For thousands (maybe millions) of years, the North Fork of the Virgin River has been carving through the Navajo sandstone that makes up Zion Canyon. One result of that journey is a slot canyon called The Narrows, now famous as one of the best adventures in the park. In fact, according to experts, The Narrows is rated as one of the top ten hikes in the world. From top to bottom, the hike is seventeen miles and requires a permit. Spending a night in the canyon is typically how it's done. That approach is for the hard core adventurers, not for most of us. An easier approach is to enter the river after a one-mile hike, then wade (mostly) as far upstream as desired before returning. I've done the hike three times, each time turning around where Orderville Canyon joins The Narrows, about two miles after entering the river. On this visit, it was nice to have my brother join me for the hike.
The canyon walls are more than a thousand feet high in places and as little as twenty-two feet apart. The depth of the water varies quite a lot and determines the difficulty of the hike. By September, the flow is usually around 70 feet per second. Spring snow melt increases the flow exponentially, but the Rangers close the hike when the flow reaches 150 feet per second. Of course, rain upstream can cause flash floods that may be deadly to anyone caught in the canyon.
People are willing to wade against the current in very cold water, walking on slippery rocks below, risking flash floods, all because the beauty of the place is incredible. The light on the sandstone is constantly changing, but is always beautiful. There are weeping walls of water that took several thousand years to work its way through the sandstone. Plants and wildlife enhance the splendor of the experience. I'm ready to do it again.
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