ST. GEORGE — The deeply chiseled canyon sandstone walls of The Narrows in Zion National Park remain closed due to the high volume of water in the Virgin River, according to a park spokesman.
The Narrows and all routes that exit through it are closed until the volume of water falls below 150 cubic feet per second (CFS) for 24 hours, Jonathan Shafer said. The Riverside Walk, the paved trail that starts at the Temple of Sinawava, is open according to the park’s website.
“In past years, when we’ve seen this significant winter and spring precipitation, it has affected water flow in the Virgin River through The Narrows,” he told St. George News, adding that they work with the U.S. Geological Survey to get up-to-date information about current flow to share with visitors online.
The Narrows features a deeply carved canyon with vertical sandstone walls that took millions of years to form. According to the park website, water continues to shape the canyon. The Virgin River and its tributaries carry away approximately 1 ton of material yearly from this canyon.
Another part of the park closed is the road at Kolob Canyons due to rockfalls. The park website states that no one (including drivers, hikers and bikers) can go past the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center due to rocks in the road. The closures don’t affect Zion Canyon Shuttle System service.
“We will remove this alert when the road is clear and share an update as soon as possible,” Shafter said.
The park website also states that travel has been reduced to a single lane in and out of the park at the South Entrance to accommodate the drainage improvement work conducted under the roadway.
To those planning to visit the park, Shafer said to be prepared for weather that can change quickly by having both a plan and a backup plan. Visitors also should dress in layers and drink and carry plenty of water.
Zion National Park partners with the U.S. Geological Survey and National Weather Service to provide regular updates on their website and social media pages, at park visitors centers and person-to-person from rangers to visitors at trailheads and on trails.
“There are lots of great things to do in Zion, and we encourage you to use the tools we offer to plan your visit,” Shafer said.
To check current conditions, use the following websites:
- The Narrows – Zion National Park
- Current conditions – Zion National Park
- North Fork Virgin River
- Seven-day Forecast
Zion’s popularity has increased dramatically over the past decade, with visitation nearly doubling since 2010. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the park averaged fewer than 2.5 million visitors per year. Still, that number ticked upward quickly in the 2010s and jumped to over 4 million by 2016.
According to preliminary figures published by the National Park Service, nearly 4.7 million people visited Zion National Park in 2022.
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