The Narrows Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience The Narrows. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• 7-Day: Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Arches and Grand Canyon Tour
• The Narrows: Zion National Park Private Guided Hike
• Zion Full Day Small Group Tour with Narrows
• Zion Full Day Private Tour & Hike
• Discover Zion National Park: Epic, Full-Day Audio Driving Tour

As of 2024, the entrance fee into Zion National Park—where you’ll find The Narrows—is US$35 per private vehicle, good for seven days. Beyond the park entrance fee, exploring The Narrows is free. However, there are plenty of tours that will make getting the best views far easier, which tend to cost around US$400.

To hike The Narrows in Zion National Park, you don’t need a permit for the bottom-up hike (the standard hike), which starts from the Temple of Sinawava. However, if you're planning the 16-mile top-down hike, whether as a day hike or an overnight trip, you'll need a permit. You can obtain one through recreation.gov.

A guide is not required to hike The Narrows, especially for the bottom-up hike, which is the more popular and accessible route. However, if you're not an experienced hiker or if you're attempting the more challenging top-down hike, you should go with a guide. Navigating the river can be difficult, and it’s important to understand weather conditions when water levels can rise quickly.

The best time to hike The Narrows is typically in autumn, specifically around September and October. During this period, water levels are usually lower, which means they’re both warmer and safer for hiking—weather tends to be mild and predictable, too. Avoid hiking in winter and spring, as the water can run high, be cold, and surprisingly dangerous.

That depends on which The Narrows hike you choose. If you’re doing the standard bottom-up hike from the Temple of Sinawava, it’s a day hike. Most visitors hike up to Wall Street, which is a round-trip of about 6 miles (8 kilometers) and typically takes 4-6 hours. You can turn around at any point, making it flexible based on your time and stamina.