Jul 26, 2017
By: Mo Edwards
Exploring Slot Canyons- Exploring Slot Canyons - Utah has the densest population of slot canyons in the world due to the eroding soft sandstone and arid conditions found in the state. Although most people have heard of two or three slot canyons, there are actually over one-thousand slot canyons south of I-70.
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!
- Aside from the long drive over rough road, Hole in the Rock Road is home to some amazing landscapes, filled with slot canyons and hikes galore. It cuts through part of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
- While on our annual pilgrimage to the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park in Utah, we stopped to rest in the shade of the Holeman Slot Canyon. It had rained the night before.
- Slot Canyons Inn is located between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks on Scenic Byway 12 in Escalante, Utah. This area is considered one of the most scenic sections of the United States with majestic canyons, mountains and plateaus.
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. Baldwin mail slots for doors. 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!
Slot Canyon Inn Utah
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.
Slots Canyon Inn Utah
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
Slots Canyon Inn Utah
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.
Slot Canyon Inn 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.
1380 West Stone Canyon Lane, PO Box 156, Tropic, Utah 84776
At Bryce Canyon National Park!
The finest Inn and Hotel in the area with Secluded Cabins, Bungalows
Tree Houses, Deluxe King Rooms & Guest House!
Tree Houses, Deluxe King Rooms & Guest House!
Stay at the Stone Canyon Inn, a wonderful Hotel in Tropic Utah, and complete your lodging at Bryce Canyon with our Restaurant and its wonderful vistas from our spacious deck.
Our views of Bryce Canyon National Park are just breathtaking. Reserve your front row seat to some of nature’s greatest accomplishments. When you’re lodging at our Bryce Canyon Hotel, you will love exploring the surrounding area and relaxing each night while enjoying incredible views from any of our rental units. Free no limit texas hold'em poker games online no download.
Rated one of the ten best lodging properties in the United States for getting lost in the outdoors
Conde Nast Traveler Magazine
View Accommodations
View Accommodations
Our Hotel property, in Utah, affords you views of the park and the surrounding areas. From our large deck facing east, you can sit outside and enjoy a magnificent dinner. In the late afternoon, as the sun sets, it will “light up” Powell Point – a 10,000+ plateau across our eastern valley.Later, as the sky darkens for the night, that same deck offers you world famous star gazing while enjoying your dinner.
Our view from the front of the Inn is spectacular! You’ll get to see parts of Bryce Canyon that can only be seen from our vantage point! You can look up from your living room or patio and see Bristlecone Ridge, Sinking Ship, Fairyland Amphitheater, Sunrise and Sunset Points. Many facilities in the area only show views of the trees, buildings or parking – we have the park itself, looking right down on our Inn – how fantastic is that?
Enjoy your Bryce Canyon lodging with us while in Southern Utah. It will be as simple as stepping out your door, into your choice of adventures. Spend your time hiking Bryce Canyon, Willis Creek Narrows, Kodachrome State Park, Red Canyon and the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
All of these spectacular landscapes are just outside our doorstep. Our Hotel Lodging gives you the best of both – an ideal location and unsurpassed accommodations. With the beauty of our National Park at your fingertips and a cozy inn nestled at its feet, you will have an unforgettable vacation.
When you’re lodging with us you will love the customer service you receive as well as the level of comfort to be enjoyed. Don’t look further than Tropic, Utah for your lodging needs. Reserve any one of our fabulous rental units today – in order to experience the unique beauty that is found in only in Bryce Canyon and the surrounding area.
Dark Rangers Telescope Tours
A Great Local Family Business
Stargazing through Telescopes while visiting the darkest night sky region in North America – Bryce Canyon National Park
https://www.darkrangertelescopetours.com/
A fantastic way to spend your evening!
Bryce Canyon
Promising exceptional scenery, unforgettable adventures,
and something for everyone!
Hikers, Solo Travelers, and Families.
and something for everyone!
Hikers, Solo Travelers, and Families.
Delightful Inn and Best Food in the Area
PAM R. From: Bloomington, IN
We stayed at Stone Canyon to visit Bryce. We found the Inn to be delightful and the staff very attentive. The cottages are wonderful with fireplaces, great beds and baskets of goods to stave off any hunger.
We dined at their restaurant – Stone Hearth Grill – for two nights and found the food great. We enjoyed a great bottle of wine the first night from the wine list. The next night we enjoyed our own (with a corking fee) as we had purchased some in Colorado on the drive down.
Michael was our waiter the first night and was wonderful. He gave advice on what hikes to do in Bryce and Zion. Great place and wonderful to have such a great restaurant to dine in after a long day of hiking.
Hidden paradise!
Date of stay: March 2020
Trip type: Traveled with family
Trip type: Traveled with family
We arrived a little early, but were checked in with no problem. Our bungalow was just adorable. Very cozy and comfortable. It began to snow after we settled in so the fireplace came on with the touch of a button and we enjoyed the scenery before dinner. Dinner was a 5 star meal and with the big windows we could enjoy the beautiful mountains. We had to leave very early the next morning to make a flight in Las Vegas. I wish we could have just tucked ourselves away for a week at this wonderful property!
Amazing sleek and modern cottage
Date of stay: March 2020
We stayed for 3 nights in a wonderful newly built and modern cabin with parking next to it, a patio in the back, a small kitchenette. We had a king sized bed but still had room for our backpacks, suitcases, etc. There were also two upholstered chairs that were comfortable for drinking coffee before setting out. Between Bryce Canyon NP and Kodachrome State Park.
The restaurant wasn’t open our first night as it was the beginning of the season, but it was very convenient when it did open.
Tranquility Plus!!!!
Date of stay: March 2020
This is a wonderful place to stay! It is away from anything so is super peaceful and tranquil! Yet, close enough to Bryce National Park so super convenient. We checked in late (with prior arrangements) and we never saw a human while we were there, only the many rabbits who greeted us!
The cabin was very, very clean and super nice! Two large bedrooms, two baths, an awesome walk in shower, fireplace and our own private hot tub!
I wish we could have stayed longer, next time we will!
The cabin was very, very clean and super nice! Two large bedrooms, two baths, an awesome walk in shower, fireplace and our own private hot tub!
I wish we could have stayed longer, next time we will!
Beautiful property close to Bryce NP
Date of stay: January 2020
Had a wonderful night in one of the cabins at Stone Canyon Inn and would have liked to stay longer. Two bedrooms, two baths, our own hot tub on the deck, and kitchen made this a perfect home-away-from-home while visiting the national park. Front desk staff was very helpful as I inadvertently reserved the cabin on line for the wrong night… not once but twice (!). Thankfully, they were able to change our reservation once we spoke to them live. They are just a bit off the main road in Tropic, which makes for a lovely, quiet setting. Cabin was clean, beds comfy, full kitchen if wanting to cook your own meals (although you’d have to bring all your own spices, etc. because they only had salt/pepper). Their restaurant was closed for the winter so we got take-out from the BBQ place in town (which was pretty good). Would definitely stay here again.
Best Place to Stay Near Bryce!
Date of stay: December 2019
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
We just checked out today and I am already missing our cabin at Stone Canyon Inn. My husband and I travel frequently all over the U.S. and globally. Our beautiful cabin here was our favorite place we’ve stayed all year—as well as the cleanest and most cozy and comfortable. We stayed in a cabin with its own private hot tub and every night after hiking Bryce we soaked and watched the stars for over an hour (and the stargazing here is phenomenal due to low light pollution). We had all the amenities we needed and were constantly mesmerized by the beautiful views out every single window. An adorable little deer visited outside our window most days. We loved it here so much that we extended our stay for a 3rd night, and I wish we would have stayed even longer. We are already planning our next visit! Thank you so much for your hospitality and for creating such a lovely place for travelers! ❤️