107. Hiking Riverside Walk The Narrows in Zion National Park

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The Narrows bottom-up day hike can be anywhere from 2-10 miles roundtrip, depending on how far along this route you decide to go. The elevation change is gradual, so the biggest challenge is fighting against the current and walking on the slippery rocks. Be aware that pets are not permitted on this trail.

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Your hike begins at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop. To get to The Narrows, you’ll first need to hike the #Riverside_Walk . This mostly flat, paved trail follows the Virgin River and provides beautiful views of the canyon.

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It’s 2 miles roundtrip to the end of the Riverside Walk and back without even hiking in the water. If you want to hike in the river, be aware that you will need to plan on hiking further than 2 miles RT.

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When you reach the end of the Riverside Walk, take the stairs down to the water and jump right in! You’ll begin hiking upstream here. There is no way to avoid getting your feet wet on this hike, so enjoy the rush of cold water. At this point, you have made it to the Gateway to The Narrows.

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After about 30 – 45 minutes of river hiking, you’ll reach Mystery Falls. Waterfalls are scarce in #Zion_National_Park , so it’s a fun treat to be able to stand right next to one as it drops into the river.

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Mystery Falls is an excellent destination to aim for if you are hiking with small kids or if you want to see something cool without hiking all day.

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Nothing is marked along this route, so it becomes a game of watching for specific landmarks as you hike up the river. Look for the #Narrows Alcove and the Grotto Alcove as you continue.

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Passing by the Grotto Alcove is exciting because it means you’re getting close to the Wall Street section of The Narrows! Wall Street is the most famous section of this hike and is likely what you’ve been gushing over while looking at photos of the area.

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You’ll know you’ve reached the beginning of Wall Street when you see Orderville Canyon to the right. This canyon is narrower than The Narrows and is a fun place to explore on your way back down if you have time. It’s about 3 miles of hiking to reach this point, the beginning of Wall Street, so if you turn around here, your hike will be a total of 6 miles RT.

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Continue past the entrance to Orderville Canyon and head straight into Wall Street to soak in the stunning scenery! The dramatic cliffs tower 1500 feet above you as they narrowly close in on the river. Pause here and absorb the feelings of wonder and awe that will fill your soul.

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Follow the river as it snakes through one of the most beautiful places on earth! You’ll encounter Floating Rock not too long after entering Wall Street. The river beyond Floating Rock is often where you’ll encounter deeper pools of water. I’ve seen a lot of people turn around shortly after passing Floating Rock because they don’t want to get their belongings wet or aren’t prepared to go deeper into the water.

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You’ll find the last landmark of this route about another mile upstream from the end of Wall Street. This is Big Springs, a beautiful series of cascades that mark the end of the bottom-up hike. You’ll need to turn around here — bottom-up hikers are not permitted to continue on past this point. Turning around at Big Springs makes your hike a total of 10 miles roundtrip.

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And there you have it — the full bottom-up route in the famous Zion Narrows. The best part? When you turn around at Big Springs, you get to soak in all of that red rock beauty on your way back downriver. Looking for insider tips regarding The Narrows or other amazing hikes in Zion? Everything you need is in this itinerary.

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Have fun and happy trails!

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