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.
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.
Zion
Search and rescue veteran Bo
Beck, on the fist rappel in Spry Canyon.
Canyoneering: Never enter technical canyon without the knowledge and skills needed to safely explore and return. Rappelling and downclimbing skills are required to navigate through Spry Canyon. Do not jump. Jumping in Zion's canyons have resulting in many broken bones. Many technical canyons, such as Spry Canyon, also require GPS skills or excellent map reading skills to navigate.
GPS Coordinates
WGS84 Datum
Spry Canyon:
Trailhead at Pine Creek
37°12.9265N
112°56.1408W
Scramble up and Left
out of Pine Creek
37°13.3890N
112°56.2860W
Bridge Over Pine Creek Parking
(Trail End)
37°12.9825N
112°57.9321W
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 and www.zionnational-park.com author, Tanya Milligan.
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.
Spry Canyon is an exciting and challenging slot canyon to explore. The downclimbing along this route is difficult compared to many of Zion's other slot canyons. The route begins by hiking into Zion's Upper Pine Creek and climbing up the mountainside, before dropping down into the canyon. At the first of the canyon, there is a drop into a little sandy hole where a wonderful free standing arch is found. The route ends in Pine Creek.
Spry Canyon at a Glance
Photo Albums: Spry Canyon Pictures Topo Map: Spry
Canyon Topo Map Distance: 4.25 miles/6.8km
round trip Average Time: 8 hours Difficulty: Technical canyoneering skills required.
This is a drier canyon with more than a dozen rappels that is nice to do in the
spring or fall when the other canyons are cold. Equipment: Two 170' ropes, 20' webbing, harness,
rappel device, ascending gear, appropriate shoes, helmet and a dry bag. Technical: Several rappels with difficult starts.
Longest rappel is 170'. ACA Canyon Rating: 3B III Permits:
Required for any technical canyoneering in Zion National Park. Group size max:
12 Trail Conditions: Steep slickrock scrambling on the
approach and a boulder strewn path on the exit. Trailhead: Canyon Overlook parking lot Trailend: Pine Creek Bridge Off the Beaten Path: Yes, only 12 are allowed in Spry
Canyon each day. Classic Zion Canyon: Yes Best Season: It gets hot in Spry Canyon so many enjoy
canyoneering in the spring or fall. Total Climbing: 700'/213m
Total Descending: 1200'/366m Hazards: Low flash flood danger. Water Availability: Bring your own. Restrooms: Restrooms are located at the Canyon Junction
parking lot.
Spry Canyon Trailhead
Car Shuttle - Park one vehicle at the Pine Creek bridge and the other at the
Canyon Overlook parking lot located on the east side of the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel
or park at the Canyon Overlook parking lot and hitchhike back to your car after
the hike.
Walking east from the tunnel, the first drainage to the left is Shelf Canyon.
Continue up the road to the next drainage, located .4 miles from the tunnel.
This is Upper Pine Creek. Drop down into the sandy bottom of the drainage and
hike north for about .5 miles to the waterfall. Just past the waterfall is the
best location to climb up (west) the slickrock. Note how the rock curves down,
just to the left of the waterfall. Water runs through Pine Creek so prepare to
get your feet wet.
The Steep Slickrock Scramble Uphill
Pick your way up the weaknesses always being aware of ledge systems that make
the travel easier. Soon there is a fairly steep section that wants to draw you
to the right, but if you continue up and to the left on the steep slab, the travel
soon becomes much easier. You will eventually gain a plateau and much easier
traveling as you bear to your right a bit. Aim for a large drainage in the center
of what is soon to become a large slickrock basin. Once inside the basin aim
for the right (north) side of the basin where you will find ramps that will take
you up higher into the basin.
Staying on the right side of this bowl will afford weaknesses in the form
of north running ramps. At a point almost at the top of the saddle there is a
fairly tall (25') wall that contains a panel of petroglyphs. Its one mile at
this point. Travel the ramp up and to the right of this panel where shortly you
will arrive at the saddle with views to the west, of the West Temple looking
thru Spry Canyon. The East Temple is to the left, Twin Brothers to the right
of Spry Canyon, and Deertrap Mountain to the north. The views looking east and
south are magnificent showing the diversity of the eastern Zion terrain.
From the saddle, travel to the wash below is best done by dropping a 100'
to the west, then veering north to get around the right side of a cliff band
and then pick your way down the weaknesses to arrive at the wash below. The wash,
depending where you enter will eventually take you to the west between East Temple
and Twin Brothers. After traveling thru the wide open wash and a bit of bush
whacking in the wash for a relatively short distance (.35 miles) you will encounter
the first rappel.
Spry Canyon Technical Section
Rappelling skills are required to navigate through this slot canyon. Remember
slot canyons can change dramatically in a short time due to flash floods and
water levels in this canyon change. These directions are only a general reference.
Be prepared for variations in the canyon.
First Rappel - There is a drilled baby angle and a bolt with hanger on the
left side as you work your way down the slickrock. This rappel descends a total
of 165' on a low angle sandstone slab. Continue down canyon for another .35 miles.
This is where the canyon narrows.
Second Rappel - Rappel 20' from a tree on the right side into a narrowing
slot below. At the bottom of this short drop there is a very pretty bridge where
you can sit and enjoy lunch or a rest. The arch is small but very pretty.
Third Rappel - As you stand the next rappel or downclimb is just a few feet
away and drops 12' from a root jam into a small pool of water below. This can
be a difficult start for many canyoneers.
Forth Rappel - Next comes a short downclimb and a couple dry falls that can
be skirted on the right side. The next rappel is soon to come down a narrow slit
off another root anchor into another pool of water.
Fifth Rappel - This rappel offers a challenge and somewhat of problem just
to get to the anchors. There is a fluted slit in the sandstone with the 2 bolt
anchor located on the right side wall above the drop of 50'. Use caution as you
reach to thread the rope thru the anchor. There is a tree set back 25' on the
left side to establish an edge line if you don't feel comfortable trying to make
the reach across the chasm for the anchor.
Sixth Rappel - This obstacle comes soon after and requires that you work your
way down the slickrock water course (skirt right around bushes near the top)
then about 150' down and across a ledge on the left to a 2 bolt anchor. This
drop of about 80' puts you into a particularly pretty slotted section of the
canyon.
Seventh Rappel -
This rappel is 2 stage and 95' and is accomplished from a sling around a large boulder chockstone above your head.
Eight Rappel - Another rappel presents itself almost immediately by using
a 2 bolt anchor, dropping you 25' into a bowl and then across the bowl to another
10' drop to the wash below.
Ninth Rappel - Don't put away the rope yet. You soon come
to a bend to the right and a 2 bolt anchor on the right that enables you to descend
directly below, 40' into a pool of water, or you may want to use the anchors
to protect a traverse down canyon to a sling anchor threaded through an arch
on the left wall directly above the slot and a 35' drop to the dry floor and
then another 10' into a 20' long, very cold deep wader or swimmer.
Tenth Rappel - Once again almost immediately comes another drop (2 bolts)
of 65' down a flute into a large sandy bowl below.
Eleventh Rappel - From this bowl climb out on the left side to a large ledge
and tree anchors to make the last rappel for a while of 70'.
Exit Spry Canyon
There is a sign at the bottom of this rappel that asks you to remain in the
rocky watercourse to prevent erosion to the hillside on the right and left
of the wash. Please abide by this. Its more fun to do some boulder hopping anyway.
Twelfth Rappel - Not too far down the boulder wash will come a large cliff
band "Lambs Tongue" that provides you with the last and very spectacular
rappel of 95' by using a tree anchor.
Work your way down the boulder wash towards Pine Creek. At the last cliff
band just above Pine Creek, your option of turning right or left becomes apparent
and the direction you opt will depend on whether you have parked your shuttle
vehicle at the bridge over Pine
Creek (easiest exit) or at the switchback (more
difficult).
The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired in value
