The Narrows — Attraction in Four Corners States

Iconic Hike, Beginner Friendly If Prepped For Ahead: READ ON for My GUIDE (Full Guide on Trip Advisor, too long for Google)

I completed 90% of the bottom up hike to Big Springs on the 29th of October 2025 (Fall) with my boyfriend; we turned around after "Wall Street" ended. The water was 49 degrees F, the high that day was 71 F. No chance of flash floods and the river was not high. We did it with minimal rental equipment (no dry bib, just boots, socks, and stick). We are 25 year olds of average activity level and fitness (no gym) and found it pretty easily doable; endurance and "slow and steady" pace is key here but I truly believe that with proper preparation and equipment almost ANYONE healthy (except the disabled) can hike the Narrows sucessfully in safe weather. It took us from 8:45am to 2pm roundtrip from the shuttle and back (7 hours), we kept a steady pace the whole time and only stopped for some photos. The hike back took a third less time than the hike there. I would not recommend doing this hike without a buddy---if you don't have one, make some friends along the way and join them! We made a lot of friends and small talk during our hike, which was lovely. It is a fun hike with company, potentially scary without.

Recommended Equipment, The River, and Temperatures in late October: What to Expect We only rented the Warm Weather Package (no bib) which included waterproof hiking boots, neoprene socks and a hiking stick for $32. The rental employee scoffed at me when he realized that's all we were getting and warned us against it because of the cold river temp; jokes on him, we did it! Our package of 3 rental items is the minimum package I would recommend EVERYONE rent who plans to do this hike seriously, no matter the season you do this in; every item was necessary to completing the hike without difficulty (ESPECIALLY the hiking stick for balancing on the slippery rocks without constantly falling/overexerting yourself). You will need to rent this equipment near the Visitor Center shops ahead or the day of— this is a couple shuttle rides that are a 20-30 min away (Visitor Center stop #1) from the Narrows (Temple of Sinawava stop #9); they do not have this rental equipment at the Narrows stop (#9) itself, only bathrooms. -If you want to know the river temp, air temp, and flash flood chance ahead of your hike on the day of, they will have this posted at the rental shops where you can buy Narrows packages (Zion Outfitters had a sign with this info). I recommend checking for this info the day before your hike to have a rough idea of what it will be like the next day and plan ahead accordingly with your clothing and what you bring. -In addition to the rental equipment, we wore shorts that went to our mid thighs as our bottoms and warm layered thermals with a coat/jacket as our top (3 layers) and a beanie/hoodie on our heads. I think we made the right choice on our clothing/equipment, but I would recommend renting the bib if it is colder than it was for us. We brought a mini backpack and a fanny pack wore across the chest to carry our bottles of water and change of bottoms just in case and they never got wet. -The water was 49 degrees F the day of our hike. The air temperature -high- was 71 degrees. When we went in the morning at 8/9am to beat the crowds, the air was more like 40 degrees, and slowly warmed up by noon to 50-60 degrees. The water didn’t feel as cold as I expected and my body acclimated quickly; at first it seemed slightly warmer than the air. If the water or air were much colder than 49 water temp and 60 air temp, I would opt for the dry bib package out of -necessity- and -safety- rather than simply comfort. Do research on water/air temps that lead to hypothermia. -NOTICE: At NO point did the water surpass our mid thighs during our hike through the river, despite being warned by the rental employee that it was “as high as waist high in portions.” The majority of the time, while walking through the river water, it was actually calf...

What can I say but WOW. Before I continue I feel that it is important to mention that this hike can be dangerous. For a majority of the time he will be hiking in side of the river. During the summer time when we did the hike we were frequently in water up to 6 to two and a half feet. There are fairy real concerns of flash flooding so what is important 2 check the weather forecast prior to your height and make the best decision for you and your family whether or not you would like to do the hike depending on the current risk. There have been people that have died and Slot Canyons during flash flooding so just to keep that in mind.

We started from the Temple of sinawava and Heights approximately 3.5 miles the north into the Narrows. This is about 1 mile into Wall Street. The water temperature in July was very comfortable and I saw many older and the young children on this trek. Personally I would not bring a small child but I did see multiple families with their small children. Although the temperature was around 100 in the afternoon the temperature down in the Narrows it's very comfortable on a hot day as you are constantly standing knee-deep water. We opted to rent Alpha gear for the narrows at Zion Outfitter just right outside of the main entrance of the park for about $24. This consisted of neoprene socks with canyoneering boots and a hiking stick. I think there are more options for colder weather available with additional costs.

Anyway the hike was very beautiful. Your you are at the bottom of the canyon in between enormous vertical cliffs. If you are hiking in the summer I highly recommend you go earlier as long as weather conditions permit as there were huge crowds even when we started around 9. The earliest start time in July it when we were there was around 7 (if you catch the 6 am shuttle). There are lots of things to see throughout the hike but I think the main attraction for many people would be to hike to Wall Street. Wall Street starts 2.5 miles North starting at Temple of sinawava and it should take about two and a half hours. One thing you should consider however is that if you are in Wall Street and there is a flash flood there will be no where to climb up in elevation to safety as you will be surrounded by tall Cliffs. Because of this the employees after you rental place suggested we only walk up a small portion into Wall Street.

If you decide to do the hike have fun, take lots of pictures,...

This trail is amazing! We went in the later part of June of 2024. We arrived at 8am at the shuttle pick up spot. We didn’t wait long at all (maybe 3-4 buses passed) until we climbed into one. The bus driver was speaking into a headset through the drive kind of like a tour guide, and the drive was smooth on the windy roads to each bus stop. We went to the last stop, as the majority of passengers did too. They have plenty of restrooms before you venture into the trail. Definitely go before you begin because there is nowhere once you’re on the trail. The majestic rocks stand all around you as giants welcoming you to their trail. It’s gorgeous. The sun peaking into the canyons providing colorful sceneries is captivating. The trail begins on a walkway about 4-6 feet wide, bordered with a low wall, allowing a beautiful view of the water. When we got to the end of the walkway, there are stairs down to River level. A park ranger advising us to stay hydrated and giving safety information was at the staircase. Make sure you’re wearing shoes with toe protection, and good grip. We saw lots of people wearing rented hiking boots with neoprene socks (not necessary). You can wear any hiking boots, or a comfortable running shoe would work. I personally wore some Keen hiking sandals, which have great toe protection and good traction grip. The water wasn’t as cold as I expected it to be, and I’d say the majority of the hike the water level was between my ankles and mid-calf level. There is one particular spot, which is the deepest; where the water reached my belly button. I’m 5’8” tall to give you an idea of the water. Everyone at this point is looking to see where the water is deeper to either keep your backpack from getting soaked or people carrying children above the water. It’s exciting. Some areas have somewhat strong currents where you have to keep your balance as you walk along. You have so many options to walk along the way; either stay walking in the water or search for dry land. Take lots of...