Take the 1st bus of the morning. It gets very crowded as the morning goes by. Rent the special shoes. They're worth it. A hiking pole (or two) is a must. Not your regular hike, truly one of a kind experience. We used the wet bag we bought, another good purchase. We took pictures along the way & put the camera back in the bag in between each time. No problems. We are all so happy we did this!

🎈The Narrows via Riverside Walk •Temp @ 70°-80° •Elevation Gain: 334 ft •Distance: 16 miles (We only did 10 miles roundtrip 🤪) •Time: We finished in 5.75 hrs Roundtrip (took many photos & vids 😛) 🎈The most popular hike in Zion National Park, and one of the world's best slot canyon hikes! Prepare to get wet! I fell but thank goodness it was not caught on camera! 🤣 It was fun, breathtaking and tiring but any ability level can do this hike. The trail is basically the Virgin River. The canyon is narrow, the river covers the bottom in many spots, and you have to wade to proceed. The cool water makes this hike pleasant during the hot months of summer. 🎈Bottom-Up hikers are only permitted to hike as far north as Big Springs. Accessible almost all year. The starting point is the Temple of Sinawava. You'll need to ride the shuttle into Zion Canyon, to Temple of Sinawava, and that takes about 45 minutes during the summer season. From Temple of Sinawava, the paved Riverside Walk leads up the canyon for about 1 mile. After that, the river becomes the trail - you just hike/wade up the river. 🎈It really is as gorgeous as it looks in photos! 🤗❤️

We visited in March and Spring rains and thaws conspired against us. The day we arrived there was a window; however, by the time we got to rental place they were no longer issuing supplies. We did walk the riverside hike and made it to the beginning of the Narrows. While disappointed, I was thankful we made the smarter decision after talking to returning hikers. They told stories of something I had not even thought about. While hiking in the river, a child size rock split from the wall and fell into the river about 50 feet from them. That was when they turned around. It is easy to forget in all the beauty that nature is unharnessed. This simply means we will have to come back.

When we arrived, the Narrows was closed. We hiked the Riverside Walk to the beginning of the Narrows. There were only 4 other people there. It was getting close to the time of the last Zion Shuttle back to the Visitor Center. We hustled to see the Narrows, then headed back to the bus. I recommend a visit even if you do not hike the Narrows. It is very beautiful back in the valley, and Riverwalk trail is wide and relatively flat.

The Narrows had just opened for the season a few days before we went. The river was very strong and quite deep in some areas. I’m 5’2” and I was in water up to my neck for a few feet. Most of it was thigh deep though. The views were amazing and the novelty of hiking in a river was really cool. You definitely need a strong, wooden stick that is as tall as you to help navigate the rocks. Also we wore Chacos sandals with wool socks. The water is very, very cold (it is snow melt after all!) but my feet were warm. If I did it again I would wear an old pair of lightweight running shoes as my foot did slide around some in the sandals. You need more protection than Crocs or water shoes you would wear in a River/lake. It was also quite crowded but there was room for everyone and it was a great time.

Best of Zion!!! Water is cold at first but you acclimate quickly. Breathtaking views, phenomenal experience. We are a group from 2-68 and we went ~3 miles in. Good hiking shoes will do but recommend a walking stick. Don’t miss it.

We hiked the narrows as a family. Kids as young as 2 years old. If you are in decent shape and have the appropriate gear (hiking shoes, walking poles, water & snacks) it’s a great time. There are a few spots that the smaller children will need to be carried (due to depth of water or how quick it was flowing). We saw some people without the appropriate gear or who were not in physical shape to hike that were struggling. Plan accordingly and this is a must see spot. Beautiful views and a one of a kind hike.

Hiking the narrows is a must if your physically fit. We are a family of 5 (kids are 15, 14 and 12) and we are all in great shape and this was much harder than I thought. The water is very muddy so you can’t see a thing and have no idea where the rocks are. It’s a challenging, but very unique excursion! We went about 2.5 miles one way and then had to turn around due to a storm coming in and the narrows was closing due to flash floods. There is a 1 mile walk to get to the narrows. This is a very crowded hike with people of all ages and abilities so it can take a bit. Once you go a ways in the river, you start to lose some people so it’s not as crowded. The water is very cold but you quickly get used to it as your concentrating on where to step so you don’t fall! We didn’t rent walking sticks for $5 or waterproof socks and shoes for $40. In our opinion, it was a waste of money and wasn’t going to make the hike easier. A stick might have helped some. Your shoes are going to be soaked either way as you’re walking in a river! Would totally recommend this hike and do it again! Make sure you watch the weather as it does close when it rains! Also— bring a waterproof bag for your phone or other items as the water was up to my chest in spots and I’m 5’5”.

This was our favorite hike of the entire grand circle. We did fiery furnace at Arches, multiple hikes at Mesa Verde, and Queens Garden at Bryce Canyon. We spoke to multiple couples the night before and we followed their advice. We went to Zion Gurus and rented the boots, socks, and walking stick. We were happy we did! Their were places where the stick kept me upright in the current. My husband and I are both over 5’7” and the water level was just about waist level in one spot. Most of the hike is knee deep or less. We did take one of the first shuttles at just after 6 AM from the visitor center. When we came out around lunch it was madness with people everywhere. We rode the shuttle back to the visitor center and ate lunch in the back of our rented SUV. We watched as multiple cars circled the lot looking for parking. You won’t get parking at the visitor center that late in the day.

Great hike . Rent your shoes , socks, walking stick and waterproof backpack the night before . Highly recommend you do that .The deepest part for us was in the beginning , we turned around 2.5 miles in . It was breath taking beautiful. So glad we did this . Highly recommend. Be aware no bathrooms along the way.