Zion National Park Overnight Narrows Permits
This page allows you to reserve opportunities for the "top-down" 16-mile overnight Virgin River Narrows hike. The Narrows is a winding hike in a river, descending down the narrowest part of the Wild and Scenic Virgin River. Hikers will need to wade and sometimes swim through sections of the river to complete the trip. In winter and spring, this hike is often inaccessible due to road conditions and impractical due to hiking conditions. Check the The Narrows webpage for more information about this often underestimated hike.
Find other Overnight Wilderness Permits, canyoneering permits, Overnight Climbing (bivouac) permits, and Angels Landing permits on separate pages starting from the Recreation.gov Zion gateway page..
Permit & Season Information
A permit is required for all Wilderness camping trips in Zion National Park. All persons who intend to sleep overnight, camp, or bivouac in the Wilderness, or who are in possession of equipment designed for overnight use in the backcountry, must obtain a Wilderness permit and have it with them.
- The park limits the number of Wilderness permits to reduce impacts.
- Narrows Overnight trips are limited to a maximum of one night per party.
- Half of all Wilderness campsites may be reserved in advance, online.
- The remaining sites are filled on a first-come, first-served basis in person at a Wilderness Permit Desk during Operating Hours, no more than one day before the date of the trip.
- The permit is valid only for the number of people, dates and locations selected.
Need to Know
The Virgin River is closed to all hiking when the river flow is above 150 CFS (4CMS). The park closes the top-down route, including all overnight trips through the Narrows, when the river flow is above 120 CFS (3.4 CMS). The river and all canyons in the park close when the National Weather Service issues a Flash Flood Warning. Check the real time flow rate data before you go..
Spring Conditions
As the winter snow melts, the Virgin River often floods during the spring and the Narrows are closed due to dangerous conditions. The date at which the Narrows opens depends completely on winter snow levels and spring high temperatures. Visit The Narrows webpage and scroll to a table that shows the dates over the last 10 years when the Virgin River consistently exceeded 150 CFS due to snow melt.
When the Narrows are open in the spring and the water temperatures are cold, most hikers require wetsuits or even drysuits to safely complete the hike while avoiding hypothermia.
Summer Conditions
Early summer is usually a great time to hike in the Narrows, in later summer (July, August, and September) monsoon weather patterns may cause dangerous thunderstorms and flash floods. Weather is very difficult to forecast during this time of year. Flash floods are deadly, and visitors should avoid all narrow canyons, including the Narrows, when rain or thunderstorms are in the forecast. Visit Zion's Weather and Climate webpage.
Fall Conditions
Cold air and water temperatures in the fall usually lead to visitors needing wetsuits or even drysuits to safely complete the hike and avoid hypothermia.
Winter Conditions
Cold, icy conditions usually occur all winter long in the Narrows. Drysuits are usually needed to avoid hypothermia in the Narrows. The road to the starting trailhead (Chamberlain's Ranch) is usually covered in a few feet of snow during the winter, making the hike inaccessible by vehicle.
General Information
- A Wilderness permit is required year-round for any overnight stay in the Zion Wilderness.
- Change your itinerary in advance (subject to availability) through your Recreation.gov user profile (“My Reservations”) or in person at a Zion Wilderness Permit Station. It is not possible to change your entry date. Increasing group size will incur additional fees.
- Reservation permit fees are non-refundable.
- Wilderness camping and travel is subject to Wilderness regulations. All trip participants are responsible for knowing and obeying Wilderness permit conditions.
- Your reservation confirmation email is not a the permit and cannot be used for Wilderness travel. Bring your reservation confirmation email and proof of identity to a Zion Wilderness Permit Station to pick up your Wilderness permit.
- You must pick up your permit in person during Operating Hours at any Zion Wilderness Permit Station on the day before or on the day of the entry date on the permit reservation.
Fee Policy
Permit Fee: $20 per permit (non-refundable)
Per Person Fee: $7 per person per night (refundable)
The same fees are charged for first-come, first-served permits that are issued in person. This fee supports the permit and reservation management system.
Cancellation Policy
Per person fees are refundable if the permit is cancelled or modified to a smaller group size before 5pm the day of the trip. The $20 permit fee is non-refundable in all circumstances.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
1 Zion Park Blvd Springdale UT 84767
Phone Number
435-772-0170
