Slot Canyon Hikes Moab Utah
From road UT 128, which links Moab with Cisco, near I-70, and 3 miles northeast of the turn-off to Castle Valley, a good quality gravel track (Professor Valley Road) heads southeast for 2 miles, past a cluster of ranch buildings. The road ends at a shady parking area right next to the creek, which is wide and meandering at this point.
- The out-and-back hike ends with a three-story waterfall hidden in a slot canyon. The hike is dog-friendly and doable for school-age kids. Directions. From Moab, take U.S. Highway 191 north to Utah Highway 128.
- Join Moab's Oldest Canyoneering Guide Service For The Best Guided Adventures in Utah! Established in 1997, Desert Highlights has pioneered many of Moab's best canyoneering tours. Every guided tour is private, so your adventure is tailored to the abilities and goals of your group.
Jul 26, 2017
By: Mo Edwards
Making decisions is hard, #amirite? There are so many choices in this modern world! “Should I diversify my IRA or bury it in the backyard?” Depends on your short-term goals. “Should I get a turtle or a dirtbike?” Could go either way. “Should I hike a slot canyon this year?” That one is simple: Yes!
Southern Utah has more tiny, narrow cracks than a shattered iPhone screen. Some are deep, some are wide, some are wet and some are dry, but none of them will shove tiny glass shards in your texting fingers.
Slot canyons are nice because you don’t have to make very many decisions in them. Carved by wind, water and dinosaur tears, slot canyons can be hundreds of feet deep and so narrow you have to cram yourself through sideways. (There’s one near Zion called Fat Man’s Misery.) Another benefit, among many, is that their unique shape and basic astrophysics means slot canyons are shady all but a few minutes a day, making them a pleasant respite from the relentless summer sun!
A word to the wise: Slot canyons can be as dangerous as they are beautiful, much like Kevin Bacon. Much like a giant, bloodthirsty sandworm, flash floods can sneak up on you quick. Rainwater collects from the non-absorbent plateau and drains into these canyons creating an instantaneous wall of water.
DO NOT ENTER A SLOT CANYON IF IT IS RAINING, IF IT HAS RAINED IN THE PAST 24 HOURS OR IF RAIN IS FORECASTED.
Flash flood warning signs:
- Sudden heavy rains
- Clear creek water begins to turn brown and muddy
- Debris such as twigs, leaves or needles appears in the water
Seek high ground immediately! Don’t worry about foot vibrations; just get out of there. Even climbing a few feet could save your life. Check the weather and talk to the appropriate park/BLM authority before you go. And finally, plan an alternative itinerary in case the weather turns against you. If you reeeally want to gamble with slots, go to Vegas. That’ll ruin you too, but more slowly.
Buckskin Gulch (Wire Pass Trailhead)
- Location: Along the Utah/Arizona border, near Kanab.
- Distance: 3.5 miles
- Best for: Families can totally do this slot.
- Best time to go: Spring and fall are ideal, but you can hike here year-round.
The entirety of Buckskin Gulch canyon is one of the longest slots in the world. Or so proclaims the internet. And the internet is always… interesting? ...a spectrum of truth and falsehoods?
Buckskin GulchReally though, to hike the whole thing would take a few days, a precious permit and some technical gear. Sounds fun! Maybe not with the kids though. Try this: Buckskin Gulch via the Wire Pass trailhead. Wire Pass winds through a spectacularly striated little slot canyon to Buckskin Gulch. There are a few obstacles to toss the kids over (don’t toss the kids; that’s a joke, an internet falsehood, fake news), but nothing prohibitive and round trip it is only 3.5 miles! Do-able for a sturdy five-year-old. Look for petroglyphs at the junction of the two canyons. Bask in the real truthiness of it all.
Little Wild Horse
- Location: South-central Utah near Goblin Valley
- Distance: 8 miles for the full loop, but many just go as far as they like and turn back
- Best for: Ideal for families, but fun for all
- Best time to go: Spring and fall
This place is perfect for all the wobbly little foals in your life. A stone's throw from Goblin Valley — a Burning Man of strange and playful sandstone goblins — Little Wild Horse is a strange and playful sandstone canyon. Smaller in scale than, say, the Narrows, its dry, sandy wash is friendly to all abilities. The kids will naturally propel themselves along the twists and turns with nary an expletive from parents. The entire loop (up Little Wild Horse and down Bell Canyon) is about eight miles — a liiiittle too long for kids who aren’t a pre-Prefontaine, perhaps — but families can explore at their leisure until it’s time to return to the car for more fruit snacks (or kale, or spelt, or gluten-free chia pet seeds, or whatever kids eat these days). If they’re having too much fun galloping about and ignore your call to head back, tell them you’ll call the BLM about some little wild horses in Goblin Valley that need to be immunized. “The feds are coming! With the vacciiiiines!! RUUUUUNNNNNNNN!” Threats don’t work with kids but it doesn't hurt to try.
Spooky and Peekaboo
- Location: On Hole-in-the-Rock Road, 26 miles south of the town of Escalante.
- Distance: 3.5 miles
- Best for: Claustrophiles (is that the opposite of claustrophobes?); robust children and adults unafraid of tight curves and a few drop-offs. Broad-chested, pregnant, or otherwise girthier people might want to skip this one as the paths are extremely narrow.
- Best time to go: Year-round
Have you ever wanted to be bear-hugged by the earth? A nice, firm, sandy squeeze that lingers so long it becomes awkward. “Earth!” you say, “I like you, but… I don’t like-like you.” “Oh,” Earth says, a little embarrassed. “I just thought… maybe you and I—” “No, Earth. No. Our kind cannot be together. We would destroy each other.”
If you’ve never had this conversation, dear reader, you’ve never been to Spooky Gulch. Located along Hole in the Rock Road in Escalante Canyons country, Spooky and Peek A Boo Slot Canyons make a great half-day adventure. Start at the bottom of naturally sculpted Peek A Boo and climb up, passing under a few arches and over a few potholes (usually dry). From the top, follow the cairns over slickrock and sand to the entrance of Spooky. Leave your backpack behind. Shed any unnecessary layers: “fun” hats, push-up bras, ironic mustaches, fanny packs, babies in baby carriers, the ticket to Tremors 7 in your front pocket... Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope and nope. Slide sideways through this narrowest of the earth’s crevices and ponder how a canyon can taper so. Kids love this part! Finally an activity they can accomplish more swiftly than adults. Send them to get help when you find yourself trapped hard in Earth’s awkward embrace.
Furniture Draw
- Location: Along Buckhorn Wash Road in Emery County
- Distance: 2.5 miles
- Best for: Families or anyone looking for an easy hike
- Best time to go: April to October
Sometimes you just need a calm, dependable slot canyon. No 10-inch-wide walls closing in on you, no frigid water to wade or swim through, no rappelling or scrambling or climbing. Like a nice hallway. Furniture Draw is the family-friendly slot canyon you’ve been searching for. Bring sunscreen.
Zion Narrows
- Location: Zion National Park
- Distance: Variable up to 16 miles
- Best for: Anyone at least four feet tall can hike out-and-back hike from the bottom; at least some hiking experience and endurance are required to do the whole thing top-down.
- Best time to go: Later spring and summer yield lower water levels in the river.
The Narrows in Zion National Park is the one slot canyon to rule them all. The grand dame of gorge-ous divisions. The Citizen Kane of sightly crevasses. The head honcho of heavenly chasms. The Patti Labelle of parted pathways. The Phil Collins of fault-less canyons. The Beyoncé of handsome breaches. In some places the walls rise 1,000 feet above you and the canyon narrows to 20 feet across. It’s almost as dramatic as the rise of Kevin Bacon (the Meryl Streep of actors).
There are a couple ways to go about the Narrows:
1. Start from the bottom at Temple of Sinawava and mosey upstream in the Virgin River. No, not along the river: IN the river. Bring (or rent from local outfitters) some great water shoes and a walking stick for stability on slippery rocks. Sometimes vintage walking sticks au naturel (aka discarded branches) can be found at the beginning of the hike. Continue up the river for two or three hours and arrive at Wall Street, the narrowest section of the canyon. Gawk. Go back from whence you came. Or amble on for a bit; the farther up the canyon you go, the fewer humans you’ll share it with.
2. This hike can also be a 16-mile multi-day trip from the top, granted you are lucky enough to win a permit and popular/rich enough to arrange a shuttle. It's worth a try!
Box Canyon Hiking Trail in Maple Canyon
- Location: Near Fountain Green, Utah
- Distance: 1.2 miles
- Best for: Anyone who can handle some rock scrambling/basic bouldering
- Best time to go: April to October
This out-and-back trail is short, but don’t think you’re getting off easy. It’s all boulders, all the time. You’ll be walking between boulders and towering rock walls, scrambling over boulders, even climbing between cracks in boulders that fell from the cliffs at some point in time. (Don’t think too hard about that, but don’t not think about it either. Falling rock is a risk here.) Boulders, boulders and more boulders.Kids can totally take this trail, but there is one spot where a generous previous hiker secured a rope to a 15-foot boulder that you will need to scale. Your options are to loosen up that protective instinct and let your offspring give it a try, or hit the gym starting now so you can lift them up to a trusty partner who has braved the rock first.At the end of the trail is a lovely waterfall that has yet more boulders and a rope to climb it, but climbing this spot isn’t recommended unless you come prepared with rock-climbing gear.Note that this trail is on private property, but the public currently has permission to scurry and scramble their way through. Check before you go to make sure that’s still true and also that there isn’t water in the canyon.
Zebra Canyon
- Location: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
- Distance: 5.3 miles out and back
- Best for: Moderate to more experienced hikers
- Best time to go: April to November
Zebra Slot Canyon delivers exactly what it promises: some really cool zebra-ish stripes on its narrow walls that are sure to make you the coolest kid on Instagram. That is, if you’re tough enough to earn them. You’ll enjoy a roasty walk through the desert and Harris Wash to get to the slot canyon, which does not take too long to slither through. (And slithering is about what you should expect — at one point the canyon focuses down to a 10-inch gap. Suck it in!) There are watery spots as well, and while you may see people leaving their shoes at the entrance, you’d be better off hoisting your kicks aloft as you ford the chilly pits. There are places in the canyon that you might not be able to do barefoot. And then you won’t get those Instagram shots of the zebra stripes at the end. And then you’ll be sad. However, do leave your backpack at the entrance as there’s no room for that baby. If you really want to go for the gold, you can keep going through the zebra stripes to the dry fall on the other side where the canyon opens back up again, but this is no small feat and most people treat that trek as an out-and-back. But if you’re still feeling un-slot-isfied after Zebra Slot Canyon, you can head back to Harris Wash and continue on your merry way to nearby Tunnel Slot Canyon.
Willis Creek Slot Canyon
- Location: Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, near Cannonville
- Distance: About 3 miles out and back
- Best for: Everyone
- Best time to go: April to October, but summer is very hot
Willis Creek is one of those unexpected, under-respected kinds of places. Nearby, flashier neighbors like Bryce Canyon and Kodachrome Basin State Park steal all the thunder. Because who can top colorful sandstone spires or golden arches shining in the sun? Willis Creek Slot Canyon, that’s who! Or maybe top isn’t the right word. Complement. Willis Creek Slot Canyon is the perfect complement to its fabulous canyon friends. With its trickling creek and gorgeous canyon walls, Willis Creek is the friend you almost forgot to invite but turns out to be the life of the party.
The trail starts out through brush and trees, then takes a turn down toward Willis Creek. After that, you’ll follow along with the creek the rest of the way. Your feet will get wet so plan accordingly. The canyon walls start off low and comfy but the farther you go, the more they close in on you until you’re snuggled in the earth’s warm clutches. (“No” means “no,” Earth!) The hike is fun for all and great for kids, who will enjoy skipping their way through the creek. Check conditions before you go. Rain can cancel the viability of not only the slot canyon but also Skutumpah Road by which you access it.
The Subway (Top-Down Route)
- Location: Zion National Park
- Distance: 9.5 miles
- Best for: Experienced climbers
- Best time to go: Later summer through early October
Zion National Park is home to more than one slot canyon. While the Narrows may be the Preciousssss, the Subway is still a classic, like Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Casablanca or the first Star Wars (the original one, before George Lucas discovered CGI). But be aware that the Subway will kick your booty into next week and you shouldn’t underestimate it. It’s a tough, semi-technical journey, especially leaving the canyon when there’s nothing to look forward to but your job and the melted fruit snacks in your car. But on the way in, you’ll be looking forward to one of the most beautiful slot canyons in Utah.
The top-down route is the classic way to get to this classic canyon. This route involves wading, scrambling, slip-sliding, climbing your way down the Left Fork of the North Creek. Expect a long, hard 6–10 hour day with a few rappels, down-climbs and a couple surprisingly chilly swimming sessions. But all work and no play makes Jack/ie a dull climber, so take plenty of time to use all your senses. The reward for all your work: the tubular — in both senses — rock formations that give the hike its name. They’re just a smidge photogenic.
If technical climbing isn’t your bag of gummy worms, you can also start and end your climb at the Left Fork Trailhead, which is about 8.2 miles up the Kolob Terrace Road from Virgin, Utah. This route is not technical and you can still see some waterfalls and the lower Subway formations. It’s still a slog, though, and you’ll be hiking for 5–9 hours, and the scenery is not nearly as great as the top-down route.
Note that you will need a permit as this hike has become so popular that visitors are now limited to 80 per day. You can get a permit from the National Park Service a few months in advance through a lottery process, or cross your fingers for a last-minute drawing two to seven days before you’d like to go.
Burro Wash
- Location: Capitol Reef National Park, 7.8 miles down Notom-Bullfrog Road
- Distance: 8 miles
- Best for: Experienced canyon-country hikers
- Best time to go: Spring and fall
There are a few slot canyons in Capitol Reef National Park but Burro Wash gets the most action. This canyon requires some skill and, depending on how far you go, can give you an excuse to slide your butt cheeks into a climbing harness.The hike starts with a two-mile trek through an open wash before you get into the canyon. Once you’re there, expect a slot chock-full of chockstones — giant boulders that fell in/conveniently into your path. Bonus: Sometimes you get to approach them from a pool of water. Some of the chockstones in Burro Wash have ways you can bypass them, while others require Spider-Man web-jets (or climbing gear in a pinch). After several of these chockstones, you’ll reach a set of not one, but two of them near the end of the trek. If you can get past these babies, the hike ends soon after at a pour-off about 3.5 miles from the trailhead. Unless you’ve got mad technical skills and a shuttle, this is an out-and-back hike.
Rating:Round Trip Distance: 7.6 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 4419 - 4692 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 4 hrs. 30 mins.
Trailhead: Winter Camp Ridge Road
Fee: none
Attractions: 4 arches, slot canyon
Lost Spring Canyon is a backcountry hike in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. The hike begins on BLM land just north of the park where it follows an old jeep road that takes it into the canyon and to the boundary of Arches National Park. From there hikers can follow the wash, exploring side canyons along the way, while encountering a variety of arches and other geological features. The lower end of the canyon merges into Salt Wash and comes out at Wolfe Ranch, the trailhead for Delicate Arch. This post goes as far as a side canyon where there are several small slots to explore. Enroute the Lost Spring Canyon trail encounters 4 different arches.
To get to the unmarked trailhead from Interstate 70 take Exit 193 and head south on the Yellow Cat Road. The first 5.8 miles of the road is as straight as an arrow. At the 9.3 mile point turn right, stay to the left at 10 miles and at 12 miles make a slight right onto the Lost Spring Canyon Road (unmarked). Continue for another 2 miles to the fork in this photo and find a place to park.
From the fork in the road the route travels over broken slickrock for about 750 feet where it comes to another fork. Stay to the left to continue down into Lost Spring Canyon.
The old jeep road is a bit steep at first as it travels over several rocky shelves but as it passes through an abandoned ranch and turns toward the canyon it levels out somewhat and becomes much easier.
Shortly after reaching the floor of the canyon the route passes through a swing fence as it crosses into Arches National Park.
Just past the 1 mile point from the trailhead the wash passes by the mouth of Fish Seep Draw. As the wash progresses it becomes wider and the vegetation begins thinning out.
Near the 1.7 mile point there is a side canyon on the left. To the right of the canyon and a little around the cliff is Cavern Arch. A portion of it can be glimpsed from the wash. On around the cliff from Cavern Arch is Millennium Arch. To get up to them follow one of the trails that climbs out of the wash. At this point we have already passed Lightening Bolt Arch but unless you know exactly where it is it's almost impossible to see while hiking down the canyon so we will pick it up on the return trip.
Cavern Arch is a window that has eroded through the roof of a large cave.
If you continue around the base of the cliff past Cavern Arch you will reach an area at the mouth of another stub canyon where the rock is potholed with a thousand dimples. Millennium Arch can be found near the top of the cliff. It is also easier to spot on the return trip.
Near the 2.3 mile point the side canyon of our destination comes up. As the wash passes the cliff at the mouth of the canyon find a path that climbs up to higher ground and into the side canyon.
Slot Canyon Hikes Moab Utah Elevation
About a quarter mile inside the canyon Convert Arch comes into view high up in a ridge on the south side near a cave.Continuing up the wash past Convert Arch the canyon splits into multiple branches several of which end in slots that have dry falls that are popular with canyoneers that repel into them from above.
For this post we hiked into the one of them before turning around and heading back.
Slot Canyon Hikes Moab Utah Rv Parks
On the hike back look for the rock formation in this photo on the west side of the canyon after passing Cavern Arch.
Slot Canyon Hikes Near Moab Utah
Lightening Bolt Arch doesn't have much of an opening yet so you have to get pretty close before you can see any sky through it.
Best Slot Canyon Hikes Moab Utah
There aren't any backcountry campsites in Lost Spring Canyon within the boundaries of Arches National Park but there are several good spots to camp near the trailhead while still on BLM land. At times people will pull camping trailers in and set them up along the Lost Spring Canyon Road as well as in other places along the drive in. We have also seen passenger cars that made it this far. People in 2 wheel drive vehicles should take care which roads they travel on because some of them can be very sandy. The route that we described via the Yellow Cat Road is generally hard packed during dry weather although there are a few hills that are a little rough. As far as hiking in Lost Spring Canyon goes we feel it is a backcountry paradise with lots of fun places to explore. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.