Hi friends! We just got back from our trip to The Narrows in Zion National Park & it was AH-MAZING! This is a trip/hike for which you need to be WELL prepared. Here’s What’s In My Suitcase: The Narrows Edition, some items that I packed in my suitcase to make our Narrows hike better!
Hiking Sticks
First thing’s first, about 75% of this hike is wading through water. 100% of the hike is walking on rocks. Hiking sticks are the ONLY reason I did not lose my balance or slip on algae & fall. Not even once! We got these ones from Amazon for only $35 and they were honestly a lifesaver. I used both hiking sticks, but my husband only used one. I recommend getting ones with wrist straps so if you accidentally let go, your hiking sticks won’t go floating down the stream.
Neoprene Socks
I’ll reiterate, you’re walking through water during most of this hike. We went in September and while the water wasn’t freezing, it was still pretty cold. Neoprene socks are designed to keep your feet warm and to keep rocks and sand out. I recommend getting ones with ankle straps like these so they don’t fall down & to keep rocks out. Your feet will thank you!
Old sneakers
I don’t think you need to go buy fancy hiking shoes for this hike. In fact, I’d recommend you not wear any kind of expensive footwear as your shoes will get soaked in water & sand will get inside them. I wore the oldest, dingiest pair of Nike running shoes I had & they worked just fine. Walmart sneakers would work just as well. I found that while there was algae on some of the rocks, they weren’t all that slippery so the grip on my running shoes was fine.
ALSO, make sure you pack extra socks and shoes to leave in your car so that you don’t have to drive to your hotel in wet shoes!
Athletic shorts that don’t hold water
Again, you don’t need anything fancy here. Any pair of dry fit athletic shorts will work fine. Just avoid cotton, linen, and any other material that holds water. Same goes for your shirt. I had water up to my waist at certain points (I’m 5’7”), so basically expect to get all of your clothes wet.
Waterproof bag for cellphones and cameras
In general, just have the expectation that everything will get wet. Make sure that you have a way to keep your phone, keys, camera gear, etc. dry if the water gets really high or if it starts to rain.
Water backpack
You need to make sure you bring enough water for the entire hike as the water in the stream is not safe to drink. We found that a water/hydration backpack was the easiest way to carry our water, but a large reusable water bottle will work fine.
ALSO, bring some snacks. It’s a long hike. You’ll get hungry.
Don’t forget your mask!
This is a beautiful hike, meaning that many people want to experience it and it can get crowded. The visitor center is currently (as of October 2020) requiring all guests to wear masks at the visitor center and while on the shuttles. They don’t require you to wear a mask while on the hike. However, many people chose to wear one as parts of the hike were fairly crowded.
Most importantly- bring your camera/phone, take some stunning pictures, and have fun! This is one of the most memorable hikes I’ve done, because of the unique rock formations and towering canyon walls. Tell me about your trip to The Narrows or your most memorable hike in the comments!
