Search for overdue hiker prompts closure of The Narrows in Zion National Park
An active search and rescue operation for an overdue hiker will prompt the closure of the popular hiking area The Narrows in Zion National Park beginning at midnight tonight.
Zion National Park Public Information Officer Amanda Rowland told 2News search and rescue crews began searching for an overdue hiker Wednesday, but no other information about the hiker was immediately available.
Rowland said that the closure helps park staff with search and rescue efforts.
The search and rescue efforts come after the park closed The Narrows and other slot canyons earlier in the day Wednesday after a flash flood warning was issued for the area.
The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. The gorge, with walls a thousand feet tall and the river sometimes just twenty to thirty feet wide, is one of the most popular areas in Zion National Park.
Most tourists experience The Narrows by hiking along the paved, wheelchair accessible Riverside Walk, but many choose to get their feet wet and wade upstream in the Virgin River.
Water levels in the Virgin River fluctuate greatly from year to year and day to day depending on many factors such as rainfall and snowmelt.
Walking against the current can become challenging for some with crossings of mid-thigh deep water and pools that can be chest deep.
Zion National Park urges visitors to check park regulations and weather conditions before hiking in The Narrows.
This is a developing story, more information will be provided as 2News is updated.
Jason @BeardedOverland www.beardedadv.blogspot.com
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