Introduction:
What? :
Buckskin Gulch is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the Southwest.
This is amazing in and out hike, were you can go inside the canyon as far as you want and come back the same way.
This can be few hours hike (go as far as you want) or about 3 days backpacking trip with overnight camping, hiking all the way to the Colorado River near Lees Ferry.
Where? :
Buckskin Gulch trailhead located at the Wire Pass to
Buckskin Gulch parking lot on House Rock Valley Rd.; this is just on the Utah/Arizona
border.
Google Map Link
When? :
Prefer time when it is not hot but can be done also during the summer months because the canyon is shaded.
Winter can be cold so wear appropriate clothing.
after rain or floods you will have a lot of mud in the canyon and also standing water that you will need to cross, this can be knee level or up to need to swim sections.
In any season bring enough water with you.
You can't hike here when it is raining in this location or way up stream, there is a real danger of flash flooding in the narrow canyon.
Related Blogs:
Due note 1:
This is considered one of the most dangerous hikes in the United States due to the extreme flash flood danger.
Be aware of flashflood warning and rain condition many 10’s of miles up the river.
Do NOT get into the narrow canyon in such condition.
For more information consult at Kanab BLM station.
Due note 2:
The trail is also good at summer day because it is mainly covered by the canyon wall shade.
Bring enough water and warm clothing during colder day.
Due note 3:
The hiking Trailhead is located 8.4 miles from the highway 89, when
it is not fully wet or the crossing of a muddy reverbed is impossible the dirt road is accessible to all vehicles.
One time we visit here right after night of heavy rain and the road was good for call cars.
Due note 4:
For overnight canyon hike permit contact Kanab BLM office.
My thoughts:
The longest slot canyon ever, just keep going as long as you want and once you need to go back just turn around and enjoy it again.
I’ve been here twice 23 years apart and at both times it was a unique experience,. As you go farther away it is just you and the tall canyon walls…
Highly recommended hike, go as
far as you want and enjoy the canyon.
The
visit:
From the large turn on hwy 89 turn into House Rock Valley Rd., dirt road accessible to all vehicles, not recommended when wet.
Drive south for 8.4 miles and park your
car at Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch, a well maintained parking lot on House Rock
Valley Rd. (self-pay fee point).
You can
also get to this parking lot from the south side of the road. this will be much longer dirt road drive, take
the same dirt road, this time north, out of hwy 89A.
The hike starts at the riverbed of wire pass and after walking for 1.4 miles in the open landscape the trail starts to narrow and get into the canyon.
This is a nice narrow section, passing wooden ladder and few hundred more feet in and the narrow canyon will take you to the open
junction with the Buckskin Gulch Canyon, coming from the left heading down to the right.
The main
trail keeps going turning to your right (down the canyon).
The canyon do not have running water but can get into narrow section where there are rock "holes" of standing water that you need to cross.
Here you are in the main canyon and you can go as far as you want down the canyon.
I went
for 2 hr and i saw how the canyon landscape is changing, sometimes it is very narrow canyon with
wave formation walls, some time it is a lot wider and the tall walls going flat all the way up.
Sometime
the canyon is shoulder wide narrow slot canyon where you can’t see the sky and
in other places it can be 40-50 feet apart.
Depending
when it rained last time you can have pool sections to cross or mud on the
canyon floor., usually muddy water pools are not deeper than waist high, the
water can be cold, without sun reaching down to the canyon floor it will be very cold.
Because
the canyon is twisting and turning all the time, depending on sun location you
can have sun-ray going all the way to the canyon floor, in other places it is
very dark.
Once you
had enough hiking or reach your time limit turn around and hike back to the parking lot.
Important note:
When going back on your trail do not miss the turning left back into wire pass canyon, you can’t miss it on your left.
Actually one time I was so focus on the walk itself that I did missed it, I manage to see I'm off only after hiking for about half a mile up :-)
If you keep going up on the main Buckskin
Gulch you will reach an opening in the canyon after a mile.
The overall length of this Canyon section is 13.5 miles to the Paria confluence from Wire
Pass so this is not one day in&out hike !
www:
https://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/buckskin_gulch/canyon.html
https://www.yourhikeguide.com/buckskin-gulch/
https://utah.com/hiking/buckskin-gulch
https://www.visitutah.com/things-to-do/slot-canyons/buckskin-gulch
https://www.backpacker.com/skills/america-s-10-most-dangerous-hikes-buckskin-gulch-ut
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