Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Utah →  Zion National Park → Riverside Walk

Location: Zion Main Canyon, Zion National Park, Utah

Distance: 2 miles (roundtrip)

Elevation Gain: very little

Time Required: 30 minutes – 1 hour

Red Tape/Notes: The park is open 24 hours a day; park passes are $30 per vehicle and are valid for 7 days. The trail is most easily accessed from the Zion Canyon Shuttle, stop #9 (Temple of Sinawava) – the final stop. For additional information on the trail, Joe’s Guide to Zion has a nice page.

What’s Nearby?: The Narrows (Bottom Up), Orderville Canyon, Weeping Rock, Hidden Canyon, Echo Canyon, Observation Point, Emerald Pools, Angel’s Landing

This trail is nice because it’s very family friendly – it’s short, mostly flat, and paved, so even if you’ve got a broken leg you could manage this hike and get to enjoy the views. The trail was originally called Gateway to the Narrows, which is extremely accurate and is the reason this trail is nearly always overrun by people – the majority of people are only hiking the trail to get to or from the Narrows. Still, it’s a pretty trail that follows the Virgin River up a gradually narrowing canyon which has numerous sections of “hanging gardens” where ferns and other vegetation are growing in the weeping rock walls, though none of these is are as big as the hanging garden at nearby Weeping Rock. The trail ends by exiting into the Virgin River, which is the start of the Narrows Hike – you’ll know you’re there when you come to a seething mass of people hanging about on the banks of the river. Keep an eye out for really fat squirrels when you’re on the trail – and please don’t feed them, they’re all on diets (seriously though, don’t feed them).

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Utah →  Zion National Park → Riverside Walk