Is it better to hike the Narrows bottom-up or top-down?
The Top-Down Route is Perfect if:You want to hike the entire Narrows. You want to enjoy the solitude of the Narrows with just a few people. You want to camp alongside the Virgin River. An epic day hike is your idea of a good time.
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Best time of day to hike the NarrowsThe big rush tends to be in the morning as the people who want to hike the furthest start early. By the afternoon, the lower sections are quieter and warmer, which makes for a more enjoyable hike.
Pee - Whenever possible, pee directly into the flowing water of the river. The smell of your urine, on land, will persist for months. At the very least, carry a ziplock bag to pack out your toilet paper. Water – There is reasonable water for drinking almost every step of The Narrows – literally.
In general, most adults with a moderate fitness level will be fine and enjoy this activity. So if you're a beginner wanting to do the Zion Narrows day hike, don't worry! It can seem intimidating, but so long as you don't have difficulties getting around on a typical hike, you will be fine.
Prior to your hike, stop at the visitor center to check the water levels. If the water levels are above 75 cubic feet per-second (cfs), DO NOT HIKE THE NARROWS.
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.
Turn around when you have had your fill. Continuing up the Zion Narrows, the canyon remains dark and impressive with no high ground to climb up to in the event of the thunderstorm or flash flood. Most hikers will continue hiking up through this section and then turn around when the scenery mellows out a bit.
While the Narrows is doable as a senior, the Riverside Walk can be done by basically anyone. This casual trail can take you up to the river banks where people begin their watery march into the slot canyons.
The Narrows hike is easy-to-moderate. It is easy because there are no steep inclines or declines, and since it is an out-and-back hike, it can be as long or as short as you want it to be.
Two completely different hikes. Narrows is level...as long as you consider walking in the river level (which it is not). Angels Landing is much more strenuous, uphill, and people with height or edge concerns are strongly discouraged.
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.
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.
Most people hike it from the bottom-up, an out and back journey that takes you through some of the most scenic sections of the canyon. Or, you can hike the entire length of the Narrows along the top-down route, an epic experience that can be done as a massive one day hike or as a two day backpacking trip.