THE ZION NARROWS

Beyond the end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive at the Temple of Sinawava, the walls of the main canyon close in to form the famous Zion Narrows, an amazing section of canyon that stretches for over a dozen miles to the north. The North Fork of the Virgin River carves and snakes through the deep sandstone labyrinth with a vast network of remote side canyons and tributaries. Hiking the Zion Narrows is the highlight of many vacationers' experiences in Zion, following the river from the high plateau down through the wondrous slot sections and back out to civilization in the main canyon. Several popular technical canyoneering routes descend through the various tributaries of the Zion Narrows.

THE ZION NARROWS -- Overview
The North Fork of the Virgin River (aka "The Zion Narrows") is probably one of the most legendary canyons to hike in all of Zion National Park. The Zion Narrows is the section of the Virgin River just upstream from the Temple of Sinawava (the end of the road up the main canyon). Here, the majestic walls of the main canyon close in to form a tall and narrow canyon with beautiful dark corners and the Virgin River flowing around you. With beautiful flowing water and barely any direct sunlight reaching the bottom, this is the slot canyon that all other slot canyons are compared to.
OVERVIEW OF HIKING ROUTES...		 Zion Narrows
ZION NARROWS DAY HIKE
Zion Narrows Day Hike Rating: moderately strenuous/strenuous river hiking. a Zion classic
For tourists or casual hikers who want to see the best of the Zion Narrows, this is the route to do. Starting at the Temple of Sinawava, you can hike up the Riverside Walk trail and then continue hiking right up the river to see some of the best "narrows" sections of the North Fork of the Virgin River. Hike up as far as you want to go and then turn around and retrace your steps. A side hike up Orderville Canyon is also a good detour to see even more amazing slot canyon scenery.
ROUTE INFORMATION and PHOTOS...
ZION NARROWS TOP-DOWN ROUTE (Backpacking)
Rating: strenuous river hiking/backpacking. a Zion classicbackpacking route
Starting from Chamberlain's Ranch outside the northern corner of Zion National Park, the North Fork can be hiked top-down from the upper plateau. This is the longer and less popular way to hike the Zion Narrows, but it is quite a rewarding experience to see the more subtle beauty of the the upper North Fork as it slowly transforms into the majestic and deep slot canyon that opens into the main canyon in Zion. This route is usually done as a two-day backpacking trip and is a magical experience.
ROUTE INFORMATION and PHOTOS...		 Zion Narrows Top-Down photo
ORDERVILLE CANYON
Orderville Canyon Rating: strenuous hiking/semi-technical canyoneering. technical canyoneering route
Orderville Canyon is the amazing little sister to the famous Zion Narrows and is a good long day hike for beginning canyoneers. The lower sections can be explored as a side hike from the Zion Narrows, but the much better way is to do the top-down "semi-technical" canyoneering route. This hike involves two short rappels, several short swims, and a lot of downclimbs over boulders and rock formations. The canyon is tall, narrow, dark and wonderfully mysterious, and it is well worth the effort that it takes to get through it all!
ROUTE INFORMATION and PHOTOS...
DEEP CREEK
Rating: fairly strenuous backpacking. backpacking route
The Deep Creek route is the longer big brother to the North Fork route: 14 miles of river hiking and bushwhacking until you join up with the Virgin River in the Zion Narrows proper -- 2 or 3 days for the total trip. Falcon has a good description of this route starting at Fife Creek on Webster Flat Road off of Highway 14. Note: most of this route is outside of Zion National Park, so please be unobtrusive and  camp only in BLM land. Once you enter Zion, the Deep Creek narrows joins up with the North Fork, and you have 7 more miles of the classic Zion Narrows before you reach the Temple of Sinawava, or you can alternately hike up and out the North Fork.		 Deep Creek

 
Several well-known technical canyoneering routes go through the Zion Narrows, from the popular Mystery Canyon to the more serious Kolob Creek and Imlay Canyon. As of 2001, Goose Creek has been designated as a "Natural Research Area" and is off-limits to hiking or canyoneering. Several tributaries of Orderville Canyon, including Englestead Hollow and Birch Hollow, are occasionally descended. These more committing technical routes are beyond the scope of this website.


Continue to the Kolob Terrace ->


Hiking symbols used for descriptions:
a Zion classic ZION CLASSIC: a must-do hike if you want to see the best of Zion!
family-friendly FAMILY-FRIENDLY: a good choice for those with children who like to hike.
backpacking route BACKPACKING: a route enjoyable as a multi-day hike.
technical canyoneering or climbing route TECHNICAL: canyoneering or scrambling route requiring technical gear and climbing and/or rappelling experience. Not suitable for casual hikers.

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