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The Narrows

The Narrows

About
True to its name, The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. This challenging hike is one of Zion’s most popular trails, taking you through towering walls of Navajo sandstone that rise up to 2,000 feet. Along the 16-mile hike, you’ll be rewarded with nature’s raw beauty, from the stunning zebra stripes adorning the cliffs to the spectacular slot canyon scenery. Be prepared with water shoes, walking sticks, and waterproof bags as the trail will take you through the Virgin River. Check for flash flood warnings before starting and consider a private tour to tackle the trail safely with a professional guide. – Tripadvisor
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  • Rosemary G
    66 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best hike ever!
    By far, the best hike ever! We were not sure we wanted to do this hike at first. We heard different reviews about water levels and difficulty but decided to go for it. We rented from Zion Guide Hub and did the bib gators, boots, walking stick. Get there early since it gets really crowded by afternoon. Water level came up to chest height ( I am 5’4”). We stayed dry! Our feet got wet but the neoprene suit and boots were good. The water was cold so we were glad we had the waders. We had a dry pack and a backpack that we carried above the water level. As long as you take your time, watch your footing in the water and use the walking stick, it is manageable. We wore shorts and a few layers on top. We made it all the way to Wall Street!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written October 18, 2023
  • Robert Ph
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania24 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible though rugged
    Absolutely incredible but it is precarious along the rocks at times and not for the out of shape. There is only one way in and out and there are large rocks everywhere, but the breathtaking scenery is worth the hardship. I recommend water shoes and a walking stick
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written December 14, 2023
  • John B
    38 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great hike. Opt for the dry suit in March.
    The hike was great. Going in early March, I knew I was going to get either bibs or a full dry suit. I'm very pleased I went with the full suit. On March 8, there were multiple spots where the water was collar-bone high on me, and one where I wasn't touching bottom, and I'm 6' tall. I stayed mostly dry, though, and I was able to go a full mile further than anyone else I saw on the trail that day, thanks to the suit. I got the suit at Zion Adventures Co. The other outfitters didn't advertise them. Your trip up will take twice as long as your trip back, so consider that when planning your day.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written March 11, 2024
  • frenchie123
    Ottawa, Canada8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing time with family of 5
    We decided to do the Narrows (last minute) and everything was amazing. We rented bibs from Zion Guru the night before so you can have an early start the next day, highly recommend. We had 4 bibs for the 2 parents, 17 and 15 year old. We rented full suit for the 10 year old. Water at it's deepest was chest height for me at 5'8''. We had all our camel backs with water and lunch. We left at 8:30am, waiting in line for the shuttle and started our hike around 10am. We went to the floating rock and had lunch around the small waterfall when the canyon is narrow. Takes longer to get there since you are against current, and takes half the time to get back as you are walking with the current, hence much faster. Walking on rocks the whole time is difficult but my 10 year old made it and everyone had such a great time. Great laughs and amazing scenery. Something so special that you don't get to do anywhere. Highly recommend it. It's also 10 to 15 colder degrees in the Narrows than in the normal place as there is not much sun and walking in cold water, but in the end, we had 3 layers and we never felt cold. We put some wool socks and all was great. If you are thinking if you can do it with your family, don't think too long, just do it. On our way back, since the 10 year old had a full suit, you just need to add air in your suit (blow some air) and tighten around your neck, and then you just put your feet up and float down with the current. Was great to see her have so much fun!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written March 29, 2024
  • Sharon L
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida195 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Always an adventure!
    We read wanted to hike the narrows so we left as early possible and walked the first mile(s) fast as we would pass these again on our way back. This ment that we ultimately saw less and less people. We had more than enough drinks and food with us so could go on while keeping track on the time it would take us to get back. Luckily we came all prepared with good hiking she's and hiking poles. We saw many hikers in sneakers as well as slides( what?) This is one of our favorite hikes and it is always ALWAYS a new adventure to hike through the narrows. We came back at the end of the day and were dead tired but very happy:) Looking forward to hike the Narrows again in a few years!
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written May 6, 2024
  • glenda t
    127 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    If you can, do it.
    Second time, we have hiked this. Both times in September. We got the first shuttle from the lodge, just after 7am, and entered the water at 8am. Hardly anyone around. After approx 10 mins, we came to a deep patch, and at 5,1" it wasn't far away from my chin. But after that part, it was hardly up to my knees. We hiked to the orderville part. Had a picnic and slowly made our way back. We hired equipment at Zion outfitters, and there advice on that day, was to be out of the water by 1pm ISH. We listened, we did that. We saw a few ppl without the necessary equipment, and we witnessed a fair few falls, into the water. Some even in flip flops! It is an enjoyable hike, when we came back, there were quite a lot of other ppl, especially as we got closer to the entrance. Definitely recommend it, with right equipment, but not sure if I would do this with under 7. Or if you are elderly.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written May 27, 2024
  • Sheli
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful experience
    Beautiful and amazing experience. Make sure you are well prepared for the hike in the water. We wore water booties in our trail shoes, used a thick hiking stick. We wore shorts and shirts that try fast.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 7, 2024
  • DorisnWes
    80 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don't miss this, it Worth your time and energy to walk
    We made to the split only, water was cold, around 45, highly recommend the Rental gear, it helped a lot and worth. With family, 2 teens, but still seeing little kids too. Most of the time water level was 2ft deep in average, some were 4ft deep, my husband needed to hold up my girl to cross. Going up the steam in morning, down the stream in the afternoon, we walked about 5 miles round trip, took us almost 5 hours, up stream took almost double the time. But it truly worth the time and energy, get into the canyon, the scene is extremely tremendous.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written June 10, 2024
  • Joy A
    Gulf Shores, Alabama21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun but challenging
    The views were spectacular. The hike itself was challenging, since most of the hike was in the river on rocks. It was a ton of fun though. I would highly recommend having water boots or renting them. The water was quite chilly, and I saw several people in waders, which I thought was quite genius. Make sure you have a water proof bag for your valuables. Some people also had hiking poles. Take plenty of water and some snacks, and just enjoy your day….. it’s absolutely gorgeous!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written June 22, 2024
  • Anne M
    78 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fabulous Hike!
    This was a top 10 thing to do in my life and it lived up to my expectations. SO beautiful. It's hard work to do but not insurmountable if you are in decent shape even as a 60+ woman that I am. It was mostly shin deep water with some up to the waist and it was cold but not unbearable. I rented the water boots, neoprene socks and walking stick from Zion Outfitters and that was SO PERFECT to use. I highly recommend it. You need support on your ankles for sure as the rocks in the river are big and slippery and the current is strong. People who did not have the walking stick were really struggling. Gorgeous scenery throughout the walk. We made it past Oderville split and turned around. Five hours of hiking.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written June 29, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles3,685 reviews
Excellent
3,234
Very good
376
Average
60
Poor
8
Terrible
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iowarhino13
Saint Paul, MN342 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2020
Hiking the Narrows was AMAZING! We did it with 4 adults and 8 kids ages 14 to 4 yrs old (2 of which were in backpack carriers). We hiked over 10 miles round trip in about 6 hours (includes the riverside walk trail). We wore our own water shoes and no hiking sticks, so you can save your money on the rentals unless the water is really high or cold. We went in late June, water was warm, temps hot, water level was low. Its been over a month and our kids are still talking about it!
Written August 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

erinmarina
Sioux Falls, SD9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
Awesome hike!!! Definitely spend the extra $25 to rent the wooden hiking stick and water shoes/neoprene socks from Zion Outfitters (located right outside the pedestrian entrance to the park). The stick actually provided a lot of stability when hiking through the water and the water shoes were NOT waterproof by any means, but helped support my ankles and give me better grip than my hiking shoes or tennis shoes would have. We went on October 1st, VERY EARLY in the day and we didn't encounter many people until our way back around 11. We hiked through Wall Street and then returned, Definitely recommend this hike!!
Written October 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott F
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
Just hiked this with my family during COVID pandemic. The narrows and angels landing hike are both must do’s!

Few tips and suggestions:
1. Go early. Not only to beat the rush, but to beat the increased threat of afternoon rains.
2. Book shuttle service in advance (only for $1 per day). Big kudos to my wife:)
3. RENT neoprene boots, socks & a sturdy walking stick as a package. another big kudos to my wife! You can do so at Zion Outfiitters (who even let us keep the gear for a lengthened duration because of changing weather forecasts). Can’t recommend this enough as the boots protect our feet and ankles while letting you walk easily. Their wood sticks really help for balance in flowing water conditions. (We couldn’t help others struggling in aqua socks, teva’s and attempting without any poles...)
4. Also wear a light long sleeve shirt. The am is shaded and cool.
5. There are several high bank areas along the hike. Keep these spots in mind as you pass them so that you know how far down your need to go in case of a flash flood.
6. Watch the weather dopler to make sure a large storm isn’t forecasted pass over the NE Zion areas.
7. Also make sure to tackle this experience on the best forecasted day (usually determined the night before...and morning of.)
8. Take a camera, and even a DSLR if you trust yourself:)
7. And finally, enjoy the experience! Truly incredible as a camera can’t capture the full extent of the narrows.
Written July 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Youliveherenow
15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
Such a fun and different experience, even for frequent hikers/travelers. This hike is a must on a trip to Zion. As most have already stated, I'd definitely recommend spending the cash for waterproof gear and hiking stick to help stay warm and keep your balance on the rocks. We went in early April so the water was still pretty chilly but we were able to remain relatively comfortable all the way to Wall Street, however we passed many in shorts and an old pair of tennis shoes that looked the worse for wear. Also be prepared for crowds depending on the time of day/year and understand that, even if the Narrows was completely empty, speeding through this hike isn't really an option. You're going to spend most of the time walking along hidden rocks, through currents that could sweep you off your feet if you don't take your time and the water levels can vary from ankle to waist/chest deep. That being said, this hike was unlike anything I've ever done before I highly recommend it.
Written April 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mvmcali
San Jose, CA50 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
we visited the national parks of Utah in Sept 2020. the narrows was one of the least enjoyable mainly due to the massive amount of people who were there at the same time. it felt more like a hike near a big city.

the wall street area (where the narrows are... well.. very narrow) was interesting. and there is a side canyon to the left that also was interesting because it was very narrow too.

the vast amount of people churn up the water to a very unattractive color. i would recommend visiting first thing in the morning (we visited at noon time) to avoid the crowds
Written September 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravelingSoccerLoon
Saint Paul, MN6,620 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2021
Amazing experience. Such a unique "hike". Started at sunrise on a cold February weekday morning. Even with 25F air temperature at 7am, I stayed plenty warm wearing 4 layers on top and 2 layers on the bottom including wearing thermals. Gloves and hand warmers really helped and bring an extra pair of gloves as others have recommended. I had a small mishap on the return stepping into a trench with water up to my shoulders and my first pair of gloves got drenched. Dry bib package from Zion Outfitters worked great and the waterproof backpack that I added was quite helpful. Good boots and the hiking stick are needed. Feet are wet and cool with the Neoprene socks but not icy cold and very tolerable. I turned around at the end of Wall Street not too far past Floating Rock. Round trip took 6 hrs but I stopped a lot for photos. Best photography was on the return journey after 10am when the sun was overhead with light streaming down into the canyons. It was a Friday morning in February without shuttles running. Plenty of parking when I arrived just before sunrise. Beware that the rangers closed Zion Canyon Road later that morning to avoid overcrowding as many arrived at the Park for the weekend.
Written March 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anthony G
Bronx, NY34 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
Zion is a bit of a zoo compared to other national parks which are quiet, peaceful, and tranquil - but the hike to the Narrows was still a fun and unique experience that I’d recommend.

Two of us went and did not bring any gear besides cheap water shoes from Walmart and we did just fine. We felt steady and were able to navigate the rocky waters since we could get a feel for what was below. It looked as if those heavily geared with boots and walking sticks were wobbly and unbalanced - but maybe those are needed further down the trail (we didn’t complete the whole thing).

Water was COLD but you get used to it after a few minutes :)
Written September 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AllisonCW
Boquete, Panama2,470 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Couples
Let me start by saying I am a 57-year-old woman who does not exercise regularly and am a bit out of shape. In the Narrows, your traversing across and through a cold river from ankle to thigh depth 50% of the time! As such, you are stepping on lots of river rocks that you can see and not see. We feel very fortunate to get out of an 8 1/2 mile hike that was five hours long without twisting an angle on it. That being said, it’s a great adventure… Gorgeous Canyon views; I actually enjoy the cold water. What I want to strongly recommend is that you go to Zion guru or Zion outfitter’s and rent the neoprene socks and waterproof shoes with traction and a stick that really make a difference ($25 pp). Because there is no shuttle taking you to the entrance of the Narrows and we had no desire to walk 6 1/2 miles each way to do it ourselves… We also pay $40 per person RT for transportation to and from the trailhead entrance. How far you want to go it’s up to you… I would recommend at least a four hour hike...2 he’s in and 2 hours out. If you’re in great shape you can double that!
Written September 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Places Where We Go Podcast
Simi Valley, CA974 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2020
Hiking The Narrows was our plan for our Zion National Park visit. We thought we would aim for an early arrival on day one, but we weren’t early enough. By the time we parked our car just outside the road closure for the scenic drive road, we learned we would have a six mile trek from that point just to get to the starting point of The Narrows. As the car limit had been reached, we planned for a different approach on day two. (Hint: You have to be at the park entrance extremely early, before that opens, for a shot at parking your car close to The Narrows trailhead).

We booked a shuttle at Zion Outfitters for the next day. Our names were put down for the 9am shuttle. The shuttle was well worth the cost given the difficulty of getting to the trailhead, especially these days with the park operating at limited capacity. We had also picked up a waterproof protective case for one of our iPhones as well as walking sticks (you’ll want a stick that is more sturdy than a hiking trekking pole). We boarded a full shuttle of about 10 people at 9am, donned our face masks (required for the ride), and shuttled on past the barricades to normal traffic at the scenic drive entrance.

The first portion of the hike was on a normal walking path from the parking area. After maybe 10 minutes or so of such walking, we entered the water. First ankle level, then rising slightly higher. At its highest, it rose to just about a quarter inch south of my “zone of discomfort”,

We made our way for a good hour and a half in mostly water, watching our footing. There were lots of passages with places to be careful - some difficulty in seeing under the water, watching for slick rocks, and in a few places, holding firm when the water currents sped up a bit.

We felt well suited for the adventure. Hiking sticks helped a lot. So many others made their way without any walking stick at all, while a few folks had carbon hiking sticks which while awesome tools on mountain hikes, lack the stiffness that works better in moving waters.

Some folks wore flip flops, some were barefoot. Several carried small children on their backs, no sticks. We watched and prayed those folks especially didn’t slip and fall.

This was an epic hike, an experience. A great way to round out our visit to Zion. The $30 a piece shuttle ride which guaranteed our way to the trailhead was well worth the expense.
Written July 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

theyoussefs
New York City, NY113 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
My family of 5 (me and my wife, and our 16, 18, and 20 year old sons) hiked the Narrows this week (second week in March). Weather was in the 40s and the water temp was in the mid 30s so we were apprehensive about how comfortable we’d be. But we were appropriately outfitted (at the Zion Adventure Company) in a double layer of neoprene socks under our water hiking boots, appropriate clothing under our dry suits, and as a result we’re comfortable for our hike. The rocks are very uneven and slippery so it was critical for us that we had our walking sticks - those are fantastic. Our sons went at a faster pace than my wife and I. We only had about 3 1/2 hours for our actual hike in the water. My sons made it a little past Wall Street in that time, and my wife and I got to within a quarter mile of it. We were walking on the side of the river where possible so my wife and I covered about a third of the hike on dry land and the rest in the water. The greener the water the deeper it is! And you can clearly see when it’s running faster. So be strategic about charting your path, make sure you’re well equipped and enjoy the unique views and experiences. It really is beautiful and as the lighting changes you notice different things in the rocks and canyons.
Some people were doing this in shorts and sandals (which we thought was insane) - invariably they were from colder weather states but all were also suffering to some degree!
Written March 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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