Buckskin GulchSouthern Utah, Utah
Est. Hiking Distance: 21 miles / 34 km ACA Rating: 2B V Seasons: Spring and Fall Equipment: 30ft rope or webbing Difficulties: Some waist-deep wading and one 12ft downclimb USGS Topo Maps:
(7.5 Minute)Pine Hollow Canyon, Bridger Point, West Clark Bench
General Information
Buckskin Gulch and the Paria Canyon, is located in the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area of Southern Utah. Buckskin Gulch is alleged to be the longest slot canyon in the world, extending uninterrupted for nearly 15 miles. The canyon is exceptional because of the length and depth of its ever changing narrows. Buckskin Gulch is best done at least as a two-day canyoneering and backpacking adventure, although it can be done in one long day. All waste must be packed out of Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon, this means go prepared to pack your poop out. You will require a 30-foot rope or webbing for lowering backpacks and for possible use as a hand line. Scrambling is required in a few places. In normal conditions there are several miles of ankle deep wading and a few waist deep pools so wear appropriate footwear and clothing. An occasional swim is not unheard of. The pools can be very cold and are usually stagnant. Waterproof stuff sacks or even large plastic backs are needed to keep all your items dry. From the Wire Pass Trailhead to your camping site near the Confluence will require 8 1/2 hours (13 1/2 miles). From the Confluence to White House Trailhead will require 3 1/2 hours (7 1/4 miles). For current conditions call the Kanab Resource Area, Bureau of Land Management, at 435-644-2672.
Getting There
From Kanab, Utah, turn east onto US 89. If you want to start at Wire Pass Trailhead, travel about 38.5 miles and turnoff onto White Rock Valley Road heading south. Drive 44 miles to mile marker 20.9 and the signed Paria Canyon turn-off on the south (right) side of the road. Drive 2.2 miles down the well-maintained dirt road to the signed White House Campground. The trailhead has vault toilets and primitive camping. This is where your hike will end and where you should leave your shuttle car. Return to Highway 89. From where the dirt road joins Highway 89 drive back towards Kanab for 4.9 miles. As the road approaches the top of the ridge look for a well-maintained dirt road on the south side. Drive south down the dirt road 8.5 miles to the Wire Pass Trailhead. This trailhead is signed, has a vault toilet and a large parking area. For information on authorized shuttle providers contact, the Paria Outpost at 928-691-1047, Betty Price at 928-355-2252, or Catalina Martinez at 928-355-2225.
You will need a permit for both day hiking and overnight backpacking in the Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon. The fee is $5.00 per person per day. For overnight trips into Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch, you must apply for and purchase a permit in advance. Overnight entry into the canyons is limited to 20 people per day. This is a cumulative total from all trailheads. Overnight permits can be applied for and purchased on-line from the Paria Canyon Project, or you can obtain permits by calling 435-644-4600. Permits for day hiking in Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch can be obtained at the self-pay stations at each trailhead. There is no limit on day use.
Trail Guide
| Buckskin Gulch Coordinates | |
| Wire Pass Trailhead 37° 01.182'N 112° 01.465'W | Wire Pass/ Buckskin Gulch Confluence 37° 00.193 N 112° 00.167 W |
| Middle Trail Buckskin Exit 37° 01.872 N 111° 55.302 W | Buckskin Gulch/ Paria River Confluence 37° 00.090'N 111° 51.949'W |
| Arch In Paria River 37° 00.453'N 111° 51.969'W | Whitehouse Trailhead 37° 04.731'N 111° 53.423'W |
There are two main routes that are used to backpack Buckskin Gulch. The most used one is as follows. For alternate route, see below. Click here to see a map of the routes.
Primary Route: From the Wire Pass Trailhead, the signed trail proceeds east for a short distance along the south side of Wire Pass wash, then drops into the sandy bottom of the wash and descends eastward. At first the wash does not seem like the start of the world's best slot canyon, but within a mile things begin to change drastically. There are two obstacles in Wire Pass which require some scrambling to climb over. Wire Pass joins Buckskin Gulch after 1 3/4 miles. There are several petroglyph panels at the junction of the two canyons, 37° 01.11'N, 112° 00.10'W. The petroglyphs are located on the South, right, wall of Wire Pass just before the junction. Check the sky one last time because there is no exit from Buckskin Gulch until you reach the Middle Trail 6 1/2 miles down canyon. Hike down the flat bottom of Buckskin Gulch. The next several miles are easy hiking with several pools of standing water to impede your way. The pools are usually no more than waist deep and are often stagnant. Depending on the time of year, the pools can be very frigid.
6 1/2 miles after leaving the Wire Pass petroglyphs you will notice the canyon rim starting to get much lower. This is an indication you are about to reach Middle Trail. Middle Trail is not a trail, but rather a route you can scramble up to the top of the north rim. The route is occasionally carined, and if not it is still moderately easy to locate. Examination reveals a narrow crack running horizontally up the face of the cliff. It is located in a short, open section of the canyon where the walls are not steep and the rim is only 100 feet above the canyon floor. This is an emergency exit if the weather is bad. Experienced hikers will have no problem with this exit, all others will require a rope. There are several very good panels of petroglyphs where Middle Trail joins Buckskin Gulch. 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. 50 feet down Buckskin Gulch on the north wall there is a large number of very faded petroglyphs. 100 feet above the faded petroglyphs, located in a horizontal black streak of desert varnish, is one of the best petroglyph panels you might ever see. You must hike down Buckskin 100 feet and look back toward middle trail, or climb up the ledge system opposite Middle Trail Exit to see this panel. After leaving Middle Trail the narrows close in and become very deep. There is usually no deep wading below Middle Trail, but you might encounter some knee-deep pools. 4 miles below Middle Trail you will encounter the infamous rock jam. This is a pile of huge rocks that have become wedged in a tight canyon constriction. This rock jam is Buckskin Gulch's most serious obstacle. At one time there was a very easy route that allowed you to crawl under the rock jam. This opening was sometimes referred to as the rabbit hole. Recently the opening has become clogged with debris and covered with 4-feet of sand. Now the only option is to climb over the top of the rock jam. To do this most people will need a 30 foot rope to use as a handline and to lower packs. Rock climbers, technical canyoneers and experienced hikers should have no difficulty with this obstacle. 15 minutes below the rock jam you will pass by a series of seeps in the Navajo Sandstone walls that supply a tiny flowing stream on the canyon floor. The seeps are a good place to obtain fresh water. 1 1/4 miles below the rock jam and 1/4 mile above the Paria River confluence you will come to the two best campsites in the canyon, one located on each side of the canyon. The sites are easy to spot with a large grove of maple and box elder trees growing in the sand above the streambed. There are many good places to make camp under the trees on the benches of dry sand above the canyon floor. You might have to share this area with others since camping space is very limited. The next closest campsite is located about a mile away in Paria Canyon below the confluence. At the Paria River confluence, you turn north, left, and hike upstream in Paria Canyon. The narrows here are more open than the narrows of Buckskin, with smooth, shear, red sandstone walls. The presence of clean running water at the bottom of the 800-foot gorge adds a touch of grandeur to the scene. 
The Paria is often dry, but there is always at least a trickle of water flowing out of Buckskin. After hiking up Paria Canyon for 3/4 of a mile you will come to Slide Arch. Beyond Slide Arch the canyon walls become less shear and the canyon widens until it is just a desert wash. During the heat of the summer, this last strech can be hard with no shade. With no water sources until the Whitehouse Trailhead, make sure you have enough. Continue hiking up river to the Whitehouse Trailhead.
Optional Route: For those with only a few hours to spend in the area the hike from Wire Pass Trailhead down to the confluence with Buckskin Gulch and back is a great introduction to a short fun slot canyon complete with Native American rock art. If you have an entire day to spend the hike from Wire Pass Trailhead down to Middle Trail and back should leave you exhausted. The hike from White House Trailhead down to the confluence of Buckskin Gulch-Paria Canyon and back is a popular day hike. The reason is the top half of the hike is not really very interesting, mostly a walk down an open wash. I would consider the Wire Pass option a much better use of your time. For the hardcore backpacker you can always begin at White House or Wire Pass Trailhead and hike the entire Paria Canyon down to Lees Ferry. This will take from 3 to 5 days.