ZION NATIONAL PARK, UT :: I had read many amazing descriptions for this hike and was looking forward to finally experiencing it. From Zion's Visitor Center, shuttles depart every several minutes to carry passengers to numerous stops along the Virgin River Valley. The hike up the Narrows begins at the last stop, at the Temple of Sinawa, and it takes the shuttle approximately 45 minutes to get there. Along the way, the shuttle operator informed us of Zion's interesting geology and pointed out landmarks and wildlife along the way.

He also warned us of the Narrows. Much of the hike requires wading through the river atop slippery boulders unseen beneath the milky, emerald water. Within the past two weeks, three people had to be carried out for broken legs and ankles, and a boy had succumbed to a hypothermic induced coma. Flash floods can occur unpredictably, but the rangers said the river looked pretty safe today.

The hike starts out as the Riverside Walk, a paved, mile-long walkway along the river that anyone can safely enjoy. The pavement abruptly stops, and then it's into the river. It took a short while to get used to the sensation of my boots being wet and sliding around beneath me. I had packed a trekking pole in my luggage and was very grateful for it.

The scenery and experience was amazing. The navajo rock towering above me was described by the shuttle operator as a porous sponge that sucked the water from the earth and supplied it to the many plants and trees growing on the walls. I often had to use the panaromic mode on my camera to capture the grandness of the canyon in multiple, ascending shots. I kept it dry in a waterproof paddling bag in my backpack. It was a chore to dig it out every few minutes to take another photo, but necessary. I only fell into the river once, tripping over a large stone. Fortunately the camera was safe in the bag. If not, it would have been bye-bye photos and bye-bye camera.

The deepest the river got was up to my chest, which doesn't sound too bad, but the current is moving pretty fast in spots and the water isn't exactly warm. Half the time I was on dry land, the other half I was wading through ankle to waist deep water. I was surprised that many people, men and women, had simply stripped down to their underwear. My surprise wore off when I noticed most of these people were Europeans. I think I encountered more Europeans and Australians in the Narrows than Americans.

I made it as far as Orderville Canyon, which is a tributary into the Virgin River Canyon. The walls get very close together at this point, but frankly, I was more impressed with the main canyon. Orderville Canyon is about 3 miles up the canyon. It's where most people stop and head back, but I wish I had time to go further.