Hiking The Narrows At Zion National Park With Kids In The Spring

Hiking the Narrows was hands down one of the most amazing experiences we had during our April spring break trip out west. All four of us loved it, my kids (ages 8 and 12 at the time) said they had a great sense of accomplishment after and want to go back one day to do it again.

Prior to us departing for our trip, we had a lot of uncertainty if we would even be able to do the Narrows with our kids during the springtime when the flow rate and depth of the Virgin River (the river you trek through) can be higher due to snow melt. Based on research we found on the internet, it didn’t seem like the flow rate was going to be low enough (it was in the 60’s while we were there) from what people were sharing online, so we were really glad that we opted to talk to some local guides with Zion Guru and were excited to find out that it was totally possible. Here is a picture of the flow chart that we were shown at Zion Guru that helped us make a decision: 

Narrows Flow Rate Chart

This is the flow rate chart at Zion Guru. The guides at Zion Guru we so helpful in helping us determine if the flow rate could work for our family.

So the final decision to hike the Narrows was actually made standing in Zion Guru 30 minutes before closing (very not in alignment with my planny mcplannerson style but it was invigorating still!). Everyone at Zion Guru was great! They walked us through why they thought the conditions were ok, they are outstanding at explaining the gear and why you need it and how it will work for you. They also used a wall map to explain the Narrows and certain landmarks along the way to know where we were at as there is no signage. 

Our youngest child was a tall eight year old and we opted for the full body suit for her (see picture below). This would prevent water from getting into waders where it is deeper (which is really only one part towards the beginning). The rest of us rented waders, neoprene socks, boots, and we all had walking sticks…a must in my opinion! We saw a good handful of people eat it out there and fill their waders with water because they didn’t have walking sticks. And these aren’t your typical walking sticks, they are thick wooden sticks. The bottom of the river is very rocky most of the way, I suspect it would be easy to snap a thinner pole. We also rented one waterproof backpack for our extra clothes and our lunch, we knew Jeff would likely be helping Evie through the deep section and we didn’t want him to have to worry about keeping his pack out of the water too. 

Hiking the Narrows With Kids

These are the full body waders that helped keep the shortest member of the family nice and dry in the deeper parts of the Narrows. Rented from Zion Guru.

The next morning we woke around 6:00 a.m. and breakfast at the Springhill Suites Marriott started at 6:00 a.m. so we ate and got dressed except for our rented gear (more on what we wore under our gear below). This time of year the Springdale shuttle that will take you to the park entrance doesn’t start running until 8:00, but we wanted an earlier start to beat the crowds so we drove. We left around 7:00 and got to the park by 7:15 at the latest and had no trouble parking…but the parking lot was filling up. Interestingly enough we did not need to pay/show our pass to get into the park either at this hour.  

We finished putting our gear on in the parking lot and then got on the Zion park shuttle to get to the trailhead for the Narrows. The Narrows is the last stop on the shuttle and can take up to 30 minutes to get to. It is however one of the most beautiful drives you will see!

There are porta potties at the stop for the Narrows, we went to the bathroom then started our hike. The first mile of the Narrows is a gravel path. It is pretty easy and we saw some animals along the way that were surprisingly unconcerned about our presence and some even came right up to us!

Once you come to the end of the pathway you will be met with…a river! And it feels odd but you just walk right into it… and keep going. The deeper spot that I mentioned earlier is maybe a quarter of a mile in or less? You will pass a first one that you think could be it because it comes up to your upper thighs, but it is the next one after that. The deep spots do not have much current at all and are not as rocky, they are quite easy to navigate and it is a cook experience. 

The beginning of the Narrows

One thing that really surprised me is that even though the water is really cold that time of year, we were not uncomfortable. I really thought it would feel colder through the waders and it was not. The high was in the 60s, but it was much colder when we set out.  I wore a thicker tight, these Athleta Rainier leggings, smart wool thick socks, a tank top, long sleeve athletic shirt and a Patagonia Houdini jacket. My oldest wore leggings, a tank top and this zip up athletic shirt and a zip up hoodie over top. At the trailhead she was cold and added my husbands lightweight down vest overtop but shed both the vest and the hoodie about a quarter of the way down the river. My youngest wore leggings and sweatpants overtop, a tank top and two long sleeve tops, one an athletic fleece and she eventually needed to take off some long sleeve layers but not until we were on our way back the sun was making its way over the canyon. Getting that full body suit off to remove layers was a thing, but doable. Overall we were all quite comfortable in what we wore except for when my oldest got the arm of her shirt wet, she did not love that. 

We were of the mindset that this would be a big adventure and we would just see how far we got with very little expectations. This hike is truly wonderful, and it feels so cool to be doing it. Every time there was a turn in the river coming up I couldn’t wait to see what was around the bend. We hiked about a mile down the river to the Narrows Alcove and sat and had our packed lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, teddy grahams and apples and clementines. It had taken us around an hour and half to get here and we decided it was likely best for our crew to turn around while everyone was still feeling strong enough. 

Hiking the Narrows with kids

Every corner you turned resulted in new beauty, it made the hike so exciting!

The guides at Zion Guru told us that it will take twice as long to go out then it does to come back and it in fact did! This is for a couple of reasons, we made a lot of stops on the way out to take pictures and just take it all in. For us it was very awe inspiring. The other reason is that from this direction you are going against the current and while it did not feel dangerous, it was some work to go against it! Coming back you are going with the current and it makes a difference. 

Map of the Narrows

May people hike to Wall Street before turning around, we have heard it is beautiful. We made it to the Narrows Alcove. We sat and had lunch and headed back. This was perfect for our kids ages 8 and 12.

By the time we got to the river walk, our team (read our kids) were petering out and we had made the right call to turn around when we did. A quick trip to the porta potties and then on the bus again for our trip back to the parking lot. 

Turning in gear at Zion Guru was a breeze, we stopped in on our way back and they had bins out for each item we rented inside the store and we gave them our name and were off, it took no more than a minute or two. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon snacking and resting at the hotel and around the pool and we did take out from Oscars and ate it on the back patio of the Marriott Springhill Suites with what I consider to be the best view in Springdale! There was definitely a sense of accomplishment and a spirit of celebration amongst our family!

Other Articles On The Blog That May Help:

Where To Eat In Springdale, Utah As A Family Visiting Zion National Park

Our Guide To Zion And Bryce National Parks And Antelope Canyon With Kids