How cold is water in Zion Narrows?

Average spring and fall water temperatures range from 41° to 53° Fahrenheit (5° to 12° Celsius). Winter: A neoprene wetsuit or dry suit with warm layers may be needed. Average winter water temperatures range from 38° to 45° Fahrenheit (3° to 7° Celsius).



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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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Winter = 40-45 degrees. Spring = 45-55 degrees.

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In winter, it's essential to have protective clothing to hike the Narrows. The water temperature is just too cold to turn up in shorts and sneakers like you can in summer.

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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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The Narrows is a popular hike through the knee-deep Virgin River. Due to cold water temperature and high water levels, the trail is closed in winter and spring. The best time to hike The Narrows is from late May to October, but watch out for summer thunderstorms that can cause deathly flash floods.

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October is a gorgeous time to hike the Narrows. The later you get in the month, the better the fall colors will be and you will share the canyon with just a few other people. But you also have to take into account shorter days, colder temperatures, and the reduced Zion shuttle schedule.

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DRINKING WATER: Virgin River water in the Zion Narrows is not safe to drink untreated. Either carry all the water you will need or bring a water filter (removes bacteria and protozoan cysts like Giardia from contaminated water) or purifier (a purifier also removes viruses).

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Special Note: I only recommend wearing Canyoneering boots while doing the Narrows. They are fine for the 1 mile hike to get to the Narrows where you actually get in the water but if you are wanting to do any other hikes, these boots would be way too hot.

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The Narrows is fantastic in September when the temperature is still warm enough to enjoy being in the water. Make sure to check online or at the visitor center for a flash flood advisories, however, because the Narrows is very prone to them during monsoon season.

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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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Best time of day to hike the Narrows If you are only looking to do a small portion of the Narrows, then we recommend visiting in the late afternoon when it has warmed up a bit. The big rush tends to be in the morning as the people who want to hike the furthest start early.

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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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There are three essential pieces of gear for hiking the Narrows: waterproof boots, neoprene socks, and a walking stick. If the water levels are high, you may need more than this, but your equipment rental store will help you with this.

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The Narrows hike in Zion is just too much fun. In all seriousness it's one of the best hikes in the national park system but is suffering from some serious overcrowding. Every step is the destination. There's a humbling aspect to walking through the canyon carved out by the water beneath your feet.

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