An upstream hike through Zion National Park in Utah

Ask almost anyone who’s been to Zion National Park in Utah and they will tell you about The Narrows. It’s the narrowest section of the Zion Canyon and is home to one of the most challenging hikes in the park. Most people do this hike (that involves wading upstream) in the summer. I chose the icy cold waters of the winter to walk up the Virgin River. It seemed a smart move to beat the rush hour in the summer, but it’s easy to underestimate the freezing temperatures of this trek as I quicky discovered.

Leaving Las Vegas

After multiple trips to Las Vegas, the allure of the bright lights and the excesses of the Strip ultimately wear out

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I still remember my first trip to Vegas. A cool bunch of travel companions, all the excesses one associates with Las Vegas, including the crazy scenes at Caesar’s Palace where my friends dared me to quiz the girl at the front desk if Caesar built this massive hotel. Yes, it was a repeat of the scene in The Hangover, which the hotel staff are quite used to by now. After multiple trips to Las Vegas, the allure of the bright lights and the excesses of the Strip ultimately wear out.

The real adventures are far from the strip and often involve crossing state lines. If you’re the outdoorsy type, I’d recommend a trip to Zion. It’s easily accessible from Las Vegas or if you’re driving in from Los Angeles. But do keep more than one day to explore all this park has to offer. This was the most important takeaway from my first day trip to Zion. I promised to be back for a ‘deep dive’ Zion experience. I didn’t think that this would eventually involve a dip in icy cold waters.

Utah’s first National Park

Location is one of Zion’s biggest strengths. It’s in the southwestern corner of Utah near the Nevada and Arizona borders

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Zion is one of the perfect adverts for America’s Great Outdoors. Visiting America’s National Parks is almost addictive. Ask me. My US Parks journey started in Yosemite in California, and each time I come back to the country, there’s a National Park on my itinerary. With over 60 National Parks, I still have a long way to go. But that hasn’t stopped me from revisiting parks like Zion. Location is one of Zion’s biggest strengths. It’s in the southwestern corner of Utah near the Nevada and Arizona borders. It started out as Mukuntuweap National Monument in 1909. It became a National Park in 1919 after the US Congress elevated its status, making it Utah’s first National Park. The state is now home to five National Parks.

Test the waters

Wading upstream

Ashwin Rajagopalan

You can’t show up at The Narrows without the right camping gear. I geared up at The Outfitters in a water-proof outfit. It’s easy to mistake this as fishing gear with the overalls and water-proof shoes that offer good support as you step on slippery pebbles under the water. The Narrows, as the name suggests, is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. This gorge features walls that are a thousand feet tall and the river can narrow down to just 20 to 30 feet in some sections.

Many visitors skip walking through the water and just walk along the paved Riverside Walk from the Temple of Sinawava (named for the coyote god of the Paiute Indians) — the starting point of this trail. I slipped a couple of times despite the grippy shoes. It’s certainly not fun searching for your phone in freezing water. The full trail runs for about 25km and can take about 12 hours. I wound up in under two hours, during which time I also waded through sections with waist-deep water. Unless you’re thick-skinned or seek adventure, I’d recommend this trail in the summer despite the crowds. But this is not the only way to see Zion in all its glory.

Sweeping views

The Floor of Valley Road

Ashwin Rajagopalan

Arguably the most popular trail is the Canyon Overlook Trail. It’s less than 2km and should work for most people despite the elevation gain. The mild huffing and puffing is totally worth it for the stunning views. This is the perfect spot for those ‘I was there (at Zion)’ pictures or videos. You can view sections of the road into Zion Canyon and the scenic drive. Zion offers multiple hiking trails for the truly outdoorsy – the Subway hike, Angel’s Landing trail and Weeping Rock are among the most popular.

I wound up my visit with a drive through and headed straight to the Floor of Valley Road, aka the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. This nine-mile drive made my day, offering sweeping views of the park, but it certainly didn’t match the adrenaline highs of The Narrows. But my Utah adventures didn’t end in Zion. The winter adventures would continue in Bryce Canyon National Park, one of the state’s big five. But before that, it’s time to rest those weary and cold feet.