Winding around the edge of The Narrows, Zion National Park.

The secret to getting on any popular trail of a national park is to arrive early and Zion National Park is no exception. In preparation for an adventure through The Narrows, the famous series of slot canyons on the Virgin River in ZNP, four buddies and I hit the road with a couple extra days to spare. You can trek The Narrows in one very long day but I advise doing it in 2 or even 3 if you really want to take your time. I’ve compiled a few helpful tips to help you on your way.

We drove about seven hours from Los Angeles to Zion National Park, arriving at 3 o’clock in the morning. We slept in line for the next three hours because we don’t have reservations for permits, but because we’re here in person, we will most likely get a pass within the next 72 hours. When the ranger station opens, we request “Walk-In Permits” for The Narrows and tell them we want to go in the next day or two (don’t worry, you don’t have to stand in line for the entire waiting time). You can reserve permits for a specific date but that can take up to a year or two in advance. I suggest just showing up and leaving flexible times available for yourself.

Luckily, we get confirmation that we secured our permits to depart a day later which leaves plenty of time to explore some of the other highlights in the rugged Colorado Plateau. We stock up on some fresh sandwiches from Dan’s Deli at the locally owned organic Sol Foods Market  (995 South Zion Park Boulevard, Springdale, UT) and then head to a great day-trip hike called Angel’s Landing. This is a must-do for any visitor to Zion because you get the full aerial view of the entire canyon.

The trail winds its way out of Zion Canyon from the Grotto Picnic Area. It’s five miles long and gets very steep and “cliffy” towards the top – especially after you pass Scout Lookout. A word of warning: this hike is not for those who suffer a fear of heights! Aside from some security chains bolted to the bedrock, you are completely exposed.

After Angels, we took a much needed dip in the Zion Canyon River before heading east on Route 9 to find a camping spot on the Bureau of Land Management‘s grounds. The beauty of BLM is that it’s public, which means you are pretty much free to do whatever you want out there. But read the regulations, and respect the space because it belongs to all of us.

Setting up camp in BLM.

The biggest concern when prepping for a trip down The Narrows is the weather. Even when there is a rainstorm 40 miles away in the mountains, flash floods can rip through the slot canyons with deadly force. Rangers monitor conditions and will not issue permits if inclimate weather is predicted, but you should always double check the weather yourself. Watch for changes that could adversely affect your journey. Fortunately for us, the clouds cleared the night before our departure and from the valley we camped in, we got in some amazing star-gazing and fell asleep to the sound of coyotes howling at the moon.

Over the past 150 million years, Zion’s slot canyons have been raised over 10,000 feet by the tectonic activity under the Colorado Plateau. Then, gradually over time, they have been eroded away by the North Fork of the Virgin River. The Narrows River Trail will take us on a 16 mile trek through the river’s varied geologic history- a series of gorges that range from a mere 20 feet wide at their smallest to 2,000 feet at their tallest.

Before this magestic space was owned by US citizens, it was home to the semi-nomadic Anasazi tribe who were also famous for their cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde. Zion was an ideal location because of the park’s four biomes ranging from desert and riparian areas, to extensive woodlands and coniferous forests.

7:30 in the morning, we began our first day of our trek through The Narrows. Climbers can choose to start at the top or the bottom. Depending on experience level, some might want to stick to the main picnic areas and attractions in the park for a softer adventure. But if you’re looking for a hard-core adventure, contact Chamberlain’s Ranch Guide Service to arrange for a shuttle from the park center to the Upper Narrows, a 1.5 hour drive through the pasturelands north of the park.

The Upper Narrows starts as a hike through cow fields and gradually descends into sandstone, fresh-water lakes and lush flower beds.

Hiking the beauty of Zion’s Upper Narrows.

Camping out on The Narrows: Some people do all 16 miles in one day to avoid carrying large packs through the river. My advice is to just carry the pack. You never know what could come up during your climb and better to have your gear with you. And take your time! The scenery is amazing and worth taking it all in. We reserved a camp space with overhanging rock sheltering us from the elements- we felt like cavemen from some primordial era!

Moral of this story: Exploring the Zion Narrows requires patience and preparation. Hikers will be tested mentally and physically. There will be points when I’ve personally found myself reevaluating my decision, like the time the weather changed and flash-floods became a real threat. Check out the National Park Service site for safety information should such a situation arise.

Into The Narrows.

TOOL TIPS FOR A SAFE CLIMB:

1. RETRACTABLE TREKKING POLES: Bring retractable trekking poles. You’re gonna need ’em! The river varies in depth especially if there has been any recent rainfall. Overall, poles stabilize your footing which always comes in handy.

Breath-taking multi-color rocks overhead.

2. DRY-BAGS: Pack professional grade dry-bags. I trust my gear to Sea To Summit bags that can be purchased at REI or the more rugged Ascend packs that can be purchased at Bass Pro shops. The best part about filling your backpack with dry-bags is that you become buoyant, which then becomes helpful when you are in fast-flowing river water that is over your head. Trust your gear; it’s your life-line.

The sun illuminating our path through The Narrows.

3. PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON: Cliff-jumping opportunities and class two and three waterfall descents are numerous. Rescue in the slot canyons is extremely difficult and expensive though so proceed with caution. I advise a Personal Locator Beacon or “PLB”. Whenever I’m “off the grid” or out of easy reach of professional medical support, I always carry my ACR Electronics PLB. It’s a life-saver, but ONLY if you really need it. You have to register with an international service that can triangulate your exact coordinates to within 10 meters anywhere in the planet. My PLB has a personalized signal that only my unit transmits, so if I trigger it, the chopper pilots in the local search and rescue units know exactly who they’re coming to rescue.

A bit of water to wade through…and I’m wearing my wool hat.

4. BLACK BAG: For any high-risk adventure, who wouldn’t want a specialized medical expert at their fingers tips? Enter Black Bag, a professional service that will prep you for any travel destination, providing you with precautionary measures and preparing you for any mishaps that could occur along the way. You even get a medical kit prepped with items specific to the needs of your trip.

5. A GOOD WOOL HAT: A really cool Peruvian wool hat. Well, it doesn’t have to be Peruvian, but it needs to keep your head warm. I know it’s technically the desert and that it’s 95 degrees Fahrenheit, but when you start to experience early stages of hypothermia – take off your wet clothes, do some push-ups and wear your wool hat. Works for me every time.

Overlooking the vast natural beauty of The Narrows. Definitely worth the climb.

Check out more of Dan’s adventures at MAVpics.com.