Zion - the Narrows

We continued on the shuttle to the last hike on the route - and the starting point of the Narrows. In this part of Zion the river cuts a deep path through the mountains, which loom very high above on both sides.

For a long time we walked along beside the river, appreciating it immensely every time we got in the shade of the mountain sides.

Even though the heat had really started to wear me down, it was a pleasurable walk and the landscape was stunning.

The light sent back from the cliffs was soft and pleasant, but the direct light was blindingly sharp, making the greyish stones and pieces of dead wood by the riverbank looked like giant piles of bleached bone.


At last we came to the point where the trail stopped and the river-hike into the Narrows began. To move beyond this point one had to walk in the river itself. Ivan climbed on top of a boulder sticking out over the river and made a heroic speech of his intentions to go forth into the watery depths.

On a rock just below him sat a cute little forest critter. It didnt care about us at all.

It even climbed up on Ivans speach-rock while we were still there. Complete disregard.


We descended into the river. The view down along the Narrows was breathtaking and getting into the water was vastly enjoyable.

As I have mentioned, the day was horrifically hot and the shade and the coolness of the water was just magnificent. Never have I been so happy about the feeling of water running into my boots!


Getting our body temperatures down like this was very refreshing and we felt energized enough to hike trough the water in the Narrows for a while.

Of course the river bottom was very rocky and the going was slow and something of a balancing act. After a few near falls we ventured on holding hands to steady each other, a rare and for our friends Im sure highly comical sight.





After wading and splashing along happily like this for a good while, we turned back and enjoyed the soft color-change as the sun sank lower behind the cliffs.