The Barracks

The Barracks is the narrow, dramatic finale of Parunuweap Canyon on the East Fork of the Virgin River — a stretch of canyon just outside Zion's boundary near the Mount Carmel side, on BLM land rather than inside the park itself. The name Parunuweap is Paiute for "roaring water canyon," and in places the walls close to as little as 20 feet apart while towering hundreds of feet overhead, rivaling the Narrows in scale but drawing a fraction of the crowds.

Before you go

• No permit is required since it's BLM land, but this is a serious flash-flood corridor — check weather and canyon conditions before entering
• Camping spots along the route are sparse; plan accordingly
• The full route runs roughly 22 miles from Mount Carmel Junction to the Zion boundary near Checkerboard Mesa

Treat it with the same respect as any narrow desert canyon: flash floods here can arrive with little warning, and there's no ranger station or cell coverage along the way.