Hike Virgin River Narrows Top to Bottom Zion National Park, UT

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Virgin River Narrows Top to Bottom GPX Track

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The Virgin River Narrows are an extremely popular destination in Zion National Park, so Adam and I decided to do a big one-way dayhike rather than the standard out-and-back when starting from within the main canyon. In order to complete this in a day, we needed to prepare two vehicles, one for when we completed the trail at the Zion Visitor Center, and another for the starting trailhead at Chamberlain's Ranch. There are no vehicles allowed in Zion's main canyon during most times of the year (certainly not in the summer when this hike would be most pleasant), so we knew on the way out we needed to take the Zion-run shuttle from Temple of Sinawava to the Visitor Center where we parked our finish car. Remember to check the shuttle service for Zion and make sure to get back to the trailhead before the last shuttle. Missing this would result in an 8 mile walk back to the Visitor Center. After dropping our car at the Visitor Center, we took the second car to the east entrance of Zion, where we made the first left here (37.23927757, -112.83240448). Signs lead to the Narrows (at Zion Upper Narrows / Chamberlain's Ranch Trailhead).

A permit is required to dayhike, as well as overnight, in the Zion Narrows Wilderness. Over half the permits are available up two three months in advance. If you didn't make a reservation, there are permits available 7 to 2 days in advance using a lottery system. Also, check for flash flood warnings prior to entering the Narrows. Having a permit does not mean you'll be able to hike the Zion Narrows. The Zion National Park rangers will close the hike when conditions are unsafe.

The hike begins uneventfully, a long-feeling few miles along forest roads through an idyllic Utah landscape that slowly introduces taller and taller bluffs as the hike nears the start of the narrows. This section follows the North Fork of the Virgin River, and is situated on private property, so keep along the road. Now within the narrows, it's impossible to get lost. Starting off, the hike through the upper narrows is a bit less epic than expected, but it slowly becomes more impressive. Overall the hiking is easy due to the fact that there is no ascending, but the never-ending riverbed walking made our ankles a bit tired. Aside from a short North Fork Falls (a log jam) that requires some scrambling to get over, it's a nice river walk with incredible cliffs and colors. At a certain point we reached Big Spring, a lush moss-covered set of waterfalls that marks the end of the permit-required portion of the Narrows. Past here we started seeing more and more people, and once we passed the confluence with Orderville Canyon, the Narrows took on the semblance of a water park. Eventually we got to the end of the narrows where the Riverside Walk Trail took us to Temple of Sinawava.

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The first couple of miles of the hike, before seeing any walls.

Short bluffs begin to appear.

Great, bright pink of the post-rain muddy Virgin River.

Bright orange behind bright green, a beautiful combination.

Entering the first set of Narrows within the first few miles.

In and out of Narrows, always with massive walls on either side.

The "waterfall" was formed from wood blockage. There's a bypass to the left.

The waterfall from below.

Another set of Narrows, still in the Wilderness area.

Where the Virgin River meets Deep Creek.

Big Springs, the end of the permit-required area. People started to appear after this point.

The main Narrows.

Orderville Canyon (side trip off the Virgin Narrows that I have to come back to do)

It started raining toward the end where most of the people are, so I put my camera away with about a mile left that was overrun with other hikers.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!