*Due to toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the water throughout Zion National Park, DO NOT drink from any streams in the park. Bring all the water you may need for your hike. 

Two of the most famous water hikes in the world are located in Zion National Park: The Narrows and The Subway. Hiking The Narrows and to The Subway is on every adventure lover’s bucket list for good reason: along both trails, you’ll be hiking from ankle-deep to even hip-deep waters that are crystal clear through incredible orange slot canyon formations.

But you’re probably wondering what you need to wear, what gear to bring, or what shoes to hike in for The Narrows and The Subway hikes in Zion National Parl. I’ve got you! After hiking The Narrows twice and The Subway once (all during warmer months), I have fine-tuned my gear list for these epic water hikes, so you can be as prepared as possible. In this ultimate packing list for The Narrows hike and The Subway hike in Zion National Park, I’ll share with you:

• When is the best time to hike The Narrows or The Subway in Zion
• What to wear to hike The Narrows or The Subway
• What kind of shoes to wear to hike The Narrows or The Subway
• What essential gear to bring to hike The Narrows or The Subway

Hiking in Zion National Park: Trail Overview for The Narrows and The Subway

Trail Overview: Hiking The Narrows

Rated as one of the top hikes in the world, The Narrows in Zion offers visitors a unique experience to hike through the cold, crystal clear Virgin River through tall, narrow sections of Zion Canyon. Whether you are a beginner hiker, advanced backpacker, or just needing a family-friendly hike in Zion, you can hike The Narrows. 

There are three routes hikers can choose from to hike The Narrows:

1. Bottom-Up Narrows Day Hike (permits not required): This is the most popular, and easiest way, to access and hike The Narrows in Zion National Park. This bottom-up day hike is beginner-friendly, family-friendly, and does not require a permit! You start your hike to The Narrows at the Temple of Sinawava, which is easily accessible by the Zion Canyon Shuttle. The best part is that you can hike as far as you want and turn around at any time.
2. Top-Down Narrows Day Hike (permits required): this highly challenging, 16.1-mile hike allows you to hike the entirety of Zion Canyon along the Virgin River. You start the Top-Down Narrows hike at Chamberlain’s Ranch and end at the Temple of Sinawava, which means you’ll need to do some logistical planning. Permits are required.
3. Top-Down Narrows Backpacking Overnight Hike (permits required): this is the same hike as described above (in #2), but split over two days. Which allows you a more intimate experience in Zion and includes camping within the canyon. Permits are required.

There are two ways to get permits to hike the Narrows Top-Down Route:

1. Advanced Reservations for the Top-Down Narrows Hike: reserve a permit to hike the Narrows top-down in advance online. Make sure to check the “Important Dates” section to see when permits for your desired hiking date will become available for you to reserve. It costs $10 per permit and an additional $6 reservation fee. 
2. Daily Lottery for a Last-Minute Permit for the Top-Down Narrows Hike: you can enter this online lottery 2 days before your desired trip date for a chance to win a permit. Results of the lottery (and if you’ve won a permit) will be emailed to you at 4pm MT that same day. It costs $6 (non-refundable) to enter the lottery and an additional $10 per permit. 

*You must pick up your permit to hike the Narrows top-down in person before you hike at the Zion Wilderness Office (near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center). 

Trail Overview: Hiking to The Subway Hike

In my opinion, The Subway hike is the best water hike in Zion National Park! Not only do you get to hike through the amazing water of the Left Fork of North Creek, you experience some of the most unique geology and landscape, including the fascinating subway-shaped slot canyon and emerald-colored pools.

There are two routes to hike to The Subway in Zion: 

1. Bottom-Up Route (permits required): the non-technical route for day hikers up the Left Fork of North Creek does not require canyoneering skills or gear. You start and end the hike at the same location. Permits are required.
2. Top-Down Route (permits required): this canyoneering route requires technical canyoneering skills and gear. You start and end the hike at two locations, so logistical planning is required. Permits are required.

Check out my post “How to Hike to The Subway Trail in Zion National Park: A Hiking Guide for the Bottom-Up (Non-Canyoneering) Route” for everything you need to know to plan your hike to The Subway.

Only 80 permits are available each day to hike to the famous Subway in Zion National Park. Here are the 3 ways to get a hiking permit tofor The Subway:

1. The Seasonal Lottery: 60 of the 80 available daily permits are issued during the "Zion Left Fork North Creek (Subway) Seasonal Lottery". You’ll apply for the seasonal lottery months before your desired hike date. Check the “Seasonal Lottery Dates Schedule” to apply for the seasonal lottery before the application deadline.  It costs $6 (non-refundable) to apply for the lottery and $10 per permit (if you win the lottery). 
2. The Daily Lottery (2 Days in Advance): did you miss the seasonal lottery deadline? You can apply for the "Zion National Park Canyoneering Daily Lottery” for a permit to hike to The Subway 2 days before your trip. You’ll be notified of your lottery results by 4:00 pm MT. It costs $6 (non-refundable) to apply for the lottery and $10 per permit (if you win the lottery). 
3. Walk-In Permits (Last-Minute Subway Permits): Any remaining permits not claimed through the seasonal and daily lotteries be available as Walk-In Permits. The day before or the morning of your hike, head to the Zion Wilderness Office (near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center) to see if there are any permit cancellations or unclaimed permits that you can snag!

Check out my post “How to Hike to Get a Permit To Hike The Subway in 2024 (Best Hike in Zion National Park)” for my detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to get a permit to hike The Subway in Zion.

*You must pick up your permit to hike to The Subway in person before you hike at the Zion Wilderness Office (near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center). 

What’s the Best Time to Hike The Narrows or The Subway in Zion National Park?

Summer & Early Fall

Summer and early fall is the best time (and most popular time) to hike The Narrows or The Subway, when water temperatures are the warmest (55F - 60F) and the water levels have dropped.

Since permits are not required to hike The Narrows bottom-up day hike, expect huge crowds if you’re hiking during the summer season or early fall.

Winter & Early Spring

Winter and early spring is when the water temperatures are the coldest (40F - 45F), the water levels are high, and days are short for hiking.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen The Narrows close for hiking in early spring due to high water flow (over 150 CFS) in the Virgin River due to snowmelt.   

What to Wear to Hike The Narrows or The Subway in Zion National Park

The reason why The Narrows and The Subway are the best hikes in Zion for adventure lovers is because these trails require hiking through water that is ankle and even thigh-deep! No matter how hard you try, you will get wet. And depending on what time of year you hike The Narrows or The Subway, the water temperature can be COLD. Although the water temperature ranges from 40F - 45F during the winter months, the water is still cold in the summer months, ranging from 50F - 65F! Which makes figuring out what to wear and bring for The Narrows hike and The Subway hike that much more important. 

Although some people prefer to hike The Narrows or The Subway in Zion with specialized gear, like neoprene socks and dry suits to stay dry and for additional insulation, you can do these water hikes with basic hiking gear and clothing, especially in the summer months.

Hiking The Narrows and The Subway during summer, I wore my typical hiking clothes and hiking shoes and packed enough water, hiking snacks, and sun protection.

Hiking Clothes

Although you do not need specialized clothing, there are general rules to follow when choosing what to wear hiking.

1. Do not wear cotton to hike: cotton absorbs moisture, which means your clothes will stay wet as you sweat during your hike, making you feel cold. This is especially dangerous if you’re hiking in cold weather. Instead, opt for clothing made from merino wool, bamboo, polyester, or nylon which are moisture-wicking.
2. Dress in layers: layering is the easiest way to regulate your body temperature as you hike. A hiking layering system is typically composed of a base layer, a mid-layer (like a fleece pullover), and an outer layer (like a jacket). 

Here’s what I wore to hike The Narrows and The Subway in Zion National Park in summer:

• Quick-drying hiking shorts or hiking pants
• Quick-drying, breathable shirt. I prefer wearing sun shirts to hike in to protect my skin from sunburns.
• A jacket (mostly for The Narrows, which is shaded and much cooler than the rest of the park)
• Quick-drying hiking underwear
• During colder seasons: base layers, a fleece mid-layer, mittens, hat

What Kind of Shoes to Wear to Hike The Narrows or The Subway in Zion National Park

Hiking Footwear

Trying to figure out what kind of shoes to wear to hike The Narrows or The Subway? I recommend closed-toed shoes with soles that provide good traction, like hiking boots or trail running shoes. 

Although I have hiked The Narrows twice in hiking sandals (like Chacos or Tevas), I learned that it's better to wear closed-toed shoes to protect your feet from getting crushed or stuck in loose rocks and debris along the trail.

Deciding on whether to wear regular hiking socks vs. neoprene socks (to keep your feet dry and insulated) is based on personal preference. I don't run cold and having wet feet doesn’t bother me, so I've always worn merino wool hiking socks when hiking The Narrows and The Subway during spring and summer. But if you prefer to wear neoprene socks and boots to keep your feet dry and warm when you hike The Narrows or The Subway, you can rent hiking gear from local outfitters near Zion National Park for as low as $29/day.

Here are the shoes and socks I wore to hike The Narrows and The Subway in Zion in summer:

• Trail running shoes: I prefer these over boots because they are lightweight and breathable, especially when wet. They also provide me with enough traction to scramble over rocks. 
• Merino wool hiking socks: I don't get cold easily, so non-cotton hiking socks were enough to keep me warm when hiking in the water to The Subway.
• Optional: neoprene socks for additional insulation and to keep your feet dry (instead of hiking socks), boot gaiters to keep rocks and other debris out of your shoes as you hike

Essential Gear to Bring to Hike The Narrows or The Subway in Zion National Park

Walking Sticks or Hiking Poles

Hiking The Narrows without a walking stick or trekking poles was a STRUGGLE the two times that I had done it. The loose terrain in combination with the fast current of the Virgin River made it easy to lose balance and fall during river crossings.

It wasn’t until hiking The Subway this past May when I realized the importance of my hiking poles for water hikes. The trekking poles were so helpful in navigating the river crossings and gave me additional support and balance to maintain my footing as I hiked through the river.  

Backpack & Dry Bag

You’ll need something to carry all of your supplies as you hike The Narrows or The Subway in Zion! I packed my lightweight 18-liter hydration hiking backpack as well as a dry bag to keep my hiking snacks and other important gear dry.

Drinking Water & Electrolytes

*Due to the toxic cyanobacteria in the river, do not ingest or drink water from the river! While checking in at the wilderness desk to get our hiking permits, the ranger emphasized that we can't even use water filters or treatment methods to make the water from the river safe enough to drink. 

If you’re hiking The Subway, be aware that there are NO WATER SOURCES at the trailhead or along the trail. Bring all the water you need for the day, especially if you’re hiking during the summer season. The rule of thumb is to drink a half liter every hour of moderate activity in moderate temperatures. If it’s hot out or I’m doing a strenuous hike, I’ll bring more water. 

Even though drinking water is available at the Temple of Sinawava (for hikers doing The Narrows), it’s still critical to bring enough water!

Hiking to the Subway in 90F temperatures, here’s everything I packed to stay hydrated on the trail:

• Hydration bladder: I filled my bladder with 3.5 liters of drinking water
• Water bottle: I packed an additional 32 oz of water in my plastic Nalgene bottle
• Hydration electrolytes: I added these to my water bottle to increase my hydration.

Hiking Snacks

Hiking the Narrows and The Subway can mean a long day of hiking, which means you’ll need to be able to sustain your energy throughout the day! Here are my favorite hiking snacks. 

Sun Protection

When hiking in Zion National Park (during any time of the year), it’s critical to pack enough sun protection, including 

• Sun protection clothing with a UPF rating ("ultraviolet protection factor")
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Sunglasses

Navigation

Although hiking the Narrows bottom-up route is relatively easy to navigate, I still recommend having a copy of the map with you. This is especially important if you’re hiking The Subway, which is a backcountry trail that is rugged and unmarked making it difficult to know where to navigate. Be familiar with the trail before your hike and pack a copy of the map!

• Offline map: you can download an offline map from AllTrails or take a picture of the trail map on your phone ahead of time. For the Subway hike, we downloaded an offline map from AllTrails. Although it is not 100% accurate or efficient, it helped us locate general waypoints to ensure we were hiking to The Subway in the right direction and that we did not miss the exit out of the canyon.
• (Optional) Garmin inReach satellite communicator: since The Subway hike was difficult to navigate, I packed this to save breadcrumbs as I hiked to The Subway. This functionality helped me backtrack by way from The Subway, out of the canyon, and my car at the trailhead safely. 

Hiking Gear Rentals Near Zion National Park

If you don’t have hiking gear to hike The Narrows or The Subway, you can rent hiking gear from one of the many local outfitters near Zion, including:

• Zion Outfitter
• Zion Guru
• Zion Adventures

Conclusion

The Narrows and The Subway are not only the best water hikes Zion National Park, but in the world! Although it can feel intimidating trying to figure out what to wear or what shoes you need to hike The Narrows or The Subway, I hope this packing list makes you feel confident enough to get out there and hike! 

What do you think is the best hike in Zion National Park?

Other Zion National Park Travel Guides

• How to Hike to The Subway Trail in Zion National Park: A Hiking Guide for the Bottom-Up (Non-Canyoneering) Route 
• How to Get a Permit to Hike The Subway, Zion's Best Hike
• 6 Zion Day Hikes That Avoid Crowds
• 4 Ways to Visit Zion National Park Without the Shuttle
• How The Zion Canyon Shuttle Works