Teen hiking in The Narrows trail in Utah on our family trip

Hiking The Narrows at Zion National Park

This post is written by my son Den, almost 17.  We recently went on the epic family road trip in US’s South West and this hike up the Narrows was his favorite part of the trip.

On my family’s trip to Zion National Park in Utah this summer, my father and I undertook a hike up The Narrows, and the experience was much more enjoyable than the ominous name would lead you to believe. The Narrows is the narrowest section of the Zion Canyon, and most of it is submerged in water. You can hike up from Temple Sinawava or down from Chamberlain’s Reach to the Virgin River located at the base of the canyon, although to go down the river a permit is required. In addition, hiking down is the much more challenging course so it wouldn’t do for first timers.

Teen hiking in The Narrows trail in Zion National Park in Utah on a family trip
Adventuring at Zion!

Our first stop of the day was at the Zion Adventure Company in the town of Springdale. There, videos detailing how to safely hike the trail are shown on loop and you can rent or buy hiking gear. My father rented waterproof bags for our things and for cameras, and we both got water shoes and water socks. I cannot stress how important these two items are: if you don’t want to go down with hypothermia from the cold river, rent these. Your feet remain warm and it makes the hike a pleasant one and not a watery slog. Additionally, a hiking stick is very helpful to maintain steady footing along the river and ensure you do not trip and fall.

There are, of course, dangers to this particular trail. Flash flooding can occur, as well as tripping in the rivers rocky course. The warning signs of flash flooding are:

-Rain has occurred recently upstream

-Debris begin to go downstream rapidly

-Water level rises

-Water color darkens

Flash floods can last up to several days, and require you to find higher footing or risk death. Despite this, they occur only a literal handful amount of times a year, and the risk of flash flooding can be checked beforehand and the danger level is posted along the trail. On our particular day at the end of June, the posted risk was at 30%.

Teen hiking in The Narrows trail in Zion National Park in Utah on a family trip
Experiencing nature’s majesty

We started our hike at the end of Riverside Trail which we reached by a shuttle bus from Zion Canyon Visitor’s Center before heading into The Narrows. The trail itself is a beauty: humbling and stoic, the rocky surfaces extend on all sides as you walk below, with lush greenery protruding from the vast heights and occasional “islands” in the river.

Teen hiking in The Narrows trail in Zion National Park in Utah on a family trip
Views that leave many breathless

As my father and I marveled in a comfortable hike, it took us about five hours of walking to complete our journey, ending at the fork in the trail that led to either the advanced trail Wall Street or the Veiled Falls. The hike never felt difficult, but rather a nice steady hike that allowed you to fully take in the environment while never letting you completely let go of your surroundings thanks to the rushing river. I felt lucky to have dodged any bad weather on our trip, as the sun was shining and unobstructed by clouds or rain.

Teen hiking in The Narrows trail in Zion National Park in Utah on a family trip
Sloshing around in the river

Funnily enough, as we got back in the shuttle bus we noticed a park ranger beginning to warn people of upstream raining and that they were slowly closing the trail for the day. I myself had noticed a raised water level on the backwards trek: my father and I were both wondering if the water levels had gotten much higher or if we just got lost and we shared a laugh over our good fortune.  I recommend this hike as a moderate one, that can easily be accomplished but requires a decent amount of preparation.

Teen hiking in The Narrows trail in Zion National Park in Utah on a family trip
Taking in the grandeur

For more information about The Narrows here is a link to the park’s website.

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Teen hiking in The Narrows trail in Zion National Park in Utah on a family trip

 

 

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6 thoughts on “Hiking The Narrows at Zion National Park”

  1. I am looking forward to going to Zion NP someday soon. When we went we were not prepared to do the Narrows. I have wanted to go back ever since. And when we go, we will definitely be ready this time 🙂

  2. As a blogger and English teacher with young children, this post makes me really excited about my children going on to write as well as you do! This was such a treat to read, and the photos are beautiful! Glad you avoided flash floods and had a nice hike. I’m really hoping to get to Zion one of these days!

  3. I can see why you loved this hike! It has to be one of the best in the West. I have been to Zion but only walk the path next to the river. I stopped when you actually had to go to the actual river. But, I hope I will be able to do the proper hike one day.

  4. Oh how beautiful! It’s been so long since we haven’t been in Zion. Our son was about 5 at the time and we couldn’t do any of the serious hikes then. I’d love to go back. Such perfect pictures, Victoria!

  5. Pingback: Hiking the Narrows at Zion National Park | Kids Do the City

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