NF-Zion Park-Satan's Staircase
Utah – US
- Class
- IV
- Length
- 8 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 63 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 4,423 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 3,920 Feet
- Typical season
- April to May
- Author
- stubby
Current Flow
23 CFS
Gauge height: 6.93 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 10:20 PM
▼ -0.09/hr (12h) ▼ -0.05/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- NORTH FORK VIRGIN RIVER NEAR SPRINGDALE, UT Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 150 |
| Average | 400 |
| Maximum | 1,500 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
No photos added for this run yet.
Description
This is a beautiful run, and one of the only ways left to get a uncrowded tour through Zion National Park. The shuttles take care of the shuttling
Check in at the Visitors Center in order to get your free boating pass. You can also get a car permit in order to shuttle your boat up to the put in. Put in at the horse corrals just below the diversion structure. Right off the bat you encounter fun IV(+) boating through Corral Falls and Satan's Staircase. A little lull happens before landslide rapid, formed by a landslide that washed out the road in 2000(?). After landslide the whitewater slows down and it's class III to the takeout at the theater just outside the park boundaries.
Access: Access was shut down in the late 1990's by the park service citing risks to local endangered fish during low water. The grassroots Virgin River Runners Coalition (http://www.virginriver.org/) was formed and worked with the Park to insure boating access during peak flow season. The river is closed to tubers during low water secondary to endangered species concerns. Please be respectful of the hard work this organization did and abide by the parks regulations.
Flows: Foot stage reccomendations: 1.6'=bony. 2.3'=clean and fun. >3'=dancing shoes
Rapids
No rapids added yet.
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | in | 4,423 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Zion National Park, shuttles will take care of it or you can get pass to drive in. Temple of Sinawava for the whole river. Court of Patriarchs for the goods |
| Put-In | out | 4,258 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Court of the Patriarchs is another access point of the Virgin in Zion National Park. Below here the river picks up and offers more whitewater |
| Take-Out | Zion's Visitor Center | 3,920 Feet | No | Yes | No | All Vehicles | Park at the visitor center lot and take out anywhere in the vicinity and walk your boat back to your car. |
Camps
No river camps added yet.
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
No fish species have been associated with this run yet.
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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