Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the Temple of Sinawava, where you leave the canyon at the end of your journey.
From the trail head, on private land, you'll ford the river and follow a dirt road
downstream. (Please remain on the road and leave all gates as found.) The road
ends a short distance beyond an old cabin, and from here you will hike either along
or in the river, which cuts a deep canyon into the Navajo sandstone. The walls
are broken only by an occasional steeply ridged canyon, created over millennia by
some seemingly insignificant stream in its quest to reach the Virgin River. You'll
come up against a 12-foot waterfall—a path circumnavigates this natural barrier by
leading you through a slot in the rock.
You are now within the boundary of the park, and in another 1.5 miles, you
will reach the confluence with Deep Creek, where the canyon widens to absorb
this sizable flow of water. In the next 2 miles lie the designated—and as-
signed—campsites. The current here is faster, due to the increased flow of water,
and the rocks underfoot are slippery, so step carefully to avoid injury. Kolob Creek
is the next tributary seen, though it flows only when waters are released from Ko-
lob Reservoir for irrigation downstream; Goose Creek comes in next and signals a
deepening of the water—waist-high in some places—and an increase in the speed
of the flow. Soon you'll see Big Springs gushing over moss-covered stone on the
right wall of the canyon, signifying the beginning of the Narrows.
For the next 3 miles, there is no place to climb out of the water in the event
of a flash flood, and there is practically no vegetation to grab onto, as any small
seedling is periodically ripped from its hold by raging waters. (See the box “The
Narrows: Safety First,” below.) The river spreads from wall to wall, requiring con-
stant wading in a deep canyon with little light. The water has even undercut the
walls near the confluence with Orderville Canyon. Runoff from above oozes from
the canyon walls here, providing moisture for hanging gardens and habitat for the
minuscule Zion snail, found nowhere else in the world (see chapter 9, “A Nature
Guide to Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks”). About a mile farther, where the
canyon opens out, a narrow ribbon of water slips out of Mystery Canyon above,
and skims down the rounded canyon wall. Just beyond, you can finally climb out of
the water onto the paved
RiversideWalk
that takes you to the Temple of Sinawava
and the end of the hike.
Permits are required for full-day and overnight hikes originating from Chamber-
lain's Ranch. Walk-in permits are available the day before or the day of your trip at
the Zion Canyon Visitor Center; campsites are assigned and the number of hikers,
both day and overnight, is limited. Backcountry reservations are also available on-
line via the park's website, www.nps.gov/zion, although the permits must still be
picked up in person at the visitor center. Short day hikes, starting and ending at
the end of the Riverside Walk, do not require permits.
