The Narrows at Zion National Park ranked as the most beautiful hike in the United States, according to a new study by sportsshoes.com. The trail landed 6th place worldwide out of 64 hikes analyzed, putting Utah ahead of every other American trail on the list.
The ranking comes from a British hiking gear retailer that ran an eye-tracking study on 200 people around the world. Researchers showed participants images from each trail and measured how fast the scenery grabbed their attention and how long they kept looking. The Narrows scored an 87 out of 100 on that "eye-catching" scale.
What Makes The Narrows Different
The Narrows sits at the narrowest stretch of Zion Canyon. Walls rise more than 1,000 feet on both sides as you walk. Most of the hike isn't on a trail at all. You're in the Virgin River itself, with 60-70% of the route through water.
Some hikers stick to the first mile or two from the bottom, a there-and-back walk that doesn't require a permit. Others tackle the full 16-mile top-down route, which does require one, along with a shuttle to the trailhead.
Check Conditions Before You Go
Flash floods are the biggest risk on this hike. The canyon walls that make it beautiful also make it dangerous in a storm, since water has nowhere to go but through the slot you're standing in. Check the forecast and any posted flash flood warnings before you start, and turn back if conditions look questionable.
How the Rest of the World Stacked Up
Here's the full top 10:
Calanques de Marseille - France
Plitvice Lakes Trail - Croatia
Lauterbrunnen Valley - Switzerland
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu - Peru
Bastei Rock Formation - Germany
The Narrows - Zion National Park, Utah
Étretat Cliff Walk - France
The Loop - Australia
Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk - England
Causeway Coast Way - Northern Ireland
Utah beat out Yosemite's Mist Trail and Mount Rainier's Skyline Trail, the next two American entries, which landed further down the list.
If you want to hike The Narrows yourself, plan around water levels and weather. Late summer and early fall usually bring the lowest, safest flows. Check the National Park Service site for current conditions before you head out.