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Can you hike the Narrows in water shoes?

For a trek deep into the narrows or a through hike I'd say rent the water hiking shoes from one of the outfitters. We choose the boot/sock/walking stick option and it turned out to be a great choice for us. The water came up to mid-thigh and was very muddy so you couldn't see where you were walking.



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Can a Beginner do the Zion Narrows Day Hike? Yes, beginner hikers can absolutely do the Zion Narrows day hike! Even if you don't have much hiking experience, you will be perfectly fine hiking the Narrows.

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Outfitter stores, such as Zion Outfitter, in the gateway town of Springdale, rent shoes, socks, and walking sticks. In the winter, they rent waders. We've seen plenty of people without the rented gear doing the hike, so it's not necessary. However, I think it is super helpful and I definitely recommend it.

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In the early spring and late fall months, neoprene socks, pants or bib overalls, or a wetsuit may be necessary to hike in the river.

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Layers: The temperatures in the Zion Narrows can be much cooler than the rest of the park. In fact, we were surprisingly cold during most of the hike. Your bottoms are definitely going to get wet so we recommend wearing shorts or a bathing suit on the bottom.

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Dry Bag, a must-have for hiking The Narrows in Zion! I'll put it this way… I will never do a water hike without carrying a dry bag for my camera gear.

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Sixteen mile trips through the Virgin River Narrows, from Chamberlain's Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava, can be done as a very long single-day hiking trip, or as a single overnight backpacking trip. Multi-night backpacking trips through the Virgin River Narrows are not permitted.

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When Is the Best Time to Hike the Narrows? Start early in the morning to watch as the canyon walls light up with the sunrise. We started our hike around 9 AM and the river was mostly shaded thanks to the height of the canyon walls.

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Even without the Monsoon, the Narrows should be hiked with a keen eye on the sky to the north. Thunderstorms occur largely in the late afternoon, so get up early and put those miles in before mid-afternoon, so you will be in a safe place during those critical hours 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

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If you have a spare camera, you might consider bringing it along instead of your main one. Although I brought my main camera, there were a few times that I would have preferred a backup instead. In terms of equipment, the most important gear to bring is a wide-angle lens.

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Every hiker in The Narrows should have closed toed shoes, even just your regular hiking boots, and a walking stick.

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