Into the Narrows
On a blazing hot day in Zion National Park, a good way to cool off was to hike the Virgin River up Zion Canyon to the Narrows. In the Narrows, the hike is literally in the river, the canyon walls rising up to 2000 feet above the 20 to 30 foot wide gorge in which the river flows.
The temperature hit 111 that day, and there were many people in the river with us trying to cool off. You can see one of them here, heading up the canyon and providing a bit of scale to the scene.
"The Narrows, with its soaring walls, sandstone grottos, natural springs, and hanging gardens can be an unforgettable wilderness experience. However, it is not a hike to be underestimated. Hiking The Narrows means hiking in the Virgin River. At least 60 percent of the hike is spent wading, walking, and sometimes swimming in the river. There is no maintained trail because the route is the river. The current is swift, the water is cold, and the rocks underfoot are slippery."
(From the National Park Service Brochure.)
Into the Narrows
On a blazing hot day in Zion National Park, a good way to cool off was to hike the Virgin River up Zion Canyon to the Narrows. In the Narrows, the hike is literally in the river, the canyon walls rising up to 2000 feet above the 20 to 30 foot wide gorge in which the river flows.
The temperature hit 111 that day, and there were many people in the river with us trying to cool off. You can see one of them here, heading up the canyon and providing a bit of scale to the scene.
"The Narrows, with its soaring walls, sandstone grottos, natural springs, and hanging gardens can be an unforgettable wilderness experience. However, it is not a hike to be underestimated. Hiking The Narrows means hiking in the Virgin River. At least 60 percent of the hike is spent wading, walking, and sometimes swimming in the river. There is no maintained trail because the route is the river. The current is swift, the water is cold, and the rocks underfoot are slippery."
(From the National Park Service Brochure.)