The Narrows, Zion National Park

This is a difficult hike but extremely rewarding. This may have been the best most unique hike of my life no joke. it is hard to see the rocks and it's easy to slip, but you get used to it after 45 minutes or so. Know you limits and do not rush. We did the whole trail that you don't need a permit for and it practically took all day but it was amazing. Go Early to avoid the crowd and the heat! Trust me this is worth waking up early for. Get the rental gear too if you can. My feet are usually always cold but these neoprene boots kept my feet warm the whole time! This is a once in a lifetime hike and scenery to do with the ones that you love! Have fun!

What a fun family hike in the river, and what awesome cuts through the sandstone! The water was cold, yet was about 2.5 feet deep at most at end of May. Having two trekking poles (as opposed to just one) and wading sandals/watershoes with decent tread really helped with stability in the river. The morning air/breeze was cold, so windbreaker jackets are recommended at the very least! Some of the best, most fascinating portions of the hike were right before arriving at Orderville Gulch - definitely worth the trek!

Amazing hike, but crowded as f. I've done the Narrows "top-down" a couple times, and THAT is a beautiful hike. You spend the first three quarters in complete solitude, and it's really beautiful and peaceful. Magical. But hikers from the bottom of the canyon are able to hike up to Big Spring without a permit, and after this point (coming down) it becomes increasing busy, and by the last mile or so before the Temple of Sinawava it becomes extremely crowded. This is perhaps the most spectacular section, so most people get to see it, but few get to enjoy it because you spend more time navigating around other hikers than you do marvelling at the incredible scenery. Zion Narrows is perfect for tourists, but I'd advise real adventurers, and anyone looking for a little solitude, to go for the top-down, or to look elsewhere. The top-down is limited by permit, and is said to be a "minimum 10 hour" hike. But this old fat man did it easily in six and a half including the mile-long Riverside Walk to the shuttle, which is not generally considered part of the hike. As for practicalities, the bottom up hike is almost entirely in the river. Choice of footwear makes a big difference. I've done it top down in the river boots you can rent in Springdale, and these are perfect - great grip, warm and lots of support. But I've also done it bottom up in FiveFIngers and barefoot - and if you are a confident walker - it's perfectly doable. The rocks in this lower part are a little more slippery than further up the river, so be careful, but they are not very slippery. A stick helps with balance when you are choosing your footing in the river's faster flowing sections, a trekking pole works OK, but the stout wooden sticks provided by the Narrows Outfitters are even better.

This is an amazing hike, but need to know a couple of things. Is not easy, wear the right shoes and by that I mean hiking boots. People try to do the hike bare footed and is a bad idea, or in water shoes and is almost the same. Take your time, enjoy the view and bring water and food, you'll need them. Is a majestic hike.

We started our hike as soon as the shuttle bus started which was 7am. There was like no one there the whole time we hiked into the Narrows. It was an amazing hike. You feel like your younger self that always wanted to walk through the water but your mom would not let you, now is your chance. I advise doing it as soon as possible because on our way out there were hundreds of people just starting the hike around 12pm and we had to weave ourselves out. Would not want that the entire time hiking in.