Temple of Sinawava - Big Springs - Temple of Sinawava
- Distance: 16km
- Duration (with breaks): 6h 30min
- Duration (only hiking): 5h 00min
- Route type: to the Big Spring and back
- Start/end: Temple of Sinawava
- Elevation gain/loss: 72m/72m
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- When to hike: while the Narrows are open all year round, water levels dictate the availability of the trail. Best time - between May and November
- When did we hike: beginning of September
Why this route?
I’ve been dreaming about this hike as it features in almost every “The best hikes in the World” book. Walking on a river surrounded by tall walls of a golden canyon – what is there not to like?? 😄 so yes, The Narrows was on my bucket list for a while and I made sure to include it in our amazing West Coast road trip.
Note: it is possible to do an overnight trip from Chamberlain’s Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava but that (surprise surprise) requires a permit. We did a day hike from the Temple of Sinawava until the Big Springs and back.
How to get there?
Between May and November, there is only one way to get to the Temple of Sinawava – by a shuttle bus as private vehicles are not allowed in the park. The bus leaves from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and all you need to do is sit back and relax since the Temple of Sinawava is the last stop. The trip takes roughly 45 mins, so don’t forget to count that time when planning. Check the Zion National Park official site for the bus schedules.
Things to keep in mind (specific for this hike)
Footwear
Since it’s a walk in a river (literally), I highly recommend getting boots and a stick for this hike. The river is full of rocks and the current is quite strong at times, so our feet really appreciated sturdy boots.
I saw a few people hiking in sneakers/trail runners but I cannot say whether they would recommend this footwear. What I know for sure is that flip-flops or sandals are NOT comfortable. One sandal hiker came to me asking where did I get the boots as she was really struggling to not slip or hit her toes on the rocks.
We got our boots and sticks outside the Visitor Centre, where a few companies are renting the equipment for the Narrows. We got them the night before and returned them right after the hike.
Water
There are two water topics that I would recommend checking at the Visitor Centre: water levels and water quality.
Water levels – this hike does come with a risk of flash floods which are very dangerous if you’re caught in one. Therefore, please check what are the current water levels and whether a storm is predicted for the day you hike. It may sound terrifying, but there is no escape once you’re in the canyon, so make sure to pick the right conditions for this hike.
Water quality – during our trip, the Virgin River was experiencing quite some issues with algae, meaning that you should not drink the water from the river (untreated). We just took our own water and didn’t even bother filtering the river water. We were also advised against getting our faces underwater. Again, follow the advice from the Visitor Centre, the rangers there are very well informed and will give you the best advice.
So how was it?
To avoid the heat (during our visit the temperatures would rise up to 35 degrees Celsius…) and the crowds, we took one of the first busses at 6:00. From the Temple of Sinawava bus stop, there is roughly 1 mile (1.6 km) walk to the trail start along the Riverside Walk. I think there was one earlier bus as we were not the first ones to hit the trail, but surely we were scaling the Virgin River with only a handful of other hikers.
Let’s be clear – I highly recommend the boots for the feet’ protection against the rocks but not against the water 😅 My feet were wet in the first 30 seconds, so do not expect miracles from the boots 😄 It took a couple of minutes to adjust with constantly wet feet and zigzagging from one shore to the other.
Since the first leg of the hike is against the current, we were quite slow. There is actually no trail, there’s only a river and every step is a decision of whether this section is shallow enough, whether the current is weaker or the rocks are smaller. Anyone can go any way they want.
I really enjoyed the whole hike until the Big Springs as we mostly had the trail for ourselves and could enjoy the canyon in peace and quiet. I knew it was going to be spectacular, but I was still in awe most of the time, walking between the tall walls of the canyon along the river that at times was a few feet narrow.
We had great water levels, with water mostly up to our ankles or knees. There was one section where the water was above the waist, but even then you could wade it out via the tree debris.
Once we arrived at the Big Springs, we actually… passed it 😅 I don’t know what I was expecting. We saw a waterfall and a few people sitting nearby but just kept walking until we hit huge boulders and a river deepening above my tolerance level (50 meters away from the Springs). Then it occurred to us that probably that waterfall WAS the place… 😄
On our way back not only the shade was rapidly disappearing but also we met more and more people until we were surrounded by all kinds of walkers. Groups of organized tours, families with small kids, Instagram fans that inched from one shore to the other hoping to not get wet (come on, you’re IN a river…)and save their precious white Converse, you name it. I was glad to finish early and leave the masses behind.
Overall, it was a peaceful and breathtaking hike. The combination of the shallow Virgin River, the golden canyon walls with patterns carved by the water, and a subtle morning light made the landscape soothing and magical. It is a very popular hike though and I think we only got to enjoy the Narrows because we started so early.
Tips
- If you want (relative) peace and quiet, start as early as possible.
- Check water levels and quality at the Visitor centre before heading to the trail.
- Either rent or take your own sturdy shoes to wade through the river and its countless rocks. A stick is helpful with strong currents.
- Take your own water and food, there is nothing but the river during the whole hike.
- When planning, take into consideration the shuttle bus ride (~45min) and the Riverside Walk (~30min) needed to reach the trailhead.