Zion Narrows (top down)
| DIFFICULTY | OUR RATING | ELEVATION GAIN | AVG TIME | ROUND TRIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strenuous | 1500 ft gradual descent | 10-13 hrs as a day hike. 12-18 hrs w/ overnight gear | 18 miles one-way hike (top-down route) | |
|
STARTING POINT: Outside the east park entrance at Chamberlain Ranch.
Best to use a shuttle service. |
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| DIFFICULTY | Strenuous |
|---|---|
| OUR RATING | |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 1500 ft gradual descent |
| AVG TIME | 10-13 hrs as a day hike. 12-18 hrs w/ overnight gear |
| ROUND TRIP | 18 miles one-way hike (top-down route) |
Description
This is the best hike in Zion hands down. People come from all over the world to hike the Narrows from the top-down for a reason: it is a magical hike like nothing else on earth. Do the work to obtain the required permit and the logistics for this hike and you will not regret it. The advantage of doing the hike from the top-down is that you get to see the entire canyon and follow it from a tiny stream to a deep canyon cut 2,000 feet deep from the canyon rim by the end of the hike. Another advantage of going from the top-down: the park strictly limits the number of daily hikers from the top to 40 permits a day—so you get solitude in the canyon for a true wilderness experience (at least for the first 12 miles).
If this hike does not move your soul, then I don’t know what in nature could. It is a sacred experience to walk through these corridors of stone cut by water over the last 6 million years. This hike is unquestionably authentic and offers the exhilaration of a true wilderness escape. It must be experienced at least once in your lifetime.
