Zion Narrows

One of my favorite aspects of Southern Utah is that at any given moment, you may be the on the edge of something special. Unlike the Wasatch which features majestic landscape propelled skyward from the earth, the beauty of a slot canyon is found below the surface, and often times goes unseen by the average passer-by. Without venturing into their depths, you would never realize the beauty and mystique held within some of my favorite spots in Utah, which from even a mile or so out appears to be nothing more than barren desert. Case in point the Zion Narrows, which I’m proud to finally be able to check off my list.

The 3 options for hiking the narrows are: 1. Hike from the park as an out-&-back, turning around after you’ve had your fill (gaper-mode) 2. Hike the 16 miles top-to-bottom as a day hike (beast-mode) 3. Hike the 16 miles top-to-bottom in two days with an overnight in the canyon (adventure-mode). Spending the night in the canyon requires obtaining a permit three months in advance, however, if you’re looking to experience the Narrows in all their glory, it’s worth the extra planning to get away from the crowds. After a day-and-a-half of relative desolation, it was a shock running into the hordes of tourists with clown shoes and Joey-sticks.