The Buckskin Gulch is an extraordinary slot canyon located just inside the Utah state line with Arizona. It is also located in an area called the Paria Canyon.

Grand Circle Tours offers 3 different hiking options in the Buckskin gulch. We can't say whether this slot canyon is the world's longest but many think it could be. When considering a hike in this area you should ask yourself what skill level and shape you are in. We can offer a scenic hike in Wire Pass and then into Buckskin Gulch that is mostly slot canyon and very flat for those wanting to take it easy and go slow with many photo options. We can also start at the Buckskin Trail where the shapes and petroglyphs are more prominent but no slot canyon section. The third option is the most adventurous and most difficult due to the length and exposure to steep drop offs. Middle Route is not the option to pick if you are not positive you can handle a minimum of 5-6 miles and uphill sand hiking with no shade. Whatever choice you make we will show you a great time and you will get many unusual photos of the area.

1. 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.
2. Many people rate Buckskin Gulch as their all-time favorite hike. The route goes through a beautiful slot that runs continuously for about 15 miles. (It may very well be the longest slot canyon in the world). It is deep, dark and narrow, with plenty of obstacles to make it fun.

Buckskin Gulch Trail Head: This option is a good choice for those who want the variety of the area all in one hike. 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. This is a flat hike through the wash for about two miles before reaching the large wave wall. This hike is also a good choice when the Buckskin Gulch is running or wet and muddy. Wintertime can have ice and snow located inside the gulch so this is a good off season option. Hike time is around 4-5 hours and total tour time is 7-7.5 hours in total. There is a $6 trail head fee at the beginning of the hike due to the location inside the Paria Canyon Wilderness Study.
Day Tours $179 per person
Photo Tours $249.00Photo Gallery

Wire Pass Trailhead: This is the shortest and fastest way into the Buckskin Gulch. Wire pass starts out inn a wash and within about 1 mile you begin a very narrow slot that becomes great with color and texture as you move along. Arriving at the confluence of the Buckskin Gulch and Wire Pass we often take a break for something to drink or eat and enjoy the majestic large alcove. After a short break we move onto the Buckskin Gulch itself and walk either up canyon or down canyon for more stunning views. Buckskin gulch offers the special classic slot canyon look some photographers want to see and it’s just adventurous enough for hikers as well. Our total time is 7-7.5 hours and hiking time is 4-5 hours of flat hiking with some possibility of rocky or wet sections. There is a $6 trail head fee at the beginning of the hike due to the location inside the Paria Canyon Wilderness Study.
Day Tours $179 per person
Photo Tours $249.00Photo Gallery
Buckskin Gulch Middle Route: This choice is for the more seasoned hiker wanting to see a new or unexplored section of the Buckskin Gulch few see. This area is located in the geographic middle of the Buckskin itself and is often out of reach from day hikers starting at either the Buckskin or Wire Pass trail heads. This is our favorite section of the gulch due to it’s texture, color and cross bedded exposure of the sandstone walls. Hiking to this location will involve walking through sand and a steep 100 foot down climb into the Buckskin itself although this is a non technical hike and no experience is needed other than good balance and no fear of heights. Please do not select this trip if you have any balance or fear issues! This is not the trip to figure out what kind of hiker you are. Trip lasts 7-7.5 hours round trip including driving. There is a $6 trail head fee due to it’s location inside the Paria Canyon Wilderness Study.
Day Tours $179 per person
Photo Tours $249.00Photo Gallery
Double Trouble: This was the Best Stevie Ray Vaughn ever got. We are combining both the Wire Pass trail head and the Buckskin trail head for an epic day of desert slot canyon hiking and large open vistas to please the photographers. This day can last anywhere from 8-10 hours depending on conditions and you will see an area with more strange rocks and soft sandstone walls than any other hike we offer. This day will be epic!
Day Tours $249 per person
**NO Photo Tours for Double TroublePhoto Gallery

Buckskin Gulch Buckskin Gulch is labeled as the longest slot canyon in the world, 21 miles one way. It is dark and narrow with just enough obstacles to keep things interesting.

Buckskin Gulch (also known as Buckskin Creek, Buckskin Wash, and Kaibab Gulch) is a gulch (stream/canyon combination) in Kane County, Utah, United States,^[1] that is one of the main tributaries of the Paria River (which is itself a minor tributary of the Colorado River). As it is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest United States (and possibly the longest in the world)^{[2][3][4][5][citation needed]} it is major attraction for slot canyon hikers, receiving a high amount of foot traffic.

At over 13 miles (21 km) long it is often visited in conjunction with the longer Paria Canyon, although some prefer to make a long day trip out of the hike. With a distance of 20 miles (32 km), hiking this canyon in one day is possible. Wire Pass,^[6] a short tributary to the Buckskin, is an alternative for a short day hike that still takes hikers through the narrow, curving features that are the hallmark of slot canyons.^[7]

Access[edit]

Buckskin Gulch is reached via either U.S. Route 89 (US‑89) in Utah or U.S. Route 89A (US 89A) in Arizona and is roughly halfway between the towns of Kanab, Utah and Page, Arizona. There are four access routes to the canyon.^[8]

Buckskin Trailhead[edit]

The Buckskin Trailhead is about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south along House Rock Valley Road. The US‑89 turnoff for House Rock Valley Road is about 38 miles (61 km) east of Kanab and about 36 miles (58 km) west–northwest of Page. It can also be reached via House Rock Road (as House Rock Valley Road is known in Arizona) by heading north along the road for about 26 miles (42 km). The US 89A turnoff for House Rock Road is at House Rock in Arizona and is about 51 miles (82 km) southeast of Kanab and about 67 miles (108 km) southwest of Page. No restrooms are available at this trailhead.

Wire Pass Trailhead[edit]

The Wire Pass Trailhead accessed along the same road, but is about 8 miles (13 km) south of US‑89 or about 21 miles (34 km) north of House Rock. This entrance more popular that the other three as it provides for the quickest access to best parts of Buckskin Gulch and because it is the same trailhead used to access the Coyote Buttes, home to The Wave, a famous sandstone rock formation. (Access to The Wave requires a special, separate permit.) Restrooms are available at this trailhead.

White House Trailhead[edit]

The White House Trailhead is about 2 miles (3.2 km) south along White House Trailhead Road, which can only be accessed from US‑89. The US‑89 turnoff for White House Trailhead Road is about 43 miles (69 km) east of Kanab and about 36 miles (58 km) northwest of Page. Restrooms are available at this trailhead.

Lee's Ferry[edit]

In addition to the more direct routes to Buckskin Gulch, it can also be reached by way of Paria Canyon/Paria River. The Paria Canyon access at Lees Ferry, which can only be reached from US 89A, is about 5 miles (8.0 km) northeast along Lees Ferry Road in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The US 89A turnoff for Lees Ferry Road is just west of the Navajo Bridge and about 78 miles (126 km) east–southeast of Kanab and about 39 miles (63 km) southwest of Page. Restrooms and water are available at this trailhead.

Regulations[edit]

Permits are required by law for both day hiking and overnight backpacking in the Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Permits can be obtained from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office online. Only twenty overnight permits per day are allowed and group sizes are limited to ten persons. The overnight fee is $5.00 per person per day while day use permits are $6.00 per person per day. There is also a $6.00 fee per dog, per day. Due to the popularity of the canyon, permits typically sell out several months in advance. Campfires are prohibited and human waste cannot be buried and must be packed out in order to preserve the pristine condition of the area.^[9][10] Buckskin Gulch lies within the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area of the BLM.

Hazards[edit]

Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch generally do not require rappelling equipment, but there may be a few pour-offs or the necessity to wade in ankle- to chest-high water and/or mud. Hiking Buckskin Gulch is extremely challenging. The lack of sunlight in the canyon can make it much colder than the surrounding exposed desert. At one point along the route, there is a 15-foot (4.6 m) drop-off that usually has rope. Small areas of quicksand can also be found along the route.

Slot canyons are particularly dangerous due to the risk of flash floods. Storms more than 50 miles (80 km) away can send 100-foot-high (30 m) walls of water down the narrow canyons, and hikers have been killed in such events.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Buckskin Gulch
2. ^'Buckskin Gulch'. www.smithsonianmag.com. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
3. ^'Buckskin Gulch'. utah.com. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
4. ^'Buckskin Gulch'. /www.zionnational-park.com. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
5. ^'Buckskin Gulch'. americansouthwest.net. Thde American Southwest. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
6. ^U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Wire Pass
7. ^'Buckskin Gulch'. americansouthwest.net. Thde American Southwest. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
8. ^'Buckskin Gulch Trail Guide: Backpacking the Paria River and Buckskin Gulch'. wildbackpacker.com. Wild Backpacker. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
9. ^'Paria Canyon Permit Area: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument / Paria Canyon / Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness'. blm.gov. Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
10. ^'Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness permit information'. blm.gov. July 10, 2006. Archived from the original on March 9, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.

External links[edit]

• Buckskin Gulch GPS map Buckskin Gulch at Wikiloc.com. See the trail on Google Maps and Google Earth.

Buckskin Gulch Slot Canyon Map

Coordinates: 37°00′06″N111°51′58″W / 37.00167°N 111.86611°W

Buckskin Gulch Slot Canyon Utah