Photos in Slide Show: Inside the Zion Narrows
Zion National Park in southwestern Utah is well-known for its soaring, colorful monoliths such as the Great White Throne and Angel’s Landing. Besides its great heights, Zion is also known for its amazing canyons. The park’s most visited attraction is the Riverside Walk which follows the beautiful North Fork of the Virgin River about a mile through its lower canyon, where sandstone cliffs about 1/4 mile apart tower thousands of vertical feet above the river.
The most fantastic part of Zion Canyon, the Zion Narrows, lies beyond the road, beyond the trail and is accessible only by wading the Virgin River. The Narrows offer the world’s best and most beautiful slot canyons. Sections of serpentine narrows wind for miles, offering exquisitely colored and carved sandstone walls and new surprises around every bend in the river. In some places, such as Wall Street the river flows between vertical walls. Read the full story, “Hiking the Zion Narrows”.
Photo Tips: The adventure offers mile after mile of spectacular but often challenging photo opportunities. In many places the sun just barely penetrates the top of the canyon walls mid-morning to mid-afternoon creating blown highlights and hard shadows. Look for sunlight hitting the canyon walls above or the walls around corners or bends that produce a warm golden glow in photos.
While the hike does not require technical canyoneering skills or any particular skills, it is a difficult and strenuous endeavor. You must be very physically fit, have good agility and balance, and be comfortable dealing with rough places. The key is to travel light and bring a drybag that fits in your backpack to protect your camera/gear from getting wet. For more tips on hiking the Zion Narrows, please read the full article.
More Photos from the Zion Narrows
Deep Creek
Deep Creek is the principal tributary to the North Fork of the Virgin River, contributing the largest volume of water. The canyon offers a slightly longer and more strenuous adventure than the one way Zion Narrows route favored by most visitors. The scenery is rather similar though Deep Creek Canyon starts in higher country with more wooded areas. There is also far more brush and bushwhacking – your arms and legs will get scratched up!
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