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Many people have died in slot canyons. Here’s some regulations that you should be aware of: Wire Pass and White House Trailhead/Campground are both located south of Route 89 on separate dirt roads between Kanab, UT and Page, AZ. Both April and May are good times to go. It is not a technical hike, but is rated as strenuous because of its length. I have a couple questions to make sure it’s a pleasurable adventure. Hiker falls to death in Buckskin Gulch. Links to e-commerce sites earn commission. None of us have ever used a rope on a hike before, when you use the rope as a handline are you tying the rope to a rock up top and using it to climb down and then leaving the rope behind? Remember that your feet are going to get wet, so plan your footwear accordingly. All content ©2021 Southern Utah News  •   Custom Website Design and ColdFusion Web Hosting by GoWest Web Design, Utah is sprawling with timeshare resorts. Dogs are allowed, but you must pack out their poop too. Everything went great, spending the night of September 27th at the Stateline Campground, staged for an early start on the 28th. See my Ultimate Gear List for more recommendations. The months of July and August are especially dangerous – monsoons thunderstorms occur in southern Utah at this time of year with little to no warning. A fee is required. Better to explore deeper into the canyon one-way via Wire Pass. This depth ranges rather significantly, from 40-500 ft (10.1-1502.4 m). Get a permit. Address: Kanab Field Office 669 S Highway 89A Kanab, UT 84741. I knew Buckskin Gulch was sure to be scenic and wonderful, but to this day I’m still impressed with the set of photos I was able to take away from the day. Thanks for this write up. Always be prepared to turn around if necessary, never jump from an obstacle, and be sure you’re capable of climbing back up any obstacle that you descend. DESIGNATION:  BLM and Vermilion Cliffs National Monument BEST SEASONS: spring, early summer, fall DISTANCE: 21 miles WATER: none but the silty Paria River – carry plenty ELEVATION: Wire Pass ~4800, White House Trailhead ~4300 ACCESS: dirt road –  most vehicles are generally okay DRIVING: This hike requires two vehicles or a shuttle, beginning at “Wire Pass” and ending at “White House Campground.” Both of these phrases in quotations register via Google Maps. Here the canyon opens up, and benches form on both sides that make for some nice campsites. Thanks!!! Hi David, thanks for the comment. Wondering about the potential of any mandatory swims that would necessitate the use of a waterproof backpack. The flash flood season in canyon country is from July to mid September. This is considered for emergency use only, as this steep scramble impractically brings you out into the middle of nowhere. Buckskin Gulch Slot Canyon The curves and water of Buckskin Gulch in Southern Utah after a rainstorm. Thanks. Turn right into Buckskin Gulch and follow the narrow canyon for approximately 12 miles to its confluence with the wet, flowing Paria River. Then hiking back out the same way. It has been very helpful. This turn is also 30 miles west of Page, AZ and 43 miles east of Kanab, UT. I just want to walk far enough to feel Ive seen the sights that worth the trip. It’s best to stay the previous night at the Stateline Campground to get an early start, or at least nearby in Page or Kanab. Buckskin Gulch empties into the Paria River, so one-way travel exits up the river to its main access at White House Trailhead. Advance permits are required for backpacking, and the process can be considerably competitive. The best (and only truly comfortable) places to camp in Buckskin Gulch are in its lower reaches, not too far from its confluence with the Paria River. I hope this helps and that you have a great and successful day out there! Continue south on the dirt House Rock Road for 8.4 miles to Wire Pass Trailhead. Plan accordingly! Buckskin Gulch Trailhead is located first, 4.5 miles south of 89 on House Rock Road. Sometimes you need to move quick in Buckskin Gulch! There shouldn’t be any swims. Aerial view of Paria Canyon (photo by Kent Hendrick) Saturday AM After getting a good sleep at the White House ruins campground, our team headed for gulch entrance. Some books say that Buckskin Gulch is the premier canyon in the world. 1881. Backpackers should bring a rope for lowering packs, and day hikers may find rope to be useful as a hand line. In the case of an unpredicted rainstorm, we have read about the … The narrow canyons would be absolutely frigid with little to no sunlight…. We had two vehicles to do our own car spot and shuttle. Buckskin Gulch (also known as Buckskin Creek, Buckskin Wash, and Kaibab Gulch) is a gulch and slot canyon in southern Kane County, Utah, United States, near the Arizona border. On July 24, 2011, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office received a report that a hiker was found deceased in Buckskin Gulch near the confluence with Wire Pass. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. You must pack out your toilet paper and your poop! It’s much better to have extra than not enough – in the worst case you could still just dump the extra when you start trending uphill in the Paria. Most notably, perhaps, the breathtaking Buckskin Gulch measures more than 13 mi (21 km) in length. Very little sunlight penetrates long sections of Buckskin Gulch, so be prepared for conditions that can be significantly chillier than you’ll find in the surrounding terrain. A Miner Killed in the Dolly Varden Mine. I will say that late May tends to be a relatively dry time of year. July and August are suicide, rolling the dice with your life. A permit is required for any length of time in the slot canyon, which is found in the … I'm the guy behind DownTheTrail.com. Latitude/Longitude: 37.06608971, -112.0001136. Was there ever one? Do you remember your camera settings? I’ve heard of a bypass “trail” marked with rock cairns that goes around this spot. I do have hiking boots, but I will be on tour to White Pocket the next day and need to use them. I don’t have personal experience on the bypass so I can’t comment on its condition. And as always, don’t be afraid to cancel if there’s a chance of rain in southern Utah. Buckskin Gulch is the longest slot canyon in the world with over 46 miles of twists, turns, and narrow passageways. Permits: Walk-in permits are available for next-day hikes and are limited to 6 in a group. The general rule when traversing slot canyons is to be aware that you may be presented with an impassable obstacle at any time. The nearby Stateline Campground is 10.5 miles south of the highway on House Rock Road. The combination of big flows and polished passage results in floods with massive force, and Buckskin’s narrow dimensions allow the torrent nowhere to go but up: Waters here can swell from zero to 20 feet deep in mere minutes. There was some mud and standing water in Wire Pass but overall conditions were very good (more mud will slow you down considerably, as will warmer air temperature). White House Campground has 5 first come, first served campsites available. Hikers stumbled upon the man, later identified as Bo Tian, 36, of San Jose, California. Would I be able to change into sneakers or a water shoe while in the canyon to wade through the mud and then change back into the hiking boots? I thought I read once about a young girl who could not hold onto a rope and she died? “Prior to that spot it’s like a narrow hallway that goes up for, I don’t know, 100 feet or more, and if a flood comes through there you’re just getting washed out," Steiner said. These cookies do not store any personal information. Since it is so long and so deep, hikers have had trouble escaping flash floods in the past, though there have been no reported deaths as of yet. Your email address will not be published. Occasional rainfall can also lead to deep mud … Most deaths in the area are the result of falls and heat stroke from hikers visiting the nearby Wave formation. You have a few options here, but I think the most convenient is to bring a separate pair of socks and shoes that you’ll plan to sacrifice for the day in Buckskin. I don’t think we had to do any more wading until the Paria River. We plan to start at Wire Pass Trail to White House Campground and make it a one day hike. I like low-top trail runners for this sort of terrain, but whatever works for you is best. Carte détaillée et interactive de Buckskin Gulch et Wire Pass. Here are 7 reasons to move Buckskin Gulch up your bucket list. I’d book at least 12 hours for the shuttle, maybe more depending on your experience, fitness, and seasonal timing. The Sheriff’s Office and the BLM Field Office would like to remind hikers that it is not safe to hike in areas that you are not familiar with after dark. Reservations are done through the BLM on this page. Thanks for your helpful article. Personally I think a 30 foot length of webbing should suffice. The drainage into Buckskin Gulch takes in a huge drainage area, so even though there are clear skies above, it could be raining 50 miles away, sending a flood of water right down Buckskin Gulch. In Wire Pass there’s a short obstacle where a rope prove useful, but there’s a well-marked bypass trail that goes around this spot. You're signed out. Hi Maggie, you should expect to encounter some mud and water. I day-hiked from Wire Pass to White House Campground with friends David and Ashley on September 28, 2011. CEBA presents the Kanab Archaeology Symposium highlighting the Jackson Flat Reservoir Project, »  As always, very informative. In April you’re more likely to encounter standing water in the canyon, but May is more likely to be hot – you’re in the desert, after all. I realize much of the slot canyon will be missed but also would perhaps avoid any boulder climbs or having to turn around due to time contraints before reaching Buckskin gulch. Backpacker Magazine even ranked Buckskin Gulch as one of America’s ten most dangerous hikes due to floods. The difficulty of the hike is moderate, but depends on weather conditions. It also requires a good soaking (like with a garden hose) to properly remove it. In order of personal preference I like June, May, September, October, April, and November. Finally, I think I’d slapped a polarizing filter on the lens, but rarely took the time to spin it and use it properly. I used a Nikon D3100 on this hike with the 18-55 kit lens. Denver I appreciate it. Carry all the water you’ll need. Backpackers will be happy to have an extra pair of socks. We were all in very good shape and moved at a steady pace, but I still found time to grab photos along the way (as you can see). your thoughts would be appreciated. HIKING DIRECTIONS: Hike for 1.7 miles down the sandy wash of Wire Pass and into its slot canyon to the confluence with Buckskin Gulch. About 8 flash floods scour Buckskin Gulch each year, and each trip down the Gulch is different because of these flash floods. Wag bags are required for packing your poop out of these canyons, so day-hiking increases your chance of avoiding this process, too! No water is available here, but this is a great place to set up for an early morning start. 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