You need to be fit and fast in order to do this. Hiking the Narrows top-down in one day is no easy feat. A permit is necessary and you reserve your campsite when you reserve your permit. On day 2, you hike the rest of the way to the Temple of Sinawava.

On day 1, you hike from Chamberlain’s Ranch to one of 12 campsites along the river. This is a 16-mile point-to-point hike that starts at Chamberlain’s Ranch and ends at the Temple of Sinawava. Expect big crowds during the summer months. No permit is necessary to hike from the bottom-up, which is why it is so popular. If you walk all of the way to Big Springs (the farthest you can go without a permit) your journey will take you 10 miles round trip. Starting at the Riverside Walk, you simply hike upriver for several miles, enjoy some of the best scenery of the Narrows, and return the same way you came. Options for Hiking the Zion Narrows From the Bottom-Up We cover all of this in this article so you can have the best experience when your time comes to hike the Zion Narrows. There are a lot of things to think about that you don’t necessarily deal with on other hikes…water flow rates, permits, flash flood potential, special gear, and the challenge of walking in a river for many miles. If you are looking for a hike that will astound you, test your limits, and give you a greater appreciation for the beauty of the American Southwest, the Zion Narrows is perfect for you. To experience the raw beauty of this place, walk for miles in the Virgin River, and watch as the canyon walls steadily grew up around us, was unforgettable. It was an epic day and one of our favorite hiking experiences of all time. We hiked the Narrows from the top-down as a day hike in October 2018.

From the top-down, it can be done as a two day backpacking trip or as a very long and challenging one-day hike. You can hike it as a quick day hike from the bottom-up or you can hike the entire length of the Narrows from the top-down. There are several different ways you can hike the Zion Narrows.

Water slot canyon