Hard · 4–6 hours
Angels Landing
Chain-assisted ridge to a 1,488-ft platform above Zion Canyon. The most iconic photo in the Southwest.
The Mighty Five & Beyond
The Narrows — Bottom Up
Wade upstream into a 1,000-foot-deep slot canyon where the Virgin River cuts the entire width of the route — Zion's signature bucket-list walk.
Photo: Sakturner · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 4–8 hours
- From the lodge
- ~50 min + shuttle
- Type
- Wet hike · river canyon
There's no other hike like it. Past the end of the Riverside Walk, the paved path stops and the river becomes the trail. You wade upstream through 50-degree water between vertical sandstone walls that climb 1,000 feet straight up, narrowing in places to twenty feet across. The light bouncing off the wet rock turns gold by mid-morning. By Wall Street — the most photographed stretch — the canyon is closer overhead than open sky.
Most guests turn around at Mystery Falls or Wall Street; the truly committed push to Big Spring at the 5-mile mark. There's no permit for the bottom-up day hike, but pace yourself: it's slower wading upstream than walking, and the round-trip from the shuttle stop to Wall Street is a 4-6 hour day.
Gear matters. Drysuit pants in spring and fall (when water temps are in the 50s), sturdy canyoneering boots with grippy soles, and a wooden walking stick. Zion Adventures and Zion Outfitter in Springdale rent the full kit for $20-30/day; pick up before the first shuttle and you're rolling.
Before you go
- Cold-water immersion is real — drysuit pants strongly recommended outside summer peak
- Flash flood risk during monsoon season — check Zion's daily probability rating before entering
- Wading is slower than hiking — budget time generously, turn around with daylight to spare
- Sturdy footwear is non-negotiable — slick rock under fast water injures more guests than anything else in Zion
Pair it with
← Back to all experiences 
Hard · 8–10 hours
The Subway (Left Fork of North Creek)
Serpentine lava-tube-shaped chamber where the river carved a half-pipe of pink Navajo sandstone.
Easy · 1–1.5 hours
Riverside Walk to the Narrows
Zion's most beloved easy walk. Paved riverside path under hanging gardens. Wheelchair-friendly.
Ready for your the narrows day?
Book your cabin and discover the area at your own pace. The trails start at the door.