Buckskin Gulch is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the Southwest, and while others are narrower, prettier or more challenging to explore, the length and variety of the terrain in the gulch make it the best overall. This is a slot canyon with a large watershed comprised largely of slickrock, which means that rain falling anywhere in the area washes off solid rock and funnels right into the narrow canyon. The forecast could not have been worse. Buckskin Gulch is the ultimate in canyon-country slot canyons. As such it is one of the premier destinations for slot canyon hikers, and receives a high amount of foot traffic. The trail is the floor of the slot canyon. There are no campsites available within Buckskin Gulch until you are close to the confluence, 13 miles away. This trail offers the fastest (and prettiest, in my opinion) access to the slot canyon areas of Buckskin Gulch. Buckskin Gulch is renowned not only because of its continuous challenging narrows, but also because there is no other canyon like it in the world. Buckskin Gulch is the heart of this treasure, don’t skip it. Buckskin Gulch Trail. For 12.5 miles the gulch is enveloped in a very narrow gorge 100 to 200 feet deep, flanked by vaulting convoluted walls of Navajo Sandstone. On the border of Utah and Arizona is Wire Pass Trailhead that leads to Buckskin Gulch, probably the world's longest slot canyon at over 20 miles. Buckskin Gulch trail head includes classic desert views of sandstone domes, large views of the area, wave rocks like near the neighboring North Coyote Buttes area as well as some of the largest petroglyphs in the area. The first is weather and flooding. While it is easy to follow, it is hard to gauge distance when inside. This is a flat hike through the wash for about two miles before reaching the large wave wall. To Buckskin Gulch (40 minutes) From the parking area, follow the signed trail as it follows the wash, then drops into the wash proper. This bypasses the wettest parts of Buckskin Gulch and shaves off 8 miles of hiking. At 15 miles long it is the longest slot canyon in the world. Buckskin Gulch Middle Route: This hike is for the more adventure seeking guest. This is an account of a trip from the Wire Pass trailhead, down Buckskin Gulch to the confluence with the Paria River and back, on 9th June 1998. With some obstacles to climb over depending on the flooding of the gulch, Wire Pass is a true photographers trail. Buckskin Gulch is listed by Backpacker magazine as one of the ten most dangerous hikes in America. Latitude/Longitude: 37.0666694, -67.9995333 The 12 mile-long Buckskin Gulch slot canyon can fill with water at a moment's notice, making it one of America's most dangerous trails. The Buckskin Gulch, a canyon in southern Utah, is one of the main tributaries of the Paria River, which is itself a minor tributary of the Colorado River. The most popular route through Buckskin Gulch starts at the Wire Pass Trailhead and ends at the White House Trailhead/Campsite, a 21-mile eastward journey. Buckskin Gulch is a natural wonder. I’ll be coming back for sure. The day hike from Wire Pass, a short tributary to Buckskin Gulch and the most scenic and direct way into the classic narrows, is an ideal alternative to the multi-day backpacking trip. Roughly 1.1 miles from the trailhead, you will reach the first spot where the wash pinches down a bit but soon widens again. You'll wind along a sandy floor between 200-foot-tall sandstone walls sometimes so close together you can touch both sides at the same time. Yes, it was a long slog in a single day, but Buckskin Gulch was so “mind-blowingly” magical, it was worth it. Buckskin Gulch is the longest and narrowest slot canyon in the world - a serpintine hallway with walls of solid stone and a floor dotted with boulders where in some places it's so tight, even the sky is not visible. After reentering the slot canyon and continuing a bit further, Wire Pass Trail opens onto a vast, sand and rock divide, flanked by sheer, soaring cliffs. You will plunge right into the Buckskin squeeze, where the canyon is rarely more than 10 feet wide and the corridor can be hundreds of feet deep. Buckskin Gulch - As you enter Buckskin, dramatic lighting haunts the slender crevice of the twisted wind and water-carved slot canyon, allowing spectacular photography during the next 12 miles. Also, loads of color photos. Gambling in the slots. Because of the nature of this canyon and Utah topography this canyon is subject to deadly flash flood if it rains anywhere along the headwaters. The rock walls tower anywhere from 100-300 ft tall, and at it's narrowest, is only 2 feet wide. In fact, the first few miles of both the Wirepass and Buckskin Gulch trails are mellow enough that you will see hikers with dogs. Wire Pass Trail follows a desert wash (AKA a dry creek bed) to a gorgeous slot canyon, called Buckskin Gulch. Access the day hike from Wire Pass Trail, a short tributary to Buckskin Gulch and the most scenic and direct way into the classic narrows — it’s an ideal alternative to the multiday backpacking trip. It is located at the mouth of Paria Canyon, 7.5-miles upstream (dry … The cliffs here are … 1. Along with being just an hour or so from the main trailhead for Buckskin Gulch, Kanab is within easy reach of several other notable southern Utah attractions, such as Zion National Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, and Bryce Canyon … A couple hundred yards past the junction, the wash curves to the right and you get a nice view of “The Dive,” a slickrock butte on the other side of Buckskin Gulch. Kanab Field Office 669 S Highway 89A Kanab, UT 84741. - See 253 traveler reviews, 240 candid photos, and great deals for Kanab, UT, at Tripadvisor. Almost 8 miles from the start of the hike and a bit over 6 miles into Buckskin Gulch, there is an escape on the left side (north) known as the Middle Trail. A 100 percent chance of rain in Utah’s Buckskin Gulch, the world’s longest slot canyon: the very last place on earth you want to be when it’s raining. *Becky is a 2019 Merrell and Trail Sisters Trail Run Adventure Grant Awardee. Ce point possède trois intérêts majeurs : en vous arrêtant ici et en faisant demi-tour, votre randonnée fera autour de 26 kilomètres de long, soit entre 7 et 9 heures de marche, ce qui est plutôt bien sur une journée. It’s better to cut those 3 … A less common option is to begin at the Middle Route Entrance to Buckskin Gulch. Au bout de 10 kilomètres de randonnée dans Buckskin Gulch, vous arriverez à Middle Trail Exit (37°1'52.06" N, 111°55'16.92" W). The Wire Pass Hiking Trail ends at this T-intersection with Buckskin Gulch – the confluence of two, sometimes raging, rivers. You will plunge right into the Buckskin squeeze, where the canyon is rarely more than 10 feet wide and the corridor can be hundreds of feet deep. It is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest United States and may very well be the longest in the world. Some have started at the White House TH and hiked up the canyon, but this would require you to go up the rock jam, which might require climbing gear to get up the 10-15 feet of rocks. Buckskin Gulch - Trail Description Slot Canyons > Paria River > Buckskin Gulch > Trail Description. Starting about 7 miles down from the beginning of the trail head, this tour involves some down climbing into the gulch about 100 feet and offers views of White Pockets, North Coyote Buttes, South Coyote Buttes and large parts of the Buckskin itself. This map of the Buckskin Gulch Trail from Wire Pass to White House should help to approximate the location of landmarks. The endpoint for the Buckskin Gulch trail is typically the White House Trailhead & Campground. If you stand in Buckskin Gulch and look at the Middle Trail Exit a nice petroglyph panel is located on the right side of Middle Trail Exit approximately 20-feet up. The canyon soon changes from an open wash to a deepening sandstone slot. The slot canyon is often done as an out-and-back in and of itself but is also a nicer way to access Buckskin Gulch. Buckskin Gulch drains a very large area within Utah and it can be clear in Kanab while pouring in the Buckskin Gulch drainage elsewhere. Wire Pass Trail (Buckskin Gulch Access): Amazing! Make Kanab, Utah, Your Base. There are several very good panels of petroglyphs where Middle Trail joins Buckskin Gulch. Elevation gain/loss is unnoticeable. It sometimes is as narrow as 2ft. I’ve spent a lot of time outdoors in some incredible places and I can honestly say that this was my favorite day hike of all time. The 12 mile-long Buckskin Gulch slot canyon can fill with water at a moment's notice, making it one of America's most dangerous trails. For a scenic base camp with all of the comforts of home, consider staying the night before your hike in Kanab, Utah.. It is about 40 minutes to the junction with Buckskin Gulch proper. For a day hikers, the best option is to start at the Wire Pass trailhead or Buckskin Gulch Trailhead. The trail to Wire Pass continues down the streambed. Site includes detailed trail information on Buckskin Gulch and other great hikes leading to Utah's natural arches, Indian ruins, redrock canyons, mountain peaks, and more. Everything you need to know for the Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch day hike, from getting to the trail head, permit information, and a photo and video tour. Buckskin Gulch is not an especially strenuous hike, but staying safe requires attention to details that other hikes don't. Conditions of the trail can change due to flash floods leaving debris and affecting the down climb section. Option C: Middle Route to Lee’s Ferry – 35 miles. Photo potential of this trail is endless. Buckskin Gulch is less well-known than the adjacent, world-famous, Coyote Gulch (AKA, The Wave), but is still a life-list destination run. 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