to Big Springs if you’re a strong hiker. You’ll need lots of stamina, enough time and the right gear. This is a tough hike with plenty of risk involved, so turn around whenever you feel like you’ve had enough.
Best Time To Day Hike The Narrows
We think early spring and late fall are the best times of year to visit Zion in general, but fall is the clear winner when it comes to hiking The Narrows. High levels of rainfall, snowmelt and flash flood risk in winter, spring and summer can unexpectedly close the trail. The fall season has no monsoons, lower amounts of rainfall, no snowmelt and less risk of flash floods.
We hiked The Narrows in October with cool temperatures, cold but not freezing water in the river, fewer crowds than summer and we even had golden foliage colors on the few trees inside the slot canyon. To make it even quieter, try to hike on a weekday morning in the fall.
With all that said, you can still enjoy this hike in other seasons. We visited Zion in December and although it would’ve been freezing cold, the slot canyon would’ve been very quiet and we could have driven to the trailhead. Spring has a high chance of snowmelt but it’s also quieter. And summer is busy, hot and risky with floods, but you wouldn’t need to hire waterproofs. So there’s pros and cons to each season, but overall we think fall is best.
The Morgan Conclusion
What we like: Everything! We’re talking about one of the most adventurous hikes in the US here. We loved the challenge, how quiet it became as we got further into the canyon, the path finding elements, the scenery and the sense of achievement we felt as we arrived at Big Springs.
What we don’t like: It’s one of the most famous hikes in Zion, so naturally it’s crowded at the beginning. Getting to the trailhead can be challenging and the early parts are pretty crowded. Also, we think $50 each for the waterproofs is a bit steep. They’ve got you over a barrel though because you won’t get far without it in colder weather. It’s also very easy to fall over and get hurt, so you really have to take extra care the entire time.
Is The Narrows hike worth it? Yes, day hiking The Narrows bottom up is definitely worth it. It’s a long and tough going, but it’s such a unique hike that you can’t do anywhere else so we recommend prioritizing this trail when you visit Zion. Go as far as you feel comfortable and kudos if you get to Big Springs.
We hope our guide to day hiking The Narrows bottom up helps with planning your visit to Zion!
Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
Was this guide helpful? Pin it for your visit!
All Rights Reserved © Where Are Those Morgans, LLC. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, maps, graphics, etc.) in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.
Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us.