Hiking The Narrows in Winter

Hi friends, it’s time for another trip recap, and this time, I’m sharing all about us hiking The Narrows in winter! I’ve just been scrolling through my zillion or so photos before sitting down to write this post. When I look at them, I feel a mix of excitement, nostalgia, awe, and a little tinge of sadness that it’s over, but at the same time, an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I still can’t believe I got to experience so many WOW moments with my family! So, let’s jump into Cousin Connect trip recap, Part 6. Maybe I should stop numbering them because I’m not even halfway through yet. Yikes!

What is The Narrows

The Narrows is a famous hike in Zion National Park, located in Utah. It follows the Virgin River upstream through a narrow, scenic canyon. The trail is so unique because you actually walk through the river! The water levels ranged anywhere from ankle-deep to waist-deep and in total, the hike is about 16 kilometres round trip. But you can choose to turn around at any point.

As you walk along and look up, the canyon walls tower over you, and you feel so small! Rock formations line the river, and the landscape is absolutely breathtaking. The trail is challenging because the riverbed is uneven, and the current is strong in many parts of the hike.

The Right Gear for Hiking The Narrows in Winter

In the Part 5 recap, I mentioned our visit to Zion Outfitter, where we just made it before closing time to pick up our gear for the hike. Since we were hiking The Narrows in winter, we needed the whole shebang. So, we hired the Dry Bib Package, which included:

• Dry Bibs: They provided coverage right up to the armpits and kept water out thanks to a (very) tight rubber gasket around the ankles.
• Neoprene Socks: Kept our feet surprisingly warm and insulated, even though they still got wet. For some reason, I thought neoprene meant waterproof, but I was wrong.
• Canyoneering Boots: These boots provided excellent grip on both wet and dry rocks with necessary ankle support.
• Wooden Hiking Stick: Essential for balance and stability. Honestly, I wouldn’t have made it without this stick—and now I totally get why Moses had one, too. He didn’t use it for hiking The Narrows in winter, but leading people through harsh desert terrain would have been tougher without it!

The total cost for the Dry Bib Package was USD 55 per person, which worked out to around AUD 87.

You can also hire additional items like gloves. But I took my own woollen ones, and I’m so glad I did! I almost left them behind in the van, thinking it would be awkward to pull them off every time I wanted to take a photo. My fingers were numb even with gloves–without them, I don’t even want to imagine. Ouch!

Getting Ready and Heading to The Narrows

We parked the van at the car park, feeling so excited for our big hiking adventure. The whole process of getting ourselves ready was equal parts funny and frustrating. So many grunts and sighs as we wriggled into the stiff dry bibs and getting those rubber ankle seals over our feet was such a huge effort!

It might have been easier to get ready back at the hotel, but then we would’ve had to deal with the challenge of squeezing into the van all suited up. From what I remember, we were also pretty tired the night before and didn’t want to deal with carrying everything up to the rooms after picking up our gear from Zion Outfitter. So I guess the van car park seemed like the most practical option.

Once we were all suited up, we set off along the path leading to the start of the hike.  It took us about 15 minutes to walk from the van to the entrance of The Narrows.

Hiking The Narrows

On the day of our hike, the temperature in the morning was -6ºC (21ºF). When Sydney temperatures dip to 16ºC (61ºF) in winter, I start to panic because that feels freezing to me. I guess from now on, our winter temps will seem laughable!

I remember that strange sensation when my boot hit the water. It wasn’t like the usual squelch you feel when stepping into a puddle on a rainy day. Instead, the water gently seeped into my boot and neoprene socks (definitely not waterproof). And oh my goodness, the water was so cold! But my legs and body stayed dry, all thanks to the dry bib with its tight rubber seal around the ankle. Loved that dry bib! Hiking The Narrows in winter? Totally doable when you’ve got the right gear.

We walked for quite a while, enjoying the scenery before the water level got higher.

Everywhere you look—just breathtaking views!

I was very surprised by how slippery and uneven the riverbed was. The whole hike was a real process of navigating my feet onto the safest rock I could find, and I had to concentrate really hard before each step. I had watched YouTube videos and read some blogs beforehand, but nothing quite compares to experiencing it firsthand. So it wasn’t like I was unprepared; it was more that I didn’t expect it to be quite so tricky. Slow and steady was the way to go!

My cousins J and S had both hiked The Narrows before, but neither their kids nor my family had. Sam and I were first-timers, and Steve wisely opted out of this one; he decided it wasn’t the best idea for him. His new knee was doing great, but the last thing he wanted was to risk a tumble, and I’m so glad he made that choice. He was as happy as a clam to stay back at the hotel, rest, and enjoy the views—and what amazing views they were!

We hiked for about two and a half hours and then found a nice sunny spot to thaw out. Five out of the six of us thawed out because Sam runs hot and was loving the cold temps!

After that, we turned around and headed back to the van. According to my cousin’s FitBit, we covered a total distance of 8km. I’d say that was a pretty decent hike. And a packed lunch back in the van never tasted so good!

Overall, hiking The Narrows in winter was an unforgettable experience. Even though it was challenging at times, the sense of accomplishment and the beauty of the canyon made every step worth it. If you ever get the chance to hike this trail, I can’t recommend it enough. Just remember, the right gear is key (thank goodness for that dry bib!) and take it slow, especially if you’re a first-timer like me.

Before this amazing trip, if someone had suggested hiking through water in sub-zero temperatures, my immediate answer would have been a firm “No, thank you.” But that was the old pre-Cousin-Connect-Adventure-2025 Ruth. While bungee jumping and skydiving are still off the table for me, I’d say I’ve upgraded from ‘cautious’ to ‘selectively adventurous.’ So, if you ever get the chance to hike The Narrows, go for it! It’s a memory you’ll cherish forever—and I’d totally be up for doing it again, no matter the season!

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have an amazing day!