Zion National Park, Day Two, Part 1 - Riverside Walk and The Narrows

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I woke up early, pumped to try my hand at The Narrows - it's a hike literally in the river through narrow canyon passageways - according to the NPS "at least 60% of the hike is spent wading, walking, and sometimes swimming in the river." 

Of course, I didn't fully understand that aspect of the hike (perhaps I should have done some investigation into the particulars of the hike but that's a subject for a different time), so I dressed in hiking pants and hiking shoes and socks. I caught the Zion Park shuttle from the Lodge to shuttle stop #9 for Riverside Walk and the Narrows. I then hiked for a mile along the Riverside Walk trail to the head of the Narrows. But when I got there, I saw folks wading into the water, and I asked some other folks about how deep the water is and how wet one gets during the hike, and I then realized that I had to go back to the Lodge to get my Keen closed-toe sandals and put on a pair of shorts so I could at least try the Narrows. So that's what I did!

After getting back to the Narrows for a second time, I put on my Keen sandals and stowed the shoes in my backpack. Then off I went, down the steps, onto the riverbank and then upstream into the river. I hiked for awhile in the river until I spied folks who were wading into the river up to their waists. That was enough for me to see. I took a few photos, asked a nice lady to take my photo (to prove I had indeed hiked The Narrows), and then promptly turned around. I had seen enough and the crowds in the river making their way upstream and downstream were just as bad as at the New Jersey shore on a Memorial Day weekend! But I had accomplished my task - I could now say that I had hiked The Narrows (even if I didn't get all that wet or all that far)! I can always watch a video on YouTube to see what it is that I missed.

On the way back to get my Keen sandals!

In The Narrows heading upstream a bit!

Lots of folks hiking The Narrows!




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