Utah's National Parks. Ron Adkison
season, but extreme caution is advised.
Autumn brings cooler weather and shorter days, with cold water increasing the chances of hypothermia. At that time of year, hikers must proceed steadily through the canyon, beginning at dawn in order to complete the hike before dark.
Backcountry permits must be obtained for overnight hikes and dayhikes through the length of the canyon. Overnight hikers must begin at Chamberlain’s Ranch, hiking downstream. Permits are not required for dayhikes in part of the canyon. Permits will be issued no more than 24 hours in advance. Hikers are limited to no more than one night’s stay in the canyon. Conditions can change rapidly, and there are risks that must be considered.
General rules for safety and common sense for canyon hiking are especially important for a backpack in The Narrows, considering the river has such a large watershed. As one hikes through the canyon, observe the high-water mark, usually a dark line on the canyon walls, below which the sandstone is polished smooth and shiny.
Always be aware of possible escape routes to higher ground. Changes in the water, from clear to turbid, an increase in the current and in water level, and in the worst case, the roar of rushing waters upstream, are indicators of a flash flood. Seek high ground immediately; you cannot outrun floodwaters. The river should recede within 24 to 48 hours after heavy rains have stopped.
Be sure to wear good, rubber-soled boots that provide ankle support and remain lightweight when wet, and a sturdy walking stick to aid balance and probe deep holes. Some hikers use two ski poles instead of a walking stick. When hiking in cold temperatures, consider wearing polypropylene thermal long underwear, since it will keep you warm even when wet. Shorts are best for wading the river, since bare legs offer less friction. All hikers should carry a pack with extra food and clothing in waterproof containers or plastic bags. Backpackers should likewise protect their additional gear, which should include shoes for wear around camp.
Avoid drinking river water if possible, but if you must, purify it, as the river drains the summer range of cattle and sheep. Instead, draw your water from any of the numerous springs enroute, which still should be purified. Some hikers may prefer to carry all their water.
Backpackers may think that hiking downstream sounds easy, but the current will tend to pull your feet out from under you. Don’t try to fight the current as you move in the river. When heading downstream, it is best to walk across the river at an angle. Rough water and deep holes can usually be avoided; plan ahead and proceed with caution. Take this hike only if you are in good physical condition and have adequate cross-country experience. The Park Service recommends that hikers be at least 12 years of age and 56 inches or taller to hike in The Narrows.
North Fork Virgin River near Chamberlain’s Ranch
A car shuttle of about 34.3 miles is required and 10–12 hours of hiking are necessary to complete the trip. When you obtain your backcountry permit at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, you will be informed about weather forecasts and river conditions, and you will be given a pamphlet full of detailed information about the hazards you will encounter, and the precautions to take on a hike through The Narrows.
Backpackers will be assigned one of 12 designated campsites in The Narrows, located between the Park boundary near the first section of narrows and 300 yards upstream from Big Springs. Backpackers will be given a map and description of all campsites when they obtain their permit.
Description: Our trek gets underway where the 4WD road fords North Fork Virgin River (0.0; 5830). Unless the river is low, we’ll get our feet wet at once. Beyond the crossing, we follow the road westward, heading downstream on the south flood-plain and skirting sloping meadows—part of Chamberlain’s Ranch—where cattle and horses graze in summer. The surroundings give little intimation of the deep and narrow cleft that lies ahead. Rolling ridges, clad in pinyon, juniper, oak, and various shrubs, rise north and south of the canyon. In autumn these hills are brilliantly colored with the golds of oaks and the reds of squawbush.
After an easy mile, a right-branching road leading down to a stockpond should be avoided. Shortly we pass through a gate and close it behind us. Passing the old Bulloch Cabin (2.4; 5620), the road soon drops to the banks of the small river, little more than a mountain stream here in its upper reaches. Here (0.5; 5540) we must ford the river or boulder hop to the north bank, continuing down the road.
In the next half mile, we follow the road as it crosses the river several more times. Low Navajo Sandstone cliffs begin to encroach upon the canyon, and ponderosa pines begin to supplant the woodlands that dominate upstream. The road eventually fades, and a trail continues to take us from one side of the river to the other.
As the cliffs rise higher and the canyon becomes increasingly narrow, the sheltered microclimate thus created supports Douglas-fir, white fir, and bigtooth maple. Hikers should begin to take notice of the high-water mark. Sticks and branches on ledges above the canyon, wrapped around riverside trees, or high on benches are evidence of past flash floods. Flood waters can reach 8 feet or more above the normal level of the river here in the canyon’s upper reaches, and in The Narrows proper below Big Springs, the river may rise as much as 20 feet.
In certain moist, shady locales, the thick growth of maple and fir may remind hikers more of the Pacific Northwest than of the stereotypical parched desert lands of Utah. Forming the understory in the shady forest are plants one might also associate with a northwest forest, such as red-osier dogwood, pachystima (mountain-lover), dogbane, creeping hollygrape, and false Solomon’s seal.
After 6 miles and about 3½ hours of hiking, we encounter the first truly narrow section of the canyon, where the river briefly enters Park lands. Here canyon walls soar 500 feet above us. By this time, we have been wading in the river for some time, and the wade will continue for much of the remainder of the trip. Ahead the canyon becomes even more deeply entrenched between lofty cliffs, and after 7 miles we encounter a 12’ waterfall plunging over a resistant sandstone ledge. A short trail through a narrow gap to the left of the falls allows us to proceed.
We reach the confluence with Deep Creek (6.5; 4940) after about five hours. The river is noticeably larger downstream, as Deep Creek increases its volume by two thirds, and its waters are colder and less turbid than the North Fork’s.
Thus far, the gradient of the river has averaged 130 feet per mile, but downstream from Deep Creek the gradient slackens to an average of 71 feet per mile. Our progress is slower now in the larger stream, but the slower pace allows us to enjoy the numerous springs and seeps farther downstream. Many of them support hanging gardens, where we may observe a Calliope hummingbird feeding on the nectar of columbines or, where insects gather near seeps, we may glimpse a Say’s phoebe feeding upon them.
By noticing the side canyons that join the river, we can gauge our downstream progress. Narrow Kolob Creek canyon enters from the northwest after 10.3 miles and nearly 6 hours from the trailhead. Its waters are impounded in Kolob Reservoir high atop the plateau, and hence its course may be dry during the summer. About 0.5 mile below Kolob Creek is one of the gems of The Narrows. The Grotto, a deep, cavelike alcove where verdant growth is nurtured by constantly dripping water, has been used as a sheltered campsite. The springs across the river offer a good water source.
Small Goose Creek enters from the northwest at 11.5 miles, about 30 minutes beyond The Grotto. If time allows, Goose Creek, as well as Kolob and Deep creeks, make worthwhile side-trips. Less than one hour below Goose Creek is gushing Big Springs, 12.2 miles from Chamberlain’s Ranch. The most voluminous springs in the canyon, Big Springs’ waters maintain a year-round temperature of 50-degrees F., spouting out of the canyon wall and pouring over boulders thick with mosses and adorned with maidenhair fern, cardinal flower, monkey flower, and columbine.
The following 2.1 miles to the mouth of Orderville Canyon lie in eternal shadow. The canyon is an empty hallway, save for the brawling river, hemmed in by water-worn cliffs that tower nearly 2000 feet overhead. This stretch has the deepest pools, and hikers should proceed with caution. This segment is also the narrowest, with no place to escape from floodwaters, and at times we are funnelled between walls barely 20 feet apart. Here the canyon