Zion Overnight Narrows Permit Guide 2026

Utah · No dogs in the backcountry

By Casey Rowan, Permit Ranger

Last updated

The Overnight Narrows permit covers two-day, top-down trips through the Virgin River Narrows, Zion's famous 16-mile slot-canyon through-hike from Chamberlain's Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava. Each permit reserves one of 12 designated riverside campsites for a single night mid-route. With only a dozen sites and one group per site per night, prime spring and fall dates disappear within minutes of each quarterly release.

When permits are released

Overnight Narrows campsites are sold in four quarterly releases at 10:00 AM Mountain on the 5th of the month before each quarter: Dec 5 (for Jan 1 - Mar 31 trips), Mar 5 (Apr 1 - Jun 30), Jun 5 (Jul 1 - Sep 30), and Sep 5 (Oct 1 - Dec 31). One reservation covers your whole group for the night; caps vary by campsite (2-12 people).

Fees

  • Reservation: $20 per permit (non-refundable)
  • Per person: $7 per person

How to get a Zion Overnight Narrows permit

  1. Plan a two-day, top-down Narrows trip from Chamberlain's Ranch and pick one of the 12 designated campsites (Narrows 1-12) for your overnight; group caps vary by site, from 2 up to 12 people.
  2. Watch for the quarterly release that covers your date: campsites go on sale at 10:00 AM Mountain on the 5th of the month before each quarter - Dec 5 for Jan-Mar, Mar 5 for Apr-Jun, Jun 5 for Jul-Sep, and Sep 5 for Oct-Dec.
  3. Book online on recreation.gov when that window opens; one reservation covers your whole group for the night.
  4. Check flow conditions before you go: the park closes the Narrows when the Virgin River runs high, and closed dates show no availability.
  5. For sold-out dates, keep watching: cancellations return to the calendar immediately, and Permit Ranger can alert you the moment a campsite reopens.

Notable trails

Frequently asked questions

When do Overnight Narrows permits become available?

Campsites are sold in four quarterly releases at 10:00 AM Mountain on the 5th of the month before each quarter: Dec 5 (Jan 1 - Mar 31), Mar 5 (Apr 1 - Jun 30), Jun 5 (Jul 1 - Sep 30), and Sep 5 (Oct 1 - Dec 31).

Is this the same as the day-use Narrows permit?

No. Hiking the full top-down Narrows in one day uses a separate day-use wilderness permit awarded only by lottery, tracked by Permit Ranger as the Zion Narrows & Canyoneering permit. This overnight permit reserves a riverside campsite so you can split the 16-mile route across two days.

Do I need a permit to hike the Narrows from the bottom?

No. The bottom-up hike from the Temple of Sinawava requires no permit. Permits are only needed for top-down trips from Chamberlain's Ranch, whether day-use (lottery) or overnight (this permit).

How big can my group be?

It depends on the campsite: each of the 12 sites has its own cap, ranging from 2 to 12 people. One reservation covers your whole group for the night.

What if my dates are sold out?

With only 12 campsites and one group per site per night, popular dates sell out fast - but cancellations return to the calendar immediately. Keep checking recreation.gov, and Permit Ranger can notify you the moment a watched campsite becomes available.

Why do some dates show no availability at all?

The park closes the Narrows when the Virgin River's flow is too high (typically during spring snowmelt) or when other hazards close the canyon. Closed dates carry no quota, so nothing can be booked or watched for them.

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Plan ahead

Sold-out dates reopen all the time from cancellations and quota drops. Permit Ranger checks recreation.gov around the clock and alerts you the moment your dates open. It never books for you.

Browse Zion Overnight Narrows passes · Book on recreation.gov