Mileage: 15.5 milesElevation gain: 1,017 feetDifficulty: DifficultEstimated Time: About 8 hours for the bottom-up hike and two days for the top-down trail.Entry Fee: $35Permits required? Over time, the eroded sandstone forms narrow channels, or canyons that cut deep into the cliffs and sandstone mountains found throughout Utah. Flash flooding can be very dangerous in a slot canyon. The Mary Jane Slot Canyon is one of Moab's hidden gems. There are so many great places to visittrying to find the time is the trick. As we set up camp near Arches National Park, the sun lit up the bluffs and the light melted into the western horizon. You dont need any special equipment for the hike, though you will need shoes that are comfortable when wet. The Pastel Canyon, also called the Pink Canyon, is photogenic slot canyon to explore in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Book Now: Lower Antelope Canyon / Antelope Canyon X Tour. Location: Page, Arizona Distance: Less than one mile Difficulty: Easy Read more: Lower Antelope Canyon: A Photographic Tour and Upper Antelope Canyon: A Journey in Photos. We followed the dry trail for about 10 minutes. Learn how to put all of this together in our Arizona Road Trip Itinerary. Overall, Id probably rate this hike as easy, even though its a bit longer and has more elevation gain than the other hikes in this slot canyon Utah guide. So, feel free to explore as much or as little of this canyon as you want. Please tag along! Here are several tours and entrance tickets to popular slot canyons in the American Southwest. The World Travel Guy 2023 The Little Wild Horse Canyon is a nice and easy slot canyon by the Goblin Valley State Park, about 2 hours from Moab, Utah. Moab is surrounded by a sea of buckled, twisted and worn sandstone sculpted by millennia of sun, wind and rain, Previous Group Plan a photographic getaway today! Wire Pass is a side canyon that intersects with Buckskin Gulch, and its actually easier to enter Buckskin through this route, since you spend much less time walking in the hot sun. Location: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument on Hole-in-the-Rock Road Distance: 5 miles Difficulty: The trail to the slot canyon is easy; the slot canyon can be challenging Read more: How to hike Zebra Canyon. Its almost like far-reaching fingers of deep-cut canyons throughout the region. The hike is dog-friendly and doable for school-age kids. Moab is home to the best slot canyons in Utah, making it the perfect place for slot canyon hikes ranging from easy to difficult. Check it out and plan your trip! Departure Times: Morning and Afternoon. This is one of the best slot canyons in Utah that sits less than two hours away from Moab in Green River, Utah. Next Group, You dont have to be Spider-Man to explore some of the best slot canyons Utah has to offer. Make your way over a few rock obstacles (youll need to use your hands) until you empty out on the backside of the canyon. The good news is that the Narrows is open to all fitness levels because you dont have to hike to the end of the gorge. Distance: 3.5 miles. Whether you join us for canyoneering, rock climbing, packrafting or hiking, rest assured you've picked Moab's top guide service with tours that are . We have not hiked Buckskin Gulch or Coyote Gulch yet, and dont know enough about them to offer any advice. Around the 2.0 miles mark the canyon curves to the southeast. It is possible to do this as one long day hike, going point to point, although some hikers do this in two days, camping overnight along the trail. LEARN MORE: How to Loop the Fold in Capitol Reef National Park. The Needles, or tall hoodoos (rock spires) give this area of Canyonlands National Park its name. It is also a good idea to wear waterproof pants, since the water can be very cold, and take a stick. Not only are slot canyons unique in their beauty, but they offer memorable adventure's filled with rappelling, climbing and hiking through pristine areas. Hiking within the narrow canyon, hopping and skipping over the creek, and watching as the canyon walls steadily grow higher and higher as you head downstream is such a great experience. From there, it is a one-mile easy walk on a paved trail alongside the river to the start of the slot canyon and The Narrows hike. As the longest-known slot canyon in the world, Buckskin Gulch is a true wonder. One warning for Mary Jane Slot Canyon is that, like with any other slot canyon, you do NOT want to hike this during or right after a rainstorm due to the possibility of a flash flood. Its a great little known place NW of Santa Fe. Utah is home to several great dog-friendly national parks and other fun destinations. The solitude is one of the appealing features of this trek. Photo: Lukas Schlagenhauf. Best of all, this slot dumps you right at the intersection in Buckskin Gulch where you can see some petroglyphs on the canyon wall. Book a Trip Today! There are several side canyons that allow for exploring tighter slot canyons. Of course I have to mention the mother of all slot canyons, the Zion Narrows! Although you dont need any technical gear, a helmet isnt a bad idea since youll be climbing up and down 10-foot sections of rock. Yes, but it may be too long for younger kids. So, if youre not an experienced canyoneer then be sure to bring a friend who is. Best season: Year-round. Read these additionalresourcesto learn how to travel thoughtfully and experience Moab most fully. How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. My wife Intan and I are usually in our second home Bali, but our journeys take us to destinations all over the world. The drive in. You can turn around at any point, but most people hike/ wade as far as the Wall Street section, which is three miles in. Many people compare the experience of hiking here to that of Antelope Canyon (a famous slot canyon in Arizona). NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries. The trailhead is located six miles from Goblin Valley State Park. Its narrower, but not really the iconic slot canyon. Sunscreen. Also horse friendly.Highlights: Water. Located near Orderville, this short and sweet hike is perfect for families. Summers are hot. But Moab also offers lots of excellent trails with the same spectacular scenery without the crowds or entrance fees. Take the Behind the Reef Road for 1.5 miles until you reach signs for nearby Bell Canyon. The out-and-back hike ends with a three-story waterfall hidden in a slot canyon. A waterfall and wildflowers. Local Tip: There are a lot of other amazing things to do in the San Rafael Swell, so its worth it to spend a couple of days exploring this under-rated area. Print/PDF map. This destroys the natural feel of the canyon and can disrupt the homes of animals. Enjoy hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you. No.Highlights: Scrambling, canyoneering skills, beautiful rock formations and a stunning drive to the canyon. You can see the LaSals peaking out from behind the mesas, and you should be able to see the famous Priest & Nuns rock formation to the SW. We had a Tacoma, but small cars can make it. Dont worry youll be rewarded with and adventure-filled day in a stunning setting. You can hike the Zion Narrows as a quick day hike, hiking from the bottom-up. Leave it better than you found it. This is a great one for beginners. . And then when youre done, just go back the way you came. If youre hiking in a slot canyon, youll want to carry WAG bags or special toilet in a bag kits that are designed to pack out human waste. Lastly, climbing up is always easier than climbing down. Its possible to hike the entire Narrows in one full day if you get a permit in advance, but most people just go partway and then turn back (no permit required for that). Meet three National Ability Center staffers who live outdoor adventuring. There are a bunch of good slot canyons near Zion National Park, and its possible to combine one or two of these with a visit to the park. Looking for advice on slot canyons to hike for a 1/2 to full day. Entry Fee: $5 per person and $5 per dogPermits required? Next Group. In spite of the difficulty and awkwardness, we still had tremendous fun doing this hike, and its undoubtedly one of the best slot canyons in Utah! It can be blazing hot in the desert, but slot canyons see little sun. Season: April - November. Finally, we reached the Mary Jane slot canyon waterfall! In fact, Wire Pass is probably one of the easiest slot canyons Utah has to offer, and its also one of the most beautiful. The other good news is that the Dry Fork Narrows are wider and tamer than the slot canyons at Spooky and Peekaboo, so you can just relax and enjoy the scenery as you walk through. A perfect day of Rocks-and-River: combine a half day of canyoneering with a late day Colorado River rafting tour! As an affiliate, I only recommend products and services that I feel are high quality and helpful to my readers. Willis Creek features a creek, waterfall, and plenty of water to play in. But if you like adventure then Ding and Dang Canyons are for you. The premiere way to experience Canyonlands is from the ethers. Our whole trip is about 11 days and we will be traveling down to Zion and Bryce as well so we really dont have a preference on location. As you visit, do your part to keep Utah Forever Mighty. Never hike in a slot canyon with a rainy forecast. Get your app, Hiking the Panorama Trail, Kodachrome Basin State Park. A permit is necessary, even if you do it as a day hike. Discover this 8.4-mile out-and-back trail near Moab, Utah. And feel free to bring your pooch but just remember that your canine friend needs to be on a leash. Every guided tour is private, so your adventure is tailored to the abilities and goals of your group. Spooky Canyon is extremely tight. An incredible canyoneering introduction, with two rappels: 100' into a hidden chasm, and 110' off a giant rock arch! Whenever you buy something through one of these links, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. But Moab also offers lots of excellent trails withthe same spectacular scenery without the crowds or entrance fees. Its not only ungodly hot, but the monsoon season in the desert brings torrential rains to canyon systems. From here youll see the Dry Fork Narrows to the left (save that for last) and a slot canyon that starts about 10-feet up a rock wall. Hike Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and More with Wildland Trekking - Expert Local Guides, #1 on Trip Advisor. For many hikers, this is a hike that makes the bucket list. But if you only have time for one, how to you decide which one to visit? Our website uses cookies. It's a good idea to download an offline map of your hiking area on an app like Google Maps, that way you can keep using it to navigate or find your position even when you're out of reception. During the first part of the trail, you will find yourself walking next to a creek, but soon you will enter the slot canyon and the only choice will be to walk directly through the water. Lower Antelope Canyon is narrower at the bottom. Its located less than an hour from the popular Bryce and Escalante areas, so its definitely a good one to add to your Utah road trip! These magnificent hikes, located in the Dry Fork area of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument area, can be done individually, but they make for a killer loop you can tackle in one afternoon of adventure. Often filled with water, wetsuits are recommended for this hike. Also, dont build cairns or put pebbles in holes. PLACES TO GO IN ARIZONA: Go hiking in Sedona, visit Saguaro National Park and Petrified Forest National Park, explore Monument Valley, photograph Antelope Canyon, and visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Experiencing the peace of canyon country in the winter is an attraction of its own. Youll hike many different trails to reach the Joint Trail, unless you have an OHV permit to drive the Butler Flat Road (high-clearance 4WD required). Hiking slot canyons in the summer can be extremely dangerous. No. The desert is a delicate place and waste does not break down, so packing out your poo (or using toilets at trailheads) is the best way to respect this fragile environment. Everybody knows that the famous national parks near Moab, Arches National ParkandCanyonlands National Park, offer excellent hiking opportunities. - . Professor Creek and Mary Jane Canyon Trail. The narrowest part is just over a foot wide, meaning youll have to walk sideways to get through the canyon! Beautiful desert scenery. After climbing quickly to the valley, the trail traverses it below gorgeous, towering cliffs. While Arches has no real "slot canyons," many of its sandstone walls are cross-hatched with narrow passages appropriate for this type of exploration. Willis Creek Slot Canyon is one of the lesser known Utah canyons. Want to bring your furry friend on your next vacation? Utah offers all kinds of adventurous day trips for visitors start planning your getaway today. . 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