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Zion
Hiking Forum
The Ultimate Southwest Vacation includes Zion National Park, Utah!
Stay in Mount Carmel Junction, the heart of the parks, and
visit the treasures of the Southwest.
Zion Park 12 miles
Grand Staircase 9 miles
Sand Dunes 11 miles
Dixie Forest 22 miles
Cedar Breaks 45 miles
Red Canyon 47 miles
Coyote Butte 57 miles
Bryce Canyon 60 miles
North Rim 85 miles
Toroweap 90 miles
Plan your Zion National Park Vacation with our Utah Maps and
Information
In these pages you will find insiders information on Zion National
Park lodging, adventures and hikes. This detailed guide includes road maps, park
maps, pictures, trail beta, backpacking, history, fees, geology, flora, fauna,
campgrounds, things for kids to do and even information on Zion's hidden treasures.
Making summer memories in the Utah National Parks and National
Monuments.
Utah!
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Zion
National Park Map
Directions to Zion National Park
From Salt Lake City: Travel I-15 south, past Beaver.
Exit on Hwy 20. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take U-9 to Zion's east
entrance.
From Arizona: Travel 89A through Fredonia, Arizona
and Kanab Utah. Follow US-89 to to Mount Carmel Junction. Take U-9 to the east
park entrance.
From Las Vegas: Travel I-15 north. Take exit 16 and
travel through Hurricane. Make a right on U-9 at the second traffic light in
LaVerkin. Continue on U-9 to the south entrance of the park. U-9 through Zion
National Park is always open and is also called the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway.
Oversized
Vehicle Information
Zion
Canyon Shuttle Information
Although this is mostly a dry canyon there are times you will get quite wet, but most of the time this is a great spring canyon.
Mileage - Behunin Canyon
Grotto Picnic area to Scouts Lookout
1.75 miles/2.8km
Grotto Picnic Area to the
Trailhead at Behunin Canyon
4.7 miles/7.6km
Grotto Picnic Area to the first Long Rappel in
Behunin Canyon
6 miles/9.7km
Grotto Picnic Area to the Last Rappel in Behunin
Canyon
7.2 miles/11.6km
Total hike
8.5 miles/13.7km
GPS coordinates are only references and may or may not be accurate. Do not rely on GPS coordinates as the sole method of navigation. Always have an accurate, detailed map at hand and have the proper map reading and navigation skills before setting out on any hike. Many of the hikes listed in this guide travel into canyons where a GPS has limited capabilities. Always check your position with a detailed map before dropping into a canyon.
Beta: Coordinates and other trail and canyoneering information by Zion Park search and rescue veteran team member Bo Beck.
Suggested Gear: Rope, webbing, harness and rappelling device. A sturdy pair of shoes are recommend for canyoneering in Zion. Quality shoes will help grip the rocks and prevent injury. Experienced Zion hikers and canyoneers like the Sportiva Exum Ridge. This shoe is great for hiking, bouldering and canyoneering.
To offer trip reports, corrections, update or for more information please visit the Zion National Park Forum
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Behunin Canyon
This wide wash with long dropoffs is located west of Mount Majestic and drains into Emerald Pools which is the end of the hike. Isaac Behunin was the first settler in Zion Canyon and this canyon was named after him.
Behunin Canyon at a Glance
Photo Albums: Behunin
Canyon Pictures
Topo Map: Behunin
Canyon Topo
Map
Distance: 8.5 miles/km
round trip
Average Time: 9 hours
Difficulty: Technical canyoneering
skills required. This is a drier canyon that is nice to do in the spring or fall
when the other canyons are cold.
Equipment: Two 165' ropes or one rope and
a pullcord and biner block. Also webbing, harness, rappel device,
sticky rubber shoes, helmet and a dry bag.
Technical: Long rappels and downclimbing. Longest
rappel is 165'.
ACA Canyon Rating: 3A III
Permits:
Required for any technical canyoneering in Zion National Park. Group size max:
12 which is the maximum hikers allowed in the canyon per day.
Trail Conditions: Steep but well maintained paved trail
to the canyon up the West Rim Trail. November to May a narrow upper section
of the trail called "Little Siberia" is usually snow packed and dangerous.
Trailhead: Grotto Picnic Area - West Rim Trail
Trailend: Middle Emerald Pool
Off the Beaten Path: Yes
Classic Zion Canyon: Yes
Best Season: It gets hot in Behunin so many enjoy canyoneering
in the spring or fall.
Starting Elevation: 4320'/1317m
Elevation Gain: 2400'/732m
Hazards: Call the Zion
Canyon Visitors Center for weather conditions prior to the hike: (435) 772-3256.
Hiking in slot canyons presents a very real danger from flash flooding. Do not
hike this trail if it is raining. Remember a storm far off can trigger a flash
flood. Behunin has a moderate flash flood danger.
Water availability: Bring your own.
Restrooms: Restrooms are located at Scouts Lookout
(they close at times) and the Grotto Picnic area.
Canyoneering: Never enter a technical canyon without the knowledge and skills needed to safely explore and return. Rappelling and downclimbing skills are required to navigate through Behunin Canyon. Do not jump. Jumping in Zion's canyons have resulting in many broken bones. Many technical canyons, such as Behunin Canyon, also require excellent map reading skills to navigate. Behunin Canyon
The initial section of Behunin Canyon is bordered on the western side with
cliff faces and on the east side by low angled dirt and slick rock. Continue
south through Behunin Canyon. Gamble oak and Box Elders are the prominent large
vegetation in the canyon. Social
trails have developed through the canyon which make travel easier but are discouraged
due to the impact on the canyon.
Canyoneering in Behunin Canyon
Hike up the West Rim Trail and bypass the footbridge after dropping downhill into what is commonly referred to as "Little Siberia". Aproximately 1 mile past the bridge, the head of Behunin comes into view. (Do not continue up the long switchbacks blasted into the rock face that at the top of the West Rim and West Rim Spring.) A small trail through the vegetation appears on the left of the West Rim Trail, just prior to ascending the final switchbacks to the top of the West Rim. This trail descends to the head of Behunin Canyon. The path is dirt and quite steep, but soon leads onto low angle slab slickrock. Steer to the right once on the slickrock, bearing toward the dirt and vegetation to find once again the steep trail descending to the head of Behunin Canyon. Continue south through Behunin Canyon. About 15 minutes into the canyon are some small slickrock obstacles than can be chimneyed or scrambled over. About a half mile from the head of the canyon is a small pool that is often filled with water. The pool can be avoided by scrambling along the slickrock. The sandy wash soon narrows and the canyon walls provide shade for hikers and vegetation and small pools of water add to the nice scenery.
First Rappel - Breaking away from the sandy bottomed wash
and entering the slickrock pour off, some canyoneers choose to rappel down at
this point. Others choose to follow the ledge to the east, that runs along the
slickrock face, leading to a corner system that can be down-climbed to a required
rappel. Note the bright webbing wrapped around the base of a large ponderosa
pine tree on the south side of the wash. 165'
Second Rappel - The second rappel is done from a large ponderosa
pine tree sitting by itself in the middle of the massive slab of slickrock. This
rappel descends approximately 120' and at times becomes quite steep and overhanging.
You will arrive at a moderately sized bowl still 75' from the bottom of the main
wash of Behunin Canyon.
Third Rappel - The third rappel is accomplished by using
an anchor consisting of bolts placed on the right outside of the bowl as you
look out to the canyon floor below, and will bring you down approximately 100'
to the sandy canyon floor.
Forth Rappel - Walking downstream for approximately .25 miles
in the sandy wash you will come once again to slickrock in the wash; at this
point would will want to bear right and direct yourself towards a small patch
of bushes which are located in the slickrock below a large ponderosa tree. Just
below this patch of bushes will be another bolt anchor to be used to descend
approximately 75' into a slotted section of Behunin Canyon.
Fifth Rappel - After walking downstream for a period you
will once again arrive at a dropoff to your left that cuts thru the slickrock
and appears to be about a 40' drop into a pool of water below. By using a log
that has fallen across the wash as an anchor, you then can proceed to rappel
into the pool of water below. There is a social trail that bears off to the right
at the top of this rappel ,but is discouraged using it as to minimize impact
to the hillside it travels thru; at the end of this trail is a narrow ledge about
10' above the wash and a single bolt may be used to set up a handline or rappel.
Sixth Rappel - Once again continuing downstream you will
soon encounter a dryfall. If you scramble up and to the left onto a ridge you
will find a steep chute of loose ground which can be rappelled or downclimbed
to a large rock outcropping with a tree growing from the backside, perched 40'
above a Pool of water and short section of Slot Canyon. There are webbing slings
wrapped at the base of this tree (not visible until you arrive at the tree) which
are the anchors to rappel into the slot below. It is possible to stay out of
the pool and water with climbing and boulder hopping skills. If you choose to
stay dry and hop across to the rock platform below, you will then need to traverse
a balancy ledge to continue downstream.
Seventh Rappel - continuing downstream for a short distance
by scrambling a few boulders, you will have two options. Either stay left and
scramble up to a narrow ledge where you will find an anchor consisting of a bolt
and bush, or stay in the watercourse and downclimb past a large boulder in the
wash where you will find a webbing anchor underneath a large boulder/chockstone.
The latter anchor makes for an easier rope-pull from the bottom. Either rappel
you decide to do takes you down a slickrock wash that is approximately 100' until
you arrive at a large platform overlooking the Middle Emerald Pool and trails
below.
Eighth Rappel - drop off to the left of the Rock Slab into
the wash once again and you may see a chimney that drops off to your right. Carefully
ease down this chimney about 8' and walk out to the edge where you will find
a bolt anchor system for the final 155' rappel. This rappel is freehanging for
the final 110' and piggy-backing any large packs may make for an easier
more enjoyable descent.
Exit - Once you have finished this final rappel it is just
a .25 mile boulder hopping/best route finding/scramble down to meet up with the
Kayenta Trail out to the Grotto (1 Mile).
Zion Canyoneering
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