The Narrows Top Down

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Commonly Backpacked · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Spring · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The Narrows top-down is a 16.1-mile route that takes you from Chamberlains Ranch all the way down to the Temple of Sinawava in Zion National Park. The hike is primarily in the river, requiring many hours of wading through ankle to waist-deep water. This makes a very strenuous and potentially dangerous trek, even though it's all downhill. The hike can be done in one very long day, but many people choose to make it an overnight backpacking trip by staying at one of the backcountry campgrounds midway. In both cases, wilderness permits are required by the national park. This is a shuttle route, so you'll need two vehicles or a shuttle service to drop you off at the top of the trail (Chamberlain's Ranch Trailhead).

The Narrows Top Down is a hike through a river, with some swimming required. Most of the time, the river is ankle to knee-deep, but all top-down hikers should be prepared for deep sections where swimming is the most reasonable way through. For information on what gear to wear, Zion Outfitters website is a good reference for gear needed, and conditions can be checked at nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/….

From the Chamberlain's Ranch Trailhead you'll head east, through a large meadow towards the river. The next six miles are on dirt road and trail that parallel the river, so you can choose to embrace the wet by hiking in the river early, but it's faster to continue on dry ground as long as you can. The scenery is primarily riverside pastureland hemmed by pine and juniper-forested hillsides. Keep an eye out for Bulloch's Cabin, an old pioneer homestead that remains in this valley.

The canyon narrows gradually, and the first dramatic constriction starts at about 6.1 miles into your hike. Here you'll have no choice but to start wading in the river. At mile 8.3 the entire stream goes over a 12-foot-tall waterfall. Get around it by finding a narrow passageway on the south side of the canyon.

At 8.9 miles, the flow of Deep Creek flow joins the Virgin River. This is where the water picks volume and up speed. This is also where the first backcountry campsites are located, making options to stay the night for those backpacking. A series of 12 or so campsites are scattered throughout the canyon between this confluence and Big Spring. Some of these are reservable, and others are first-come-first served, but all of them require an overnight Wilderness permit.

At 11.5 miles you'll reach Big Spring, where a series of rivulets rush out of the canyon walls. This marks the end of where bottom-up day hikers can go without a permit, and hence where you'll start to see a lot more people. At this point, follow the river downstream, past more highlights including the Wall Street corridor, Orderville Canyon confluence, and Mystery Canyon Falls.

National Park crowds will continue to grow, and the hiking gets easier as you near the mouth of the Narrows. Eventually you'll join the Riverside Walk paved trail, which leads about a mile to the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop. This is where you can begin to dry off, wait for the next bus, and get a ride to your shuttle vehicle.

Many hanging gardens, full of vibrant mosses and trailing plants, grow on the canyon walls inside the Narrows. The vegetated alcoves and many pools of water are home to canyon treefrogs, which you may find if you look close enough. You're more likely to hear them by their distinctive vibrato call in the spring and early summer. Other common residents include canyon wrens, which you can ID by their decrescendo trill, and you may even spot these tiny birds flitting among the cliffs.