Zion National Park Canyoneering

What is "Canyoneering?
In Zion National Park, canyoneering and mountain climbing are the ultimate sports. If you're thinking of joining the world of canyoneering, be ready to lug a wetsuit up steep mountains, swim in dirty -ice cold water, climb up and down boulders and other obstacles, scale slick rocks and learn the technical skill and rope work required for rappelling and getting yourself through a canyon. This sport is not for the timid and faint of heart and can be thought of as hiking with a rope. Be sure that you never enter a technical canyon without the knowledge and skills needed to safely explore and return. Many canyons also require gps and excellent map reading skills. Bo Beck, a veteran on Zion's high angle Search and Rescue Team, has wrote most of the trail reports on this site that are in and around Zion National Park. Shane Burrows, another pioneer in the sport has wrote many of the other reports but he spreads his wings farther than the Zion area. Shane was one of the first to explore and record many of the technical slot canyons in Utah. His guide is an excellent resource for canyoneering in Moab, Capital Reef, Cedar Mesa, Escalante Canyons, Lake Powell, Robbers Roost, San Rafael Swell, Wasatch Mountains and of course Zion National Park. If you are interested in canyoneering, be sure to see Shane's climb-utah site.
Utah Canyoneering Climb Utah Store Zion Canyoneering Book

Backcountry permits are required for technical slot canyon's and most semi-technical slot canyons located in Zion National Park, but those canyons starting on the edge of the park can be explored without permits as long as the exit is outside the park boundary. Obtain current technical slot canyon details and the weather report from the backcountry desk at the park before attempting any technical slot canyon. Do your research and find out detailed information about the slot canyon you plan to explore.

The canyons on this page are listed in a general order of what we consider easiest to hardest, keeping in mind many different factors.

Zion Canyoneering	Canyon Approach	Canyon Exit	Total Mileage	Average Time RT	ACA Canyon Rating	Technical Beta
Zion Narrows	East Zion - 4WD North Fork Road	Temple of Sinawava - Zion Canyon	16 miles	13 hours	IB V	Slippery rocks, river hiking, some swimming.
Orderville Canyon	East Zion - 4WD North Fork Road	Zion Narrows to Temple of Sinawava	11 miles	8 hours	3B IV	Short rappels, river hiking, down-climbing, swimming. This is one of Zion's easiest canyons.
The Subway	Kolob Terrace - Wildcat Trailhead	Kolob Terrace - Left Fork Trailhead - Steep uphill hike	9.5 miles	7 hours	3B III	Short rappels, river hiking, down-climbing, swimming. This is one of Zion's easiest canyons.
Lower Red Cave	East Zion - Mount Carmel Jct. 3 miles 4WD or hike	East Zion - Mount Carmel Jct. 4WD	3 miles plus slot	4 hours	3A I	Short rappels, bouldering, down-climbing
Upper Red Cave	East Zion - Mount Carmel Jct. 6.3 miles 4WD or hike	East Zion - Mount Carmel Jct. 4WD	6.3 miles plus slot	2 hours	3B II	Bouldering, short up-climbs, downclimbing, swimming
Keyhole Canyon	Hwy 9 - 1.8 miles east of the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel	Hwy 9 - 1.8 miles east of the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel	.5 miles	2 hours	3B I	Short rappels, cold, narrow canyon swimming, Wetsuit suggested.
Rock Canyon	Parunuweap		see Beta	7 hours	3B III	See Beta
Boltergeist Canyon	Leeds/Silver Reef area, 3.5 miles south of the I15 Zion/ Toquerville exit.	End of the canyon and hike back to parking area.	See Beta	2 hours	3A I	See Beta
Yankee Doodle	Leeds/Silver Reef area, 3.5 miles south of the I15 Zion/ Toquerville exit.	End of the canyon and hike back to parking area.	1 mile	2 hours	3A I	One rappel and lots of down-climbing.
Pine Creek Canyon	East side of Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Easy Approach	Third Switchback below the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel	1.4 miles	5 hours	3B II	Last rappel:100', swimming cold pools, awkward starts. Wetsuit suggested
Echo Canyon	Weeping Rock parking lot to Observation Point Trail to the jct with the East Rim Trail.	Jct of Echo Canyon and Observation Point Trail to Weeping Rock parking lot	5 miles	5 hours	3B II	Several short rappels, down-climbing, awkward starts, swimming in cold water. Wetsuit suggested
Das Boot	Kolob Terrace - Wildcat Trailhead	Kolob Terrace - Left Fork Trailhead	10.8 miles	10 hours - includes Subway	3B III	Rappels up to 40', awkward down-climbs, swimming, cold water wetsuit required.
Red Hollow	East Zion - Orderville	East Zion - Orderville	see Beta	4 hours	3A II	See Beta
Behunin Canyon	Grotto to West Rim Trail 4.5 miles	Middle Emerald Pool	8.5 miles	9 hours	3A IV	Many long rappels up to 165', some down-climbing.
Mystery Canyon	East Zion - North Fork Road. Steep, difficult loose scree down hill hike.	Zion Narrows to Temple of Sinawava	6 miles	8 hours	3B IV	Many long rappels up to 130' some down-climbing, one mild waterfall to rappel.
Parunuweap Canyon	Checkerboard Mesa	East Zion - Mount Carmel Jct. 4WD	9 miles	12 hours	IC IV	River walking in wilderness setting, difficult route finding.
Fat Man's Misery	Checkerboard Mesa	East Zion - Mount Carmel Jct. 4WD	9 miles	12 hours	3B III	Short rappels up to 40', difficult down-climbs, route finding, swimming.
Birch Hollow	East Zion - North Fork Road. Drive right to the Trailhead.	Orderville Canyon to Zion Narrows to Temple of Sinawava	6.2 miles	12 hours	3B IV	Almost a dozen rappels, the longest is 100' and lots of down-climbing. Dry in Birch but swim in Orderville and possibly the Narrows.
Englestead Hollow	East Zion - 4WD North Fork Road	Orderville Canyon to Zion Narrows to Temple of Sinawava	8.5 miles	12 hours includes Zion Narrows	4A IV	Long rappels up to 280', difficult starts, river walking, down-climbing. Dry in Englestead but swim in Orderville and possibly the Narrows.
Spry Canyon	Canyon Overlook Parking lot on the east side of the tunnel.	Pine Creek Waterfall to the Pine Creek Bridge.	4.3 miles	8 hours	3B III	Many challenging rappels with difficult starts, one cold water swim, 95' mostly free hanging rappel finish.
Lodge Canyon (Mountain of the Sun)	Canyon Overlook Parking lot on the east side of the tunnel.	Zion Canyon near the Zion Lodge	4.3 miles	6 hours	4A III	Challenging rope work gives this canyon a more severe rating. Rappels up to 190' with 15' extended anchor.
Ice Box Canyon	Kolob Canyons - Lee Pass - Steep, long bushwhacking	Kolob Canyons Kolob Arch to Lee Pass	13 miles	16 hours	3B IV	Physically demanding, long day with route finding. Cold pool swim. Rappels up to 140'
Telephone Canyon	West Rim Trail	West Rim Trail	See Beta		3A III	See Beta
Boundary Canyon	Kolob Terrace to Lava Point	MIA or Zion Narrows	See Beta	8 hours	3A III	See Beta
Kolob Canyon	Kolob Terrace to Lava Point	Kolob Terrace - MIA. Extremely steep uphill hike to Lava Point	10 miles	13 hours	4C IV	Long day, dozen rappels. Difficult starts, downclimbing, cold water swimming, river walking, route finding, challenging rope work. Wetsuit required.
Imlay Canyon	West Rim Trail starting from Zion Canyon	Zion Narrows - Zion Canyon	See Beta	14 hours	4B R IV	One of Zion's most difficult canyons. Advanced Canyoneering skills are required.
Heaps Canyon	West Rim Trail starting from Zion Canyon	Upper Emerald Pool	See Beta	2 days	4B R V	One of Zion's most difficult canyons. Advanced Canyoneering skills are required.

Key: [East/South of Canyon Junction off hwy 9] [Cliff-side: Exposed scramble or ledge] [Slot: Slot Canyon or Narrows]
[Boulders: Climbing over boulders or up steep slabs] [ Scrambling: Hiking/Climbing up or down steep slick rock]
[Semi-Tech: Rope and climbing skills] [Technical: Advanced climbing or canyoneering]

Canyoneering Gear: A sturdy pair of shoes are recommended to hike many of the trails in Zion National Park. Quality hiking shoes will help grip the rocks and prevent injury. Experienced Zion hikers and canyoneers like the Sportiva Exum Ridge, Exum Rivers and 5-10 Canyoneers. These shoes are great for hiking, bouldering and canyoneering and they eliminate the need to carry an extra pair of shoes for canyons. More information

Zion's Canyoneering Limits: Subway and Keyhole 80 people per day and Pine Creek and Orderville can have 50 people travel through daily. Only 12 people are allowed in daily to the following zones: Icebox Canyon, Lodge Canyon, Kolob Creek Canyon, Imlay Canyon, Heaps Canyon, Englestead Canyon, Echo Canyon, Behunin Canyon, Spry Canyon, Mystery Canyon.

Semi-technical Slot Canyons in and near Zion National Park to explore: Subway, Red Cave, Orderville Canyon, Echo Canyon (non-technical section). These four impressive slot canyons require some rappelling to explore. A rope is needed for some downclimbs and those attempting the route should be fit and able to navigate obstacles and swim.

Zion National Park Technical Slot Canyons
Heaps Canyon, Fat Man's Misery, Imlay Canyon, Kolob Canyon, Behunin Canyon, Mystery Canyon, Englestead Hollow, Eye of the Needle, Pine Creek, Spry Canyon, and the Das Boot and Russell Gulch approach to the Subway. Keyhole is the technical canyon that is considered appropriate for beginners who have good rope and rappelling skills. If your skills are not up to par for technical canyoneering, try the Zion Narrows or the semi-technical canyons in Zion: Orderville Canyon and The Subway or the East Zion guides can take you to impressive Red Cave, located outside the park in East Zion.

Utah Canyoneering Forums: Zion Hiking Bogley Bogley
For more canyoneering info and current conditions

Zion Guides: Guiding is not allowed in Zion National Park, but guided tours can be taken to the impressive Red Cave slot canyon located on the east side of the park. This is a 4WD adventure where guides take you into the bowels of two skinny slot canyons.

Zion Canyoneering Guide