Riverside Walk

Also called the Gateway to the Narrows, this path is wide, paved, and as easy to navigate as your neighborhood sidewalk. It begins at the Temple of Sinawava, at the far end of the normally accessible portion of Zion Canyon.

Cottonwood trees cover the majority of the path throughout the day, creating a comfortable shade that is complemented by the crisp waters of the North Fork of the Virgin River. There are hanging gardens along the sloped walls of the trail, fed by trickling falls of water, home to many of Zion's exotic forms of wildlife.

The end of the hike is the entrance to the Narrows, and most hikers who take the time to stroll down the Gateway take at least a half an hour or so to wade around in the mouth of the Narrows.

Trail Head: 37.284832, -112.947143

Trail Type: Hiking, Out and Back

Length: 2 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Easy

Located at the Temple of Sinawava, the trail is surrounded by the slowly encroaching walls of the canyon, offering a small taste of the Narrows ahead.

At this point the sheer walls have closed in around you and the stream covers the entire canyon bottom. To hike farther you need to wade up the stream. If you are going to hike into the Zion Narrows from the bottom up, you start here.