The Virgin River has run through Zion Canyon for thousands of years and carved hundreds of feet down into the rock. Near the park entrance, the canyon walls are sloping and wide, however, as one drivers further in, the walls get steeper and closer together until the only way to continue is on foot. This is called The Narrows.
We literally walked in the river. Sometimes it was knee deep, other times it was chest deep. Setting off I couldn't believe that the girl in the adventure shop had got us to part with $8 each to rent walking sticks. The idea of paying for a bit of wood and then giving it back seemed ridiculous. I was slightly bitter to say the least. Yet, as I often found myself accustomed to doing, I ate my words. In fact, I had to lick that damn plate clean.
The current was strong and without the sticks we both would have found ourselves in the drink more often than would have been comfortable. Whats more I would have been eating a soggy lunch and crying over a soggy camera.
The further into the narrows we hiked the fewer people we saw. Maybe they got tired off struggling against the river, who knows. Its even plausible that some get claustrophobic. There is literally nowhere to go except to follow the river. The walls are between 4 and 10m wide depending on where you are and they go straight up. In wider spots where the sunlight can make it to the canyon floor and sediment builds up into earthy banks, trees and long grass grow; little oasis between the rock walls.
In theory one can hike all the way up river and out of the canyon, though Hamish and I ran out of sunlight before we could make it all the way to the end. Walking back with the current we made record time, despite stopping for food and drinks with some other travelers our age who had made a small campfire and invited us over.
Finally walking out of the narrows was like reentering a world left behind. Suddenly there was open space and the ground was dry. Needless to say, sleep came easily that night.
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