The Narrows

Walk up the Virgin River between soaring slot-canyon walls

The Narrows is Zion's most distinctive experience: a hike upstream in the Virgin River as the canyon walls tighten and rise hundreds of metres above the water. Most day hikers start at the end of the Riverside Walk and go as far as time, cold, and river depth allow.

Footwear matters here. Rent canyon shoes, neoprene socks, and a walking stick in Springdale if conditions are cold or slippery. Do not enter if storms threaten anywhere in the watershed; slot canyons give you very few second chances.

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The Narrows is not a trail beside the river; for much of the way, the river is the trail. Conditions can change from playful ankle-deep water to a closed route when snowmelt or storms raise the flow, so the park posts daily river data and flash-flood warnings for good reason.

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