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Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley
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×Buckskin Gulch, a canyon in southern Utah and one of the main tributaries of the Paria River, which is a minor tributary of the Colorado River, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest. This is one of the best hike we’ve ever did. The rock color is so amazing unlike anything we’ve ever seen. 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.
- This slot canyon hike is the perfect example of the little-known treasures just waiting to be discovered in our state. Located just outside of Las Vegas, this trail leads you into a rugged and gorgeous canyon landscape that looks like something from a different world.
- Willis Creek Slot Canyon begins at the Willis Creek Trailhead, located in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The trail is very easy to find and follow. It begins winding through junipers for several hundred feet before dropping gradually into a wash, at which point it meets up with Willis Creek.
- The granddaddy of all slot canyons is The Narrows in Zion National Park. Walls rise nearly 2000 feet and are only 30 feet apart at the extremes. Other slot canyons have a different appeal and are unique in their own way. For more information about.
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Deep, dark canyon through dull-colored sandstone, thin-layered in some places and nicely eroded. The narrows extend for about a mile, then the gorge gradually opens out and pine trees grow beside the streambed
Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley
Length: 2.8 miles, to the junction with Hackberry Canyon
Difficulty: Easy to moderate; dryfalls, chokestones, muddy pools
Management: BLM - partly within Grand Staircase-Escalante NM
Rocks: Navajo sandstone
Season: Spring, summer, fall
Trailhead:1.5 miles along Rush Beds Road
Rating (1-5):★★★★★
Many narrow canyons cut into the foothills of the Difficulty: Easy to moderate; dryfalls, chokestones, muddy pools
Management: BLM - partly within Grand Staircase-Escalante NM
Rocks: Navajo sandstone
Season: Spring, summer, fall
Trailhead:1.5 miles along Rush Beds Road
Rating (1-5):★★★★★
Kaiparowits Plateau at the center of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and two of the Paria River drainage system have become quite well known - Bull Valley Gorge and Round Valley Draw. Waters of the latter flow south into the larger, wider Hackberry Canyon which then joins Cottonwood Creek, and this in turn meets the main river, a couple of miles south of the site of the old town of Paria.The canyon formed by Round Valley Draw has about a half mile of deep, cool narrows through the light-colored, narrow layered Navajo sandstone rocks typical of this region. There are a couple of dryfalls to overcome but no major obstacles and the most interesting section can be explored in just 2 hours.
Map
Topographic map of Round Valley Draw.
Location
The canyon is reached by Cottonwood Canyon Road - the useful shortcut between US 89/Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon National Park. From the north end it is a 14 mile drive south then east, past the turning to Kodachrome Basin State Park, up and over several steep ridges to the streamway, which crosses the road a few miles before the frequently visited landmark of Grosvenor Arch. A side track is signposted to Round Valley Draw - this follows the shallow valley south for 1.5 miles, near to where the canyon deepens. There is one difficult stream crossing early on, then a second soon before the start of the narrows, just before which is a good place for parking, although the road does continue - it runs in the creek bed for a while then up the far side, on to the Rush Beds plateau and Booker Canyon. Off road vehicles can drive further down the creek, right to where the deep part of Round Valley Draw begins. In the late 1990s the BLM installed a trail register nearby, and it shows that on average one or two groups visit the canyon every day during the summer months.
Photographs
8 views of Round Valley Draw.
Route Description
After a 20 minute walk downstream from the parking area, the canyon proper starts abruptly - the creek cuts into the top of the Navajo sandstone layer via a three-stage drop of 15 feet, descent of which may be aided by a tree stump wedged between the rocks. This is easy enough going down but moderately difficult to climb back up. Most of the gorge thereafter is often muddy although usually without any major pools; a few days after rainfall the deepest water that requires wading is typically just 1.5 feet. The early narrows are particularly pretty with lots of thin tilted strata eroded into curves and ridges, and plenty of places where the sun illuminates the passageways and reflects along the canyon walls.
Soon after the entrance there is an alternative means of entry down the west side of the gorge - a near-vertical climb of about 30 feet using stepped rock ledges, which may be an easier egress point if there is no tree stump to aid the climb out of the upper end of the canyon. After here, Round Valley Draw deepens steadily, becomes quite dark in places with overhanging rocks partially hiding the sky above. A slightly wider section with many large fallen rocks ends in a drop of around 15 feet - an obstacle that may need a rope to overcome though at other times an easier route is possible underneath the final large boulder.
Next is the narrowest, deepest part of the draw, then the walls become less sheer and the canyon gradually opens out while continuing to deepen. Trees and bushes begin to grow at the sides and there is not much change for the next 1.5 miles, to the junction with Hackberry Canyon. Two climb-out routes along steep short, side canyons on the west side offer alternative ways back to the start point. A round trip (5.5 miles) to the Hackberry junction takes around 3 hours.
Booker Canyon
Buckskin Gulch
Bull Valley Gorge
Cottonwood Wash
Lick Wash
Paria River
Starlight Canyon
Willis Creek
Wire Pass
Buckskin Gulch
Bull Valley Gorge
Cottonwood Wash
Lick Wash
Paria River
Starlight Canyon
Willis Creek
Wire Pass
Slot Canyon Monument Valley
Similar Canyons
Bull Valley Gorge
Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, Utah
★★★★★
Lick Wash
Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, Utah
★★★★★
Little Death Hollow
Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, Utah
★★★★★
Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Fair
Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Of Fire
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The Little Wild Horse trailhead is located five miles west of the Goblin Valley State Park Visitor Center along an improved dirt road, aptly named Little Wild Horse Road. There are signs at the trailhead parking lot to help you find the correct starting point. An initial scramble near the canyon’s entrance may feel difficult for beginners and families with children, but it’s doable for most hikers, especially if a taller member of the party is willing to lend a boost to the others. This is about as tricky as the canyon gets, so if you can make it through here, you’re good to go.
You’ll encounter near-endless rock formations and swirls along the eight-mile course. Whether you have kids or are still a kid at heart, you will have a blast creatively shimmying and winding through the canyon’s narrow slots. Occasionally, the canyon will open up wider to offer a little extra breathing room.
About halfway through, you’ll get to the top of Little Wild Horse and must decide whether you want to return the way you came or form a loop by following a dirt road toward the top of Bell Canyon, a lovely, but much less complex canyon, than the one you came up.
If you’re ready to tackle Ding and Dang Canyons, it’s shorter mileage-wise at about five miles (if you make the full loop), but more difficult in its navigation. You’ll head about 1.3 miles past the Little Wild Horse trailhead and park in the small parking area.
While some obstacles in this slot canyon may seem difficult to overcome, you can generally problem solve by just stepping back for a moment and thinking carefully.
Occasionally you’ll find some water in these narrows, so you might want to wear shoes you can wade in. It’s rarely deep unless it’s very recently rained heavily, and if it has, you probably shouldn’t be out there anyway because of the chance of dangerous flash flooding.
Once you get to the top of Ding Canyon, follow a faint trail west over a small rise between the reef and Ding Dang Dome, then start dropping into Dang Canyon, heading downstream. Some downclimbing can be required, but none of it is too difficult, especially if you make good use of ledges and stemming opportunities. You’ll eventually emerge from Dang and simply follow the wash another 1.5 miles to return to your original parking area.
As a word of caution, only attempt these canyons if you have plenty of water, a topographic map, and good map reading skills. You also need to make sure there is no risk of flash flooding. Agile kids usually do just fine in Little Wild Horse (indeed, it’s a giant prehistoric playground), but Ding and Dang may be a bit too much for the pint-sized crowd. Serious adventurers may consider hiring a guide to explore these beautiful, remote areas even more thoroughly, and with confidence.
GPS Coordinates: 38.583856, -110.802598
You’ll encounter near-endless rock formations and swirls along the eight-mile course. Whether you have kids or are still a kid at heart, you will have a blast creatively shimmying and winding through the canyon’s narrow slots. Occasionally, the canyon will open up wider to offer a little extra breathing room.
About halfway through, you’ll get to the top of Little Wild Horse and must decide whether you want to return the way you came or form a loop by following a dirt road toward the top of Bell Canyon, a lovely, but much less complex canyon, than the one you came up.
If you’re ready to tackle Ding and Dang Canyons, it’s shorter mileage-wise at about five miles (if you make the full loop), but more difficult in its navigation. You’ll head about 1.3 miles past the Little Wild Horse trailhead and park in the small parking area.
While some obstacles in this slot canyon may seem difficult to overcome, you can generally problem solve by just stepping back for a moment and thinking carefully.
Occasionally you’ll find some water in these narrows, so you might want to wear shoes you can wade in. It’s rarely deep unless it’s very recently rained heavily, and if it has, you probably shouldn’t be out there anyway because of the chance of dangerous flash flooding.
Once you get to the top of Ding Canyon, follow a faint trail west over a small rise between the reef and Ding Dang Dome, then start dropping into Dang Canyon, heading downstream. Some downclimbing can be required, but none of it is too difficult, especially if you make good use of ledges and stemming opportunities. You’ll eventually emerge from Dang and simply follow the wash another 1.5 miles to return to your original parking area.
As a word of caution, only attempt these canyons if you have plenty of water, a topographic map, and good map reading skills. You also need to make sure there is no risk of flash flooding. Agile kids usually do just fine in Little Wild Horse (indeed, it’s a giant prehistoric playground), but Ding and Dang may be a bit too much for the pint-sized crowd. Serious adventurers may consider hiring a guide to explore these beautiful, remote areas even more thoroughly, and with confidence.
GPS Coordinates: 38.583856, -110.802598