Virgin River Narrows Permits

 

 

Plan Ahead and Prepare

Sixteen mile trips through the Virgin River Narrows, from Chamberlain's Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava, can be done as a very long single-day hiking trip, or as a single overnight backpacking trip. Multi-night backpacking trips through the Virgin River Narrows are not permitted. While preparing for your trip, consider your interests, time, and the ability level of your group. Come up with backup plans in case your first and second choices are not available. The Virgin River Narrows may close at any time due to high water, flash flooding, and/or cyanobacteria toxins.

*If 16 miles is too strenuous for your group, you may want to consider hiking the Narrows Bottom-Up route instead.

Always have a backup plan in mind. Use the pages below to help plan your experience:

• Zion Wilderness Guide
• Narrows Safety
• Narrows Regulations
• Campsite Descriptions
• Wilderness Transportation *Permit holders must arrange their own transportation to the Chamberlain's Ranch Trailhead.

Day Trip or Overnight Trip?

Single Day Hiking Trip

• If you plan to complete all 16 miles of the Virgin River Narrows in a single day, then you will only need to obtain one Wilderness permit for your group, for the date of your trip.
• This Wilderness permit will allow your group to start at the Chamberlain's Ranch Trailhead, hike 16 miles through the Virgin River, and exit at the Temple of Sinawava on the same day.
• Although the route through the Virgin River is non-technical, permit reservations for the single day trip are listed under "Canyoneering Day Trips" in our online permit system.
• Online reservations can be made through Calendar Reservations. Once all the Calendar Reservations are full, the Last-Minute Drawing lottery will become available. The Last-Minute Drawing only opens if all the Calendar Reservations have been reserved for that day. If you do not see your preferred date for the Last-Minute Drawing, check the Calendar Reservations page.
• *If 16 miles is too strenuous for your group, you may want to consider hiking the Narrows Bottom-Up route instead.

Overnight Backpacking Trip

• If you plan to complete all 16 miles of the Virgin River Narrows as an overnight backpacking trip, then you will only need to obtain one Wilderness permit for your campsite in the Narrows for the night of your trip.
• This Wilderness permit will allow your group to start at the Chamberlain's Ranch Trailhead, spend one night in a designated Narrows campsite, and then exit at the Temple of Sinawava the next day.

Check Availability of Reservations Online

*Calendar Reservations can be made for a one-day through hiking trip or an overnight backpacking trip.
Reservations are available online during a two-month time frame. On the 5th day of every month at 10:00am mountain time, reservations for the next month become available. If available, reservations can be made until 5:00pm mountain time, the day before your trip. Please be aware that most spaces will become fully booked for the next month within minutes of reservations opening on the 5th of each month.

Before making a reservation, check to determine which campsites and/or dates are available.

Check Availabilty for: 16-Mile Virgin River Narrows Through Day Hiking Trip
or
Check Availabilty for: 16-Mile Virgin River Narrows Overnight Backpacking Trip

Available dates will appear in green, and you will be able to click on the date in the top right corner. Dates that have already been reserved by another party will appear in red. The number in the bottom left corner is the group size limit for that site or area.

Apply for a Calendar Reservation

Make a reservation for your trip by going to the Zion Wilderness Reservations Login page. Click Create Account and enter your information. If you have an existing Zion Wilderness Reservations account, log in.

*Password should be exactly eight characters and include: an upper case letter, lower case letter, number, and special symbol (i.e. & % * ! $ #)

Once you are logged in to your account you can then make a reservation for your trip. Carefully read through and complete your reservation application. You will be required to pay a non-refundable $5.00 fee for your reservation. An additional fee will be paid when you obtain your Wilderness Permit.

Apply for a Calendar Reservation for: 16-Mile Virgin River Narrows Through Day Hiking Trip
or
Apply for a Calendar Reservation for: 16-Mile Virgin River Narrows Overnight Backpacking Trip

 

Last-Minute Drawing for Day Trips: 7 to 2 days in advance

*The Last-Minute Drawing is ONLY for the one-day through hiking trip, not for backpacking trips.
An online Last-Minute Drawing is an option when the Calendar Reservations for the Narrows are fully booked. Individuals can apply for the Last-Minute Drawing to obtain any remaining reservations for one-day permits. The Last-Minute Drawing is limited to one request per individual, per canyon. Applications can be submitted seven days prior to a trip date, until two days before at 12:00pm MT. The online drawing is held at 1:00 pm MT, two days before the trip date. Applicants will then be sent a notification email with information about the status of their request. Any spaces not taken through the Last-Minute Drawing will be available as Walk-in Permits the day before a trip date.

Apply for the Last-Minute Drawing for: 16-Mile Virgin River Narrows Through-Hiking Day Trip

Walk-In Permits for Backpacking Trips: 1 day in advance

• Half of the backpacking campsites in the Zion Wilderness are available on a first come, first serve, walk-in basis.
• Download the Zion Wilderness Map or full Zion Wilderness Guide to view which campsites are available by online calendar reservation and which campsites are available on a first come, first serve, walk-in basis.
• Permits must be obtained in person at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk or the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center during normal Hours of Operation. Permits can be obtained the day before, or early morning the day of the trip.

Obtain Your Wilderness Permit

• Plan your trip itinerary to allow sufficient time to obtain your permit the day of, or the day before your trip during our Hours of Operation.
• Allow for at least 20 minutes to obtain a permit. Come prepared with all vehicle(s) information: make, model, and license plate(s).
• All Wilderness permits must be obtained in-person at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk or the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center.
• The individual listed as the reservation holder must be the one to obtain the permit, please plan accordingly.

Wilderness Permit Fee:

• $15.00 for 1 to 2 people
• $20.00 for 3 to 7 people
• $25.00 for 8 to 12 people

Wilderness Permits are Non-Transferable

Traveling in the Zion Wilderness requires careful planning and preparation. Permit holders assume the responsibility of ensuring that their group is aware of the risks involved, is self-reliant, has developed a back-up plan, and will follow park regulations. Because these are such important aspects of trip planning and resource protection, permits for trips into the Zion Wilderness are non-transferable.

If you cannot participate in your trip, please cancel your reservation to provide opportunities for others. If other members of your group still wish to participate in a planned trip, you may coordinate with a new prospective permit holder for them to immediately reserve the available spaces or sites, as soon as your reservation has been cancelled.

You may cancel your reservation online by logging in to your Zion Wilderness Reservations Account. As soon as your reservation is cancelled, those spaces or sites will immediately be available for someone else to obtain through the calendar reservations page. New permit holders will need a Zion Wilderness Reservations Account prior to creating a calendar reservation.

Plan your trip itinerary to allow sufficient time to obtain your permit the day of, or day before the trip during Zion Wilderness Desk Hours of Operation. The individual listed on reservation must be the one to obtain the permit, please plan accordingly.

 

Zion Express Membership

• Zion Express Membership allows visitors who regularly visit the park, and are familiar with the park resources to obtain a login account to create online reservations and convert them into Wilderness Permits from home.

• To become a member, applicants must watch three orientation films at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk. (Membership cannot be obtained in the Kolob Canyons.)

• After watching the films, applicants will sign a Zion Express Program Agreement form and obtain a username and password for their member account.

• There is no cost for enrollment. Membership is valid for the remainder of the current year and for the next two calendar years.

• Memberships may be cancelled if any regulations are violated.

 

Plan Your Visit to Zion National Park

 

Plan Your Trip into the Zion Narrows

 

Plan Your Trip into the Zion Wilderness