North America · United States
The Narrows
Zion National Park, Utah, USA
Hikes / North America / The Narrows
Where these numbers come from
Public sources, official ones first, each numbered and listed under Sources, checked Nov 2026. Anything they don't give is left out.
Relief map
The route
A hike up or down the Virgin River through a deep, narrow slot of Zion Canyon, mostly wading in the river. The bottom-up day hike starts at the Temple of Sinawava and needs no permit; the 16-mile top-down route from Chamberlain's Ranch needs a wilderness permit and can be one long day or two with a night in the canyon.1,2
Route drawn from OpenStreetMap (Zion Narrows Top-Down Hiking Route, read Nov 2026). © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP, SRTM) on AWS. A sketch for planning, not for navigation.
Before you go
The basics
- Start
- Bottom-up: Temple of Sinawava (shuttle stop 9). Top-down: Chamberlain's Ranch trailhead, on private land outside the park1,2
- Direction
- Bottom-up is out and back upstream, turning round wherever you like (Big Spring at most); top-down is one way downstream, and walking upstream to the campsites is not allowed1,2
- Usual difficulty
- Strenuous, on a slippery, uneven riverbed. Under 70 CFS is moderately difficult (knee-deep, waist-deep pools); 70-150 CFS is challenging (thigh-deep, chest-deep pools); over 150 CFS the Narrows close. Top-down hikers should be ready to swim1,2
- Best time
- Summer and early fall are the warmest and busiest; July to September is monsoon season with frequent flash flood warnings; spring snowmelt often closes the river in April and May; winter water is high and cold1,2
- Permits
- Bottom-up needs no permit. Top-down needs a wilderness permit: reserve on Recreation.gov at least a day ahead, or for day trips enter the daily lottery two days before (12 am-3 pm MT, results about 4 pm); half the campsites are kept for walk-ins. Day trip: $6 application plus $10 per person; overnight: $20 plus $7 per person per night. The named holder collects it in person at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk. No top-down permits when the flow is over 120 CFS2,3
From the sources
Safety
Phone signal
- Most people get no mobile signal in Zion Canyon; without service, find a ranger or park volunteer
Source 4
Insurance
- The UK government says medical treatment in the US is expensive and to have travel insurance that covers treatment, unexpected medical evacuation and repatriation
Source 5
From the sources below, checked Nov 2026. For planning, not navigation: check before you go.
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Typical: 1–2 days (the hike's facts).
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Planning questions about The Narrows, answered only from this page's facts, the creators' versions and hikers' public tracks, with where each answer comes from. When the data doesn't say, the answer says "not given".
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Answered from the data
Questions people ask
How many days do you need for The Narrows?
How long is The Narrows?
When is the best time to hike The Narrows?
Jun–Oct. Summer and early fall are the warmest and busiest; July to September is monsoon season with frequent flash flood warnings; spring snowmelt often closes the river in April and May; winter water is high and cold.
From US National Park Service, Zion: The Narrows (official); US National Park Service, Zion: The Narrows from the Top Down (official), checked Nov 2026. [1] [2]
Do you need a permit for The Narrows?
Bottom-up needs no permit. Top-down needs a wilderness permit: reserve on Recreation.gov at least a day ahead, or for day trips enter the daily lottery two days before (12 am-3 pm MT, results about 4 pm); half the campsites are kept for walk-ins. Day trip: $6 application plus $10 per person; overnight: $20 plus $7 per person per night. The named holder collects it in person at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk. No top-down permits when the flow is over 120 CFS.
From US National Park Service, Zion: The Narrows from the Top Down (official); US National Park Service, Zion: Virgin River Narrows Permits (official), checked Nov 2026. [2] [3]
How do you get to The Narrows?
Take the Zion Canyon shuttle to stop 9, Temple of Sinawava, and watch for the last shuttle out. Top-down hikers must arrange their own ride to Chamberlain's Ranch.
From US National Park Service, Zion: The Narrows (official); US National Park Service, Zion: The Narrows from the Top Down (official); US National Park Service, Zion: Virgin River Narrows Permits (official), checked Nov 2026. [1] [2] [3]
Where do you sleep on The Narrows?
What's the emergency number on The Narrows?
Emergency: 911 (connects to Zion Dispatch if you have service).
From US National Park Service, Zion: Angels Landing permits page (official), checked Nov 2026. [4]
Sources
- US National Park Service, Zion: The Narrows (official) · official · checked Nov 2026
- US National Park Service, Zion: The Narrows from the Top Down (official) · official · checked Nov 2026
- US National Park Service, Zion: Virgin River Narrows Permits (official) · official · checked Nov 2026
- US National Park Service, Zion: Angels Landing permits page (official) · official · checked Nov 2026
- www.gov.uk · official · checked Nov 2026
Facts are written in our own words from these pages; nothing is copied. Rules, fees and closures change: check the official page before you go.