Hiking The Narrows at Zion National Park

One of the most unique hikes in all of the National Park systems is the Narrows, which stretches from Zion Canyon in the south to the north end of the park in Zion National Park. For many, the Narrows represents the boundary between good old bad place and the Holy City. I however see it as a piece of the puzzle of the park and like to think that it is a piece of the puzzle that fits somewhere else.

Let me start by stating clearly that I do not agree with the Heberts et al decision to close the Narrows. I think it is a shame that the reward comes at the cost of too many sacred spaces in this great park. Let me give you my reasons for thinking differently. First, the Narrows is not only a problem, they are a negative contribution to the overall experience that visitors to Zion experience. Visitors who drive through the area are distracted by the multitude of road signs that flash gold and silver panels to let them know that they are close to the park, yet another way of transportation to Zion. Part of the challenge in visiting the Narrows is actually driving to the park. Second, the average depth in the Narrows is generally between 200 and 450 feet. The problem is that the area is actually deeper than it looks. Flash floods have washed away all the vegetation and the river has recharged throughout the year.

The bottom line is that I much prefer visiting the Narrows on foot than I do by boat or raft. The view is normally better from a hike in the park. Now that doesn't mean that you can't take a boat or raft with you, it just means that you will do less damage if you have to jump out of the boat or raft and wade to the shore.

In my opinion, the best hike in the park is the one that can be had by car, the Glacier Point Trail. That trail is generally about 6 miles long and is a decent walk in most conditions. Dealing with some elevation change, the trail also crosses a high watermark on a couple of occasions. Overall, the majority of the hike is very manageable and can be completed in about 5 hours. That's a great amount of time for a family to enjoy a national park in one day.

You can find the Narrows Trail on the North Rim of the National Park in Moab. The trailhead is at the Arrival Trail parking area. This area is very comparable to the one used by the Anasazi and recalls the road-cuts made by the Anasazi and their descendants.

It is long and narrow, running about 2.5 miles to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. About half of the trail is the old roadbed that used to be a tar road between Canyon Lake and Canyon Mountain. Most of the remainder of the trail is a much meandering and diverse path across the top of the Grand Canyon. There are down rocky, up rocky, and across the top of the Grand Canyon. The trail is not suitable for light packs because of the steepness of the trail.

From the trailhead, the best ways to enjoy the trail are to:

1. Drive in a car, leave the car running and slowly go around the loop on the road that runs down the middle of the park. The trail circles mostly on purpose, but can be done at a decent pace.

2. Walk down and out on the tarred roadbed for about 1 mile and enjoy the view of both the Canyon and the mountains in the distance.

3. Focus on the rock. There are so many intricacies of geology to see.

Be careful of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac plants. They are amazingly potent and can make you very ill. So be aware and stay away from them. There are also several very poisonous plants that can make you trip and cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or a rash. It is very important to stay hydrated. Nobody wants to hike more than they have to.

The most efficient water purifier that I know of is the "Cubic cutter". This tool will let you pass water quickly and easily without getting water in your shoe. (You put the cap on the bottle take off the bung, and then open the valve and drink).