The Narrows at Zion National Park

It's been a little hard to keep the blog updated.  Service has been scarce, and time to update has been even scarcer.  When last we updated, we were at Zion NP getting ready to attempt The Narrows.  If you are familiar with The Narrows, it is a pretty big deal.  The Virgin River has carved a narrow canyon through Zion, and to see this beautiful place, you have to hike through the actual river.  We were planning to go to the end of "Wall Street"  and back which is about a 7.5 mile hike total.

We had to take the shuttle to the very last stop, and then hike about 1 mile along a paved path called Riverside Walk to get to the entry to The Narrows.  We were all outfitted in our gear and ready to go.

The Riverside Walk is actually very pretty in itself.  There were weeping rocks and hanging gardens all along the paved trail, which ran right along the Virgin River.

Here we are at the gateway to The Narrows.  We expected the water to be freezing, but those neoprene socks did a great job of keeping our feet toasty warm.

There were beautiful waterfalls and hidden springs all throughout the canyon.  The rest of Zion was hot and dusty, and this was like an oasis.  It was hard to believe we were even in the same park.

In the beginning, most of the water was ankle deep.  The views were spectacular, and the kids were happy.  Tatum even commented that this was the best hike she's ever been on.

It was pretty crowded for a Monday.  I can't imagine what it is like on a weekend in July.  We definitely had quite a crowd hiking along with us.  I was surprised to see how well our kids handled the hike.  They were some of the few kids that we saw attempt this, and they were passing people like it was a piece of cake.

As it started to warm up throughout the day, we were definitely glad for the deeper pools.  They kept the kids cool and happy.  The walking sticks were a necessity.  They saved all of us from a fall or two at some point, although just about everyone took at least one fall.

Just before the beginning of Wall Street, which is where the canyon walls get very narrow, and there is no more "shoreline," we stopped to rest and eat lunch.  At this point, there was no whining from any of the kids.  They were like rock stars!  We couldn't have asked for better hikers.

We made it all the way through Wall Street, and just near the end, there is a pretty deep pool you have to cross.  Here you can see me guiding the kids towards the sides of the canyon walls where it is more shallow.

 

Connor knew better, and he chose his own path, straight through the middle.  The water went almost all the way up to his neck.  Dad took the pictures while the rest of us (and some other neighboring hikers) sat on the other side and laughed.  It was the comic break we needed just as we reached the end of our hike.  We rested a bit, and started our way back out.

The way out was not quite as fun.  We were tired, our feet hurt, it was hot, and some of us had to use the bathroom really badly.  There may have been some whining from some of our happy hikers, but everyone made it out without too much drama.  The shuttle ride home was the quietest they've been on the entire trip.  They were worn out!

They went back to camp, ate dinner, went to bed early, and slept in late.  Justin and I are pretty proud of them, though.  They hiked nearly 8 miles of rough terrain and barely complained.  Now we're off to see what new adventure we can find in Bear Lake, UT.  See ya soon!