Those that know me know that I am a peak bagger. Yet, the hike up canyons has intrigued me somewhat. That said, when my wife and I visited Zion National Park, we decided to hike up the famous Zion Narrows. The Zion Narrows are the upper reaches of the Virgin River, where the canyon gets very steep and narrow.

The hike up Zion Narrows starts at the Temple of Sinawava. This is reached via the shuttle bus system and is the final stop on the shuttle bus.

The first mile is a tourist trap and follows the paved "Riverside Walk" trail. At the end of the trail, it is time to start walking upstream. We rented neoprene socks and Five Ten Canyoneer Water Shoes. These shoes kicked butt on the trip and our feet stayed warm and dry, while being able to walk safely on the slick rocks in the river.

As you walk up the river, every turn is impressive. Waterfalls coming in from the rock walls above, sandbars, red rock, white rock, dark rock, blue water, giant rocks blocking the path... something new every turn!

Our goal was to make it to the Orderville Canyon junction. However, we wanted to hit the true "narrows" part of the river, so we continued to those. All told, we hiked 11 miles round trip. What a stunning day. This trip is highly highly recommended... even to you peak bagger friends of mine :-)

WARNING: Be aware of flash floods in the area. If there are storms nearby, I recommend you check with park officials to determine if this trip is safe or not.

Drive to Springdale, Utah and follow the signs for Zion National Park. Get on a shuttle bus at the main lodge and ride it to the Temple of Sinawava stop.

Pretty simple. From the Temple of Sinawava shuttle bus stop, follow the Riverside trail for 1 mile to its end. From there, hike up the river as far or as short as you'd like. The water, at least on our trip, never got above my knees.