Hiking the Riverside Walk Trail in Zion National Park

The Riverside Walk is a 2 mile (roundtrip) there and back trail.

It is rated easy, with an elevation gain of 154 feet, which comes on the second half of the trail.

The trail end at The Narrows, so if you are looking to hike The Narrows, you must begin here.

The trail is concrete, but many sections are covered with sand. You can also choose to walk along the shore of the Virgin River for much of the hike, which will be mostly hard packed sand.

If you choose to walk closer to the river, you will be contending with rocky conditions in some sections.

It is recommended that you give yourself 1 -2 hours to enjoy the hike. The scenery is spectacular and the only people rushing are those who are trying to hike the Narrows.

This is the end of the Riverside Walk Trail and the beginning of The Narrows. It is impossible to hike the Narrows without getting your feet wet. For this reason, and due to the extreme heat during our visit, we opted out of hiking it. 

The hike is located at the northern end of the park. The shuttle will bring you to the trailhead. It’s quite popular, so starting early is a good idea.

The speed and height of the water is dependent on rainfall. During our visit, it was flowing at a rather gentle pace.

The canyon walls themselves, were pretty amazing, filled with a variety of thriving plant life.

On the trip back to the bus stop, we stayed close to the river, as much as possible. Mainly to avoid the more crowded trail, but also to listen to the sound of the river flowing over the rocks.

Things To Know Before You Go:

1. The current entrance fee for U.S. residents is $35/car. The pass is valid for 7 days. Entrance to the park is also included in the America the Beautiful pass. Current prices can be found here. 
2. The park is open 24/7 365 days a year.
3. During the peak season, driving is not allowed along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. You must take a shuttle, which is free. You can find shuttle information here.
4. There are bathrooms and water located at the trailhead.
5. There is no reservation required to take this hike.
6. The first 1/2 mile is considered handicapped accessible, but you will be dealing with sandy conditions on the trail.
7. If you hike early in the morning, the canyon walls will provide you with shade.

We really loved this hike and I highly recommend it. Our next hike, which was also gorgeous was The Emerald Pools Trail. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.

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