Advice on Zion Narrows in June?

Hi Rachel,
That’s a great trip you have. I did it last year in May – so it should only be warmer for you. Here is my gearlist and video documentary of the trip.

Here is my Zion Narrows Video

Here is my Zion Narrows Gearlist

I've only done it as a day hike so no gear recommendations. But I strongly recommend paying for the shuttle service up to the TH. We did a car shuttle and it rained that afternoon at the TH (not on us) and we had to leave a car there overnight until it dried out. The road is truly impassable when it rains.

Also, I'd suggest renting the water shoes and buying or renting a walking stick. The day before we did the Narrows, we did Mystery Canyon which ends with a rappel into the Narrows. I was wearing trail runners and had trekking poles and did fine in that section of the Narrows. Everyone else in the group rented water shoes from Zion Adventures for the Narrows hike but I have really wide feet and there was no way I was walking that far in cramped shoes so I did it in my trail runners. I was slipping a lot more than everyone one else and would have loved to have been wearing the water shoes. I did buy a walking stick and I thought that worked better than my trekking poles would have.

Permits are not issued if the water flowrate is too high , there is a website that tracks this so you should know well in advance. We missed an opportunity in June to do this and circled back in July to hike the canyon. This is a great place to snap a trekking pole so I would opt for a wooden staff. Some people hike in sneakers and such, I have always rented river shoe (plus the booties will help keep your feet warm). It is colder in the canyon that you think as the sun only hits the bottom and sides of the canyons for a short period of time.

Be prepared for some deep pocket of water. The depths and pockets change on a yearly basis. Have fun and take a waterproof camera.

That's one of the few trips where I'd bring two pairs of shoes – both low cut trail runners or maybe one of them beater running shoes for the river portion ( plus wool or synthetic socks.) then change out of the wet ones after the narrows and tie them outside your pack. An old broom or mop handle is longer, tougher and therefore better in the river than a trekking pole. Add your own strap to it.

I was last there in March with my 9-year-old daughter, so the water was pretty cold. Most people had rented dry suits, water shoes and big, thick wooden poles. And we walked by, with none of that, holding hands where it got fast or deep.

(There are deeper, faster spots than these photos, but I only took my phone out of its dry box in the calm spots).

For sleeping in June, I'd bring a light quilt and tarp. The tarp to minimize night-time condensation if the nights are clear and windless.