hiking the narrows should be on every adventurer's bucket list this one-of-a-kind hiking experience lets you venture up the Virgin River while massive Canyon walls close in around you the scenery is Iconic and the experience is Unforgettable so in this episode I'm going to give you all the details I'll let you know how to prepare how to get there and I'll answer the four most common questions I get about the narrow when it comes to Zion Angel's Landing gets a lot of hype but the Narrows put Zion on the map I love this Trail it's Unique it's beautiful it can be challenging but it can also be accessible to most people as long as they're okay getting wet it's just an all-around great Trail but before you venture into the Narrows you'll need to prepare how much you need to prepare depends on how far you want to hike if you just want to dip your feet in go a few hundred feet and turn around then grab a water bottle and call it good but if you want to hike all the way to floating rocking back then you'll need a little more preparation we'll get to gear later in the video but here are a few things to consider before heading to the trail first first you always want to check the official Zion website for current conditions because the Narrows can be prone to closures The Narrows normally close in mid April because of the snow melt the snow melt raises the water levels in the Virgin River so Rangers are forced to close the trail this closure is different every year it can last a couple weeks or in some cases like 2023 it can last for a couple months also monsoon season is from July to September this can also lead to closures I recommend checking the current conditions page ahead of time so you don't show up to a closed Trail the next thing to consider is drinking water unfortunately you'll need to pack your own water for this Trail the Virgin River is known to contain toxic Alo blooms and the algae cannot be filtered out so packing water for the trail is the only option there's a water refill station at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and the Temple of Cava so you can fill up on the way the Temple of suava also has the last restroom before the trail so keep that in mind next you'll definitely want some snacks our go-to is a PB&J with some fruit but to each their own you'll also want some type of waterproof pouch to pack your food because no one likes a soggy PB&J one thing most people never consider is the temperature of the canyon the canyon doesn't get a lot of sunlight and it can get chilly so it's always a good idea to pack an extra layer if you get cold easily last but definitely not least you always have to check the weather rain can lead to flash flooding and you don't want to be anywhere near the Narrows when flash flooding occurs Zion has signs around the Park to warn you of flash flooding is a possibility so pay attention to the signs and you'll probably be okay but remember that your safety is your responsibility so you need to check the weather before getting on trail and when in doubt change your plans with basic preparations aside the next thing you'll need to know is how to get to the trail head this is different depending on the time of year the trail head is at the very end of the Zion Canyon scenic drive this road is closed to private vehicles from March to November you can drive your car to the trail head from December to February but that would also mean that you're hiking the narrows in the winter have fun with that for most people that won't be the case you'll have to take the Zion Canyon shuttle to stop Number Nine stop number nine is the Temple of Cava and that serves as a trail head for the Narrows the Zion shuttles are their own adventure and I created a free Zion starter guide that will walk you through the shuttle system and it'll give you strategies for parking in Zion Canyon the Zion starter guide is available for free at the link in the description once you get to the Temple of Cava you'll have to take the river Riv side walk to the entrance of the Narrows the Riverside walk is a 1em trail that follows the Virgin River while the canyon walls begin to narrow the trail is beautiful and some people will ride all the way to the Temple of Cava just to hike it of course most people just use it to access the Narrows when it comes to the Narrows there are four questions that I get asked all the time and the first one is an easy one people always ask if they need a permit the short answer is no unless you're planning on hiking 15 miles there is a 15 M route that requires a permit but simply put if you're entering the Narrows of the Temple of Cava and you don't plan on spending the night then you don't need a permit the next question normally revolves around crowds as in how big are the crowds let's be real the crowds can be enormous but when it comes to the crowds it's all about timing in most cases you just have to beat the crowds to the trail when Morgan and I head into Zion Canyon for a hike we always try to ride into the canyon early because it makes for a much better hiking experience when we Hike The Narrows we ride the first shuttle into the canyon with our gear on and our water bottles filled this lets us step right off the shuttle and head straight for the Narrows we normally end up getting to the trail well before the masses this lets us have a little bit of peace and quiet before the crowds descend on the trail people will still be scattered around us but it's relatively quiet especially when we get deeper into the canyon there are times when we have literally had sections of the trail all to ourselves in contrast the hike back to the trail head is never calm or peaceful there are just so many people that the thought of being on trail alongside them makes me cringe so it's obvious but if you want to enjoy some peace while you're hiking the narrows get there early another common question that I always get about the Narrows is what gear do I need this is a great question and if you walk around Zion Canyon for more than 10 minutes you'll probably see people in waiters and Canyon earing boots with a walking stick odds are they rented this gear but is it necessary it depends the temperature of the Virgin River varies depending on the time of year in the summer water temperatures range from 50 to 70° which isn't terrible but in Spring and fall the water temperature drops to a high of 53 with a low of 41 of course it's worse in the winter in the winter water temperatures drop into the high 30s and that's cold if it's a 100° summer day getting wet might not be such a bad Prospect but if you're hiking the narrows in early spring or late fall taking a stroll through 40° water might not be a lot of fun that's where the waiters come in the waiters will will keep you dry so you can stay warm as long as you don't fall all the way into the water also some people just don't want to be wet the entire hike so they rent waiters even in summertime it's completely up to you Footwear is also very important if you rent gear you'll get canyoneering boots These Boots are thick and they normally have good traction on the Rocks if you don't rent boots just make sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes I prefer hiking boots the river bed is Rocky and your feet can get beat up quickly if they're not covered for that reason I'd also suggest not wearing sandals of course if you're only hiking a few hundred feet and then turning around it's no big deal otherwise I'd stick to some type of boot even if you don't rent gear neoprene socks are a good investment they won't keep your feet dry but they will keep your feet warm in the cooler months if you rent gear you can also get a walking stick these walking sticks are thicker than trekking poles this keeps them from getting stuck between the rocks in the river and of course all of this gear isn't free if you just rent boots and a walking stick it'll cost you $30 to $40 if you want the way too it'll probably cost you another 20 for the entire package personally I think the waiters are worth the money plus the walking sticks looked great in the photos there are several Outfitters in Springdale that you can rent gear from but Zion Outfitters is a quick walk from The Visitor Center so that's who we use the final question I always get about the Narrows is how hard is it the short answer is that it can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be one of the great things about this Trail is that you can go as far as you want and turn around when you've had enough this makes it a great hiking option for almost everyone although the trail does have a few challenges once you step into the river the first thing you'll notice is the current when you're in the water you will always be battling the current in some spots the canyon will get narrow when that happens the current gets stronger there are a few beaches along the way so you won't be in the water the entire time constantly fighting the current and trying to stay balanced tends to wear people out so if you're comfortable hiking 5 miles on dry land you should know that 5 miles The Narrows is much harder and it will take much longer keep in mind the trail can also get deep in a few spots if you don't have a dry bag you'll have to take your backpack off and put it over your head to get through these areas the best way to hike the Narrows is to pick a landmark and aim for it the trail has three landmarks that are good turnaround points so I recommend picking one of them as your destination and doing an out andback hike first mystery Canyon Falls is a little waterfall that tumbles off the cliffs on the right side of the canyon it's a half mile into the trail so it's a quick turnaround the second Landmark is Wall Street Wall Street is a section where the canyon walls close in and the flow of the water strengthens Wall Street begins around a mile and a half into the Narrows and it continues for a mile the third turnaround point is floating rock this Boulder sits in the river with water rushing around it this Landmark is 2 mi into the Narrows there are other landmarks past floating Rock and you can hike 3 and 1/2 mil to Big Springs but you'll probably have to swim a couple times to get there I prefer hiking just past floating rock this will get you into the upper section of Wall Street this area is gorgeous and if you reach this section 2 or 3 hours after Sunrise you can watch the canyon glow [Music]