Best Slot Canyons
Slot canyons are one of nature’s colorful idiosyncrasies. Unlike the Grand Canyon, which is both wide and deep, slot canyons are deep but narrow canyons. Some are so narrow, visitors must squeeze through the passageways, getting up close and personal with colorful rock formations. Most slot canyons are formed by water erosion over the ages. Many are suitable only for advanced hikers but some involve gentle walks that even a couch potato can do.
10. Oneonta Gorge
A series of four waterfalls make up scenic Oneonta Gorge, east of Portland, Oregon, at Bridal Veil, in the scenic Columbia River Gorge. The 1.9-km (1.2-mile) roundtrip walk is considered moderate but does involve wading in cool creek waters that can sometimes be chest-deep as the creek bed is the trail in some sections. Visitors can see canyon walls made up of 25-million-year-old basalt rock formations as well as a variety of vegetation unique to the area. Previous visitors recommend doing this hike on weekdays because weekends are busy. The walk is Fido-friendly as long as Fido is on a leash.
Best Canyoneering Shoes. To make your hunt a little easier, here are five of the best options available for canyoneering shoes. Most of the options on this list are approach shoes, which are a type of hybrid between comfy boots and flexible climbing shoes. Mosaic Canyon is ideal for a great morning hike, so be the early bird and catch the worm. Stretched Pebble Canyon. West of Grotto and Mosaic—two of the most visited slot canyons after the one in Borrego Springs —lies Stretched Pebble Canyon. It may be the road less traveled, but it’s simply stunning. 7 Best Slot Canyons in the USA. If there’s a hike that feels picture-perfect, it just might involve slot canyons. There’s something magical about the sandy waves carved out of the earth. Today, we’ll help you find some of the best and most impressive slot canyons to visit during your travels. What Is a Slot Canyon? Slot canyons are fun to play around in, unless you’re that guy from 127 hours. While visiting Zion National Park, my friend Alex and I went on a canyoning adventure through a slot canyon (just outside the park) and wanted more. After a bit of searching, we stumbled onto a little slot canyon at Lambs Knoll – a place that we had all to ourselves. Slot canyons of the San Rafael Swell, Utah. Baptist Draw/Upper Chute Canyon. 7 miles, 600 feet. Long, deep and narrow slot canyons, perhaps the best in the Swell, through colorful, nicely eroded rocks; equal in beauty and extent to the Navajo canyons of Page.
9. Coloured Canyon
Coloured Canyon on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula has been described as a geologic wonderland with canyon walls reaching 20 stories into the sky. Visitors can see rock formations made out of sandstone, limestone, basalt and granite. The canyon gets its name because of the colorful rock formations. The half-mile hike through this slot canyon is considered easy for the most part, though there are a couple of spots where walkers must slide down through narrow spaces or climb over boulders. There is some climbing at the end of the walk.
8. Gorges du Fier
Located about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from Annecy in France, the Gorges du Fier is one of the easier slot canyons to walk through. That’s because visitors go through the canyon on a railed walkway that is about 30 meters (100 feet) above a river rushing below. The walk also has signage explaining how the canyon was formed and how high water has reached in the past. Previous visitors say people who are afraid of heights may want to avoid this. They also say to use caution on the walkway when it’s wet. The canyon is so narrow in spots, visitors can touch both sides.
7. Spooky Gulch
Travelers who are claustrophobic may want to avoid hiking Spooky Gulch. After all, there’s a reason for that name. Passageways are so narrow in some places, hikers have to squeeze through sideways, causing some people to panic. It also can be quite dark on the canyon bottom. The canyon is wide at the entrance but only a few hundred feet into the walk, getting through the narrow passageways becomes difficult even for average-sized adults. This canyon walk is 5 km (3.2 miles) roundtrip. Spooky Gulch is located south of Escalante, Utah. Those who don’t want to go back the way they came can climb the canyon walls or continue on through Peek-a-boo Gulch, another beautiful slot canyon.
6. Weano Gorge
Weano Gorge in Western Australia’s Karijini National Park starts out as an easy walk through fabulous scenery as it winds through steep cliffs that translate into narrow walkways. It becomes challenging, however, for visitors who want to go to Handrail Pool, as it involves climbing up and down canyon walls. Those who make the walk down will be rewarded with colorful rock formations ending with an icy cold pool at the bottom. Weano Gorge is considered to be the most accessible and colorful gorge in the park.
5. Buckskin Gulch
Buckskin Gulch in southern Utah is one of the world’s longest and deepest slot canyons, and as such receives a lot of visitors. Hiking it however is definitely not for the timid or inexperienced. The hike through the canyon is 34 km (21 miles) long. Buckskin Gulch is rarely more than 3 meters (10 feet) wide, with walls extending upwards to 150 meters (500 feet). Though the hike can be done in one day, those who’ve done it recommend taking two days. They also recommend not doing this in the summer because of the danger from flash floods. In any season, hikers should be prepared to wade or swim. Seeing the rock formations make it all worthwhile.
4. Echidna Chasm
Echidna Chasm in Western Australia’s is a moderate 2 kilometer (1.2 miles) hike through a narrow canyon that is 200 meters (or 654 feet) deep. Echidna Chasm, considered one of the highlights of Pumululu National Park, does have some boulders to tackle and a challenging climb at the end. The walls of this slot canyon are quite colorful, with highlights that change depending on the angle of sunshine. The canyon is located in the Bungle Bungle Mountains that are considered one of Australia’s best hiking destinations.
Best Slot Canyons Hikes
3. Subway Canyon
Subway Canyon in Utah’s Zion National Park offers spectacular colorful rock formations for those who are experienced enough to tackle the challenging terrain. The canyon begins at the Left Fork of North Creek. Navigating it means rappelling down boulders, swimming in chilly waters and wading long distances; because of this, adventurers may want to wear wetsuits for the seven- to nine-hour trek. There is no trail, but GPS does work in the canyon. The Subway is actually a very short section of the canyon where both walls come together very close and a larger tubular oval has been cut out by the flowing water. A permit is required for the trip; only 50 a day are issued. The canyon contains some of the best scenery in Zion.
2. Siq Canyon
Walking through the Siq slot canyon in southern Jordan is like walking to history, as it was the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra. At the end of a 1.2 kilometer (3/4-mile) hike lies Petra’s most famous ruin, the Al Khazneh or the Treasury. Unlike most slot canyons that are formed by rushing water, al-Siq was formed by tectonic forces, though water later washed its sides smooth. Al-Siq is less than 3 meters (10 feet) wide in some places, with canyon walls that range from 90 to 180 meters (300 to 600 feet) high.
1. Antelope Canyon
Antelope Slot Canyon in northern Arizona is actually two slot canyons: upper, referred to as the “crack” and lower, known as the “corkscrew.” Both are located on land owned by the Navajo tribe and are accessible only through tribal-approved tour companies. The orangish-red sandstone formations can only be described as awesome and are a photographer’s delight. The upper canyon is popular because it requires no climbing as all walking is at ground level. The lower canyon used to require climbing up the canyon walls, but now is accessible via stairs. Although the canyons are beautiful, they can sometimes be dangerous. In 1997 a flash flood swept into Lower Antelope and killed 11 tourists.
It begins with a simple crack in the rock on the ground. But add a few million years and that crack opens into a deep winding gorge in the earth, with a narrow path and sheer sides. The crack has become a slot canyon.
Slot canyons—the narrow, tall channels through otherwise solid rock—can be found anywhere in the world, but are particularly numerous in the southwestern U.S. and Australia, where the perfect canyon-forming combination of soft rock and extreme climate collide. It happens like this: the initial crack is covered by a flash flood from heavy rain pooling in a natural wash. The water seeps into the crack, bringing with it rocks, sediment, and other debris that carve a little bit away from the inside edges of the crack. Rain, flood, repeat. Sandstone is most susceptible to this kind of earth carving, but slot canyons can also form out of limestone, granite, basalt and other types of rock.
Once formed, careful hikers can trek through the base of these otherworldly canyons, shimmying through tapered sections, bracing themselves against both walls in the narrowest portions and beholding scenery unlike just about anything else in the world. Intrigued? Be sure to plan carefully or take a guide as flash floods and extreme conditions can make these canyons as dangerous as they are beautiful.
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
This slot canyon packs double the punch: it has two parts, upper and lower. Both have a separate entrance fee, but with that small price of admission, they offer different spectacular views. Upper Antelope Canyon has wider, more family-friendly pathways at the expense of more crowds; Lower Antelope Canyon is longer, narrower, deeper and more challenging—thus, less crowded. Antelope Canyon is on Navajo land, so visitors will always need a tour guide regardless of which part of the canyon they want to see. Both routes have Navajo names as well—Upper Antelope is called Tse’ bighanilini (“the place where water runs through rocks”) and Lower Antelope is Hasdestwazi (“spiral rock arches”).
Robber’s Roost Canyon, Utah
Ever dreamed of being a part of Butch Cassidy’s dream team? Head to the Dirty Devil portion of Robber’s Roost, where it's said that Cassidy used to hide out from the cops. In fact, this area was used as a hideout for outlaws of all types for about 30 years. The original Wild Bunch corral is still there. According to local lore, the area is so named because Cap Brown, an outlaw of the time, used to lead stolen horses through in the 1870s. This canyon falls under a “protected for solitude” restriction, so visitors will need to get a permit to visit—and only two per day are given.
Robber's Roost actually has three distinct sections: an upper plateau, slot canyons and larger canyons on the other end of the slots. There are three main slot canyons. Chambers Canyon is in a more remote part of the Roost and is quite intense; the quarter-mile slot can take about an hour and a half to complete. Big Bad Ben is short with a 60-foot rappel, but also often has waist-deep pools—so bring a bathing suit. Bluejohn Canyon has become part of current pop culture; it's the site of Aron Ralston's fateful hike in the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place and the accompanying movie '127 Hours.'
Siq, Jordan
Most who wish to reach the ancient city of Petra must first walk through Siq, a massive slot canyon leading to the entrance of the Treasury, and one of just two primary passages to the ancient archeological site. The path through the canyon winds along for about three quarters of a mile, at times narrowing to just a few feet across. Unlike most slot canyons that are gradually carved by water errosion, Siq was formed after two tectonic plates forced the mountain to split apart—flash floods later smoothed the canyon walls. The entire route unfolds downhill toward Petra; consider renting a horse or camel to have an easier trek back up when you’re finished exploring.
Buckskin Gulch, Utah
Buckskin is the longest slot canyon in the U.S., and some consider it the longest in the world. It's also one of the most dangerous. The 12-mile path barely stretches more than 10 feet wide, and the walls are about 400 feet tall at the canyon's deepest point. A little more than halfway in, there's a single escape route—but otherwise, if a quick storm pushes through and sends floodwater careening into the canyon, you're in big trouble. Luckily, there have been no reported deaths to date.
Colored Canyon, Egypt
On Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, travelers can find a slot canyon with walls of swirling colors. The rock itself is a combination of sandstone and limestone, with magnesium and iron oxide deposits. The whole region was once undersea, and when the water eventually eroded the rock below, it left brilliant shades of red, yellow, purple and orange. Although the walls rise up about 16 stories, they are sometimes only a few feet apart from one another. For a short hike, opt for Colored Canyon; it’s only about half a mile long.
Claustral Canyon, Australia
This slot canyon in Australia's Blue Mountains is accessed by repelling down a series of waterfalls and scrambling over boulders. But the trek to get there is rewarded with a mossy, high-walled canyon and the opportunity to try out all types of technical climbing and canyoneering skills. The trip takes all day and can be quite strenuous.
One of the gems in this canyon is the Black Hole of Calcutta, so named for the 18th-century dungeon in India. The Black Hole marks the start of the main canyon, and looks like you really are descending into a black hole—one full of rushing water and chiseled, colorful walls.
Best Slot Canyons
Arizona Hot Springs, Arizona
Map Of Utah Slot Canyons
A few miles south of the Hoover Dam, the three-mile Arizona Hot Springs hiking path heads through multiple slot canyons and four distinct landscapes. All the while, hikers will be walking alongside or through natural hot springs. The final destination is a series of pools of varying temperatures where hikers can rejuvenate their weary bones beneath towering rock walls. Below the pools, a ladder leads hikers down (and through) a 20-foot hot spring waterfall and the trail continues down to the Colorado River where camping spots are available.
Visitors looking for solitude can also arrange to be dropped off by an outfitter with a canoe below the Hoover Dam, allowing access to more remote hot springs slot canyons, including Boy Scout Canyon. Here the hike follows the hot springs up through narrow slots in reddish brown and black volcanic rock. Avoid a summer trip, though—the temperature can rise over 100 degrees, making a dip in the hot springs pretty uncomfortable.