Hiking The Narrows - Virgin River - Zion National Park Utah - July 2024

During this leg of our trip out west to Utah, we visited Zion National Park. The views of the park while just driving through were indescribable! Definitely one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen in my lifetime. Within the park, we rented water boots, neoprene socks, and walking sticks (all highly recommended) from the outfitter near the visitor center, and took one of the park shuttle busses to the drop off point for The Narrows. After a mile or so of easy hiking on a paved trail, we finally reached the entry point for the Virgin River to take us through The Narrows. The river continues on for miles, you hike out as far as you wish and turn around to head back. The water was relatively clear and surprisingly mild in early July. The terrain is mostly softball to bowling ball sized rocks with larger boulders thrown in. A little challenging but there were plenty of smaller children out there enjoying the day too, so it is suitable for all ages. There are a few deeper pools to cross, with about 3 feet being the max depth. All but one are avoidable by taking the high ground, but I had more fun crossing through the deeper parts when possible. I had to slow down here and there just to remember to look up the sheer cliff walls an either side and try to take in all the beautiful scenery - this was a trip I will never forget!