The Narrows

Bottom-up: Temple of Sinawava, Riverside Walk, Wall Street, Big Spring

The usual day hike starts at the Temple of Sinawava (Zion Canyon Shuttle Stop 9). Walk the paved Riverside Walk about 1 mile; where pavement ends, you step into the Virgin River and continue upstream. There is no maintained trail in the river — the route is the river itself.

NPS allows bottom-up travel as far as Big Spring — about 4.7 miles one way, or about 9.4 miles out and back — and calls a full trip to Big Spring a strenuous, all-day adventure. Orderville Canyon joins the gorge around two miles up; upstream travel into Orderville is limited to the first ¼ mile without a canyoneering permit.

“Wall Street” is the informal name hikers use for the constricted, high-wall stretch of this bottom-up corridor. NPS does not publish a separate mile marker labeled Wall Street; the narrowest scenery sits along the permitted bottom-up route between the Riverside Walk river entry and Big Spring. Turn around whenever you like — NPS notes you can hike a few minutes or a few hours and still have a strong experience.

Top-down: Chamberlain’s Ranch wilderness permit

The full through-hike runs 16 miles one way from Chamberlain’s Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava and requires a wilderness permit. Hikers must arrange their own transportation to Chamberlain’s Ranch. NPS lists about 1,300 feet of elevation change and an estimated 10–14 hours if done in a single day (or a permitted overnight in designated campsites).

When conditions allow, apply for permits online or from a wilderness ranger at a visitor center. Confirm the current permit process on the official Zion Narrows top-down and wilderness-permit pages before you commit.

Distance, time, water depth and flow

Bottom-up distance is flexible: NPS lists up to 4.7 miles one way (about 9.4 miles round trip) to Big Spring, with 334 feet of elevation change and an estimated hiking time of 1–8 hours depending how far you go. Top-down is a fixed 16-mile one-way itinerary.

Water depth tracks river flow in cubic feet per second (cfs). Per NPS: below 70 cfs, walking is moderately difficult with knee-deep crossings and frequent pools up to waist-deep; at 70–150 cfs, walking against the current becomes challenging, with frequent thigh-deep crossings and pools that can be chest-deep; above 150 cfs, The Narrows is closed to all travel. Check the USGS Virgin River flow and the park’s current conditions the morning you go.

Flash-flood safety, season, shuttle and trailhead

Flash floods can happen at any time; NPS stresses that your safety is your responsibility. Check the National Weather Service flash-flood potential before entering. The Narrows also closes when a Flash Flood Warning is issued and stays closed for at least two hours after a warning is lifted. There is little high ground in the lower gorge — leave if water clarity or flow changes suddenly.

Most people hike in summer and early fall, when levels tend to drop and water is warmest, but monsoon thunderstorms raise flash-flood risk. Winter and early spring often bring high, cold water; spring snowmelt commonly closes the hike when flow exceeds 150 cfs.

In shuttle season, ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle to Stop 9 (Temple of Sinawava); the trailhead has restrooms and a water-filling station. Pets are not allowed. Closed-toe shoes and a sturdy hiking stick are recommended — NPS compares the footing to wet bowling balls. Carry food, water, and seasonally appropriate layers; the canyon stays cooler than the rest of Zion Canyon.