Hiking the Narrows at Zion was one of the biggest highlights of our Grand Circle Road Trip! The first day at Zion we did not get shuttle tickets, and were ill-prepared for the cold 37 degree waters, so we opted to stay an extra day in Zion specifically to venture on this hike! I vlogged the experience as well. You can watch it on YouTube here!

The Narrows is a breathtaking trail towards the top of the shuttle route in Zion. We rented gear from a local shop, and paid for a private shuttle up to the trailhead.

Gear for The Narrows

We visited Zion in mid-April and water temperatures were in the high thirties. On our first day, rangers advised us to rent waiters and shoes from a local outfitter. So, that’s what we did! We rented bibs, shoes, and hiking sticks from Zion Outfitter. It was about $50 per person for the gear, but well worth it for the warmth and the dryness.

Kemper and I passed many people on the hike who did not have gear. They seemed very cold, and were obviously wet. At times, the water came up past our hips, and to our chests. I can’t imagine hiking the trail without the gear! Even the stick was super helpful with navigating the rocky floor.

Transportation to the Trail

The ONLY way to access the trail is via shuttle. Zion National Park provides a free shuttle, but our tickets were at 1:00pm, which was later than we wanted to get started. We were advised the hike would take 4-5 hours, and the final returning shuttle leaves at 7:00pm.

Kemper and I wanted to get started on the hike earlier, so we could drive to Bryce Canyon the same day. So, we opted to pay for a private shuttle to the trailhead. The private shuttle was $40 per person, and again, well worth it for our situation. We got started on the trail around 10:00am.

Hiking The Narrows

To get to the beginning of The Narrows trail, you have to walk about a mile from the shuttle drop off. The trail is easy, mostly downhill, and paved. It runs along the river.

Once you get to the actual trailhead of The Narrows, it starts out fairly wide and shallow. The current was steady, but since it was shallow it was not too strong.

I videoed a lot of our experience as well! You can watch it on YouTube here.

As the name suggests, the more you hike into the trail the more narrow it becomes. Some sections of the trail have dry areas on the sides, but the majority of it is water. The floor is rocky and while hiking in you are moving against the current.

Thankfully, Kemper let me lead and set the pace. As I mentioned, the stick was helpful for navigating the rocks and maintaining balance.

Kemper wore a backpack, with our packed a lunch, snacks, sunscreen, and waters. Around 12 we sat down on the rock above and ate in the shade. It was the perfect spot to rest and refuel!

Overall, the trail was not packed. There were other people, but I never felt crowded. At times there were only a few other people in sight. It made for a quiet and relaxed hike, which was much appreciated!

The Canyons

Towards the midway mark, there is a canyon that splits off to the right. We were told that was a good place to hike to, and turn around. The split off was a really cool area with gorgeous canyon walls! It was empty while we hiked it, which made for perfect photo ops!

You can see that the path is much more narrow (as promised!). At this point, the amount of fellow hikers on the main trail was much lower as well. We were advised that it wasn’t worth it to continue past this point, and that the trail becomes increasingly treacherous with slick black rock and a stronger current.

The Hike Back Out

After this, we turned around and begin the hike back out of the narrows. It was easier moving with the current, but we were also pretty exhausted. We took breaks to reapply sunscreen and for snacks and water.

Towards the beginning of the trail there was a “waterfall” of sorts on the wall. On the way out we stopped to take it in and take more pictures. One thing that surprised me was the diversity of the views on the trail.

So, would we do it again?

Absolutely! I had some fears going into the hike, but I would 100% do it again!! The Narrows isn’t an easy hike by any means. However, there were children and older people on the trail. I was surprised with how well my body handled it, though I was quite sore the next day!

If you ever have the chance to hike The Narrows, do it!! It’s an amazing adventure with stunning views.

P.S. Looking to start camping? I’ve listed some of my favorite camping essentials here! 🙂