Starting at the same trailhead as the far more popular Notch Peak hike, Hell‘n Moriah Canyon seems like an overlooked gem to me The canyon is wide open at its head, but has a short and dramatic section that cuts through a limestone layer The section that cuts through the limestone is high walled, and very scenic One of the prettiest sections of canyon I have seen in the West Desert so far For hikers, you can visit most of the narrows as an out-and-back hike, which is likely how I would most recommend it Those wanti...

Climbing in Arches National Park doesn't get much easier than this! A stone's throw from the much more popular Owl Rock, Bullwinkle Tower is fun, more moderate route that doesn't seem to get the love I think it deserves The climbing is easy, the views excellent, and the outing short What is not to love I recommend Bullwinkle Tower as a good first tower in Arches before tackling the harder/longer Owl Rock nearby

This is a canyon that the few people that I knew to have done it had left me with the impression that it would be a dud; not worth the time or energy So, when I visited, I had fairly low expectations As often happens in life I suppose, having low expectations led me to be very pleasantly surprised! Seager's Window Canyon, though not nearly as narrow as its neighbor Seager's Hole/The Squeeze, has larger and much more ominous keeper potholes The difficult potholes are passable with interesting climbing around the sid...

Afton Canyon is known as the Grand Canyon of the Mojave Along its steep-walled conglomerate cliff wall lies the short but dramatic Spooky Canyon Few canyons are as deep, dark, and cave-like as Spooky Canyon This is one that you will need a headlamp to explore its black depths Next door to Spooky Canyon is what I suppose could be dubbed Not Spooky Canyon A similar canyon, Not Spooky is not as dark as Spooky Canyon but has similar obstacles and a sinuous nature We, with limited information on our trip, ascended Not S...

No Mans Canyon, next to Larry, seems often overlooked by canyoneers Both forks, however, are good and intermediate canyoneer friendly The North Fork has one of the most scenic sections of canyon around and is highly recommended I recommend the South Fork only for those with ascending skills, and it can be visited along with the North Fork in one long day Route finding after the North Fork exit is straightforward, but several groups have struggled a bit in the complex terrain Be sure to follow the map carefully

Elephant Butte, at 5653 ft, is the highest point in Arches National Park The route, winding through the maze of entrada fins, requires good route finding or persistence, a rappel, and a bit of lower 5th class climbing to reach some of the best views around Elephant Butte makes a great outing for those canyoneers with a little climbing experience, or climbers It is not very technical, but very rewarding with excellent views Caution: I've had several groups e-mail me recently that Elephant Butte had very challenging ...

Fallen Roof Granary is one of the more photographed ruins on Cedar Mesa Its image is often seen in calendars and photos, and for good reason, the ruin and aspect make it very photogenic and scenic The lighting on the ruin can be really dramatic In addition to Fallen Roof, Road Canyon contains the Seven Kivas Ruin and several other fantastic ruins This is one of my favorite hikes on Cedar Mesa, both for the ruins, as well as the views from the canyon rim The lower trailhead, in particular, offers excellent primitive...

Ah, Icebox, the often overlooked and seldom done canyon in the Kolob Canyon section of Zion National Park Reviews from the few I have known that have done it have been mixed No glowing recommendations, but also no scathing reviews either I finally got a chance to check it out in the summer of 2015 My verdict Well, at almost 13 miles and 2000' of elevation gain, the route has length a plus in my book It is definitely seldom visited and feels very off the beaten path also a plus in my book In hot times, it doesn't re...

Everyone I have talked to about Motorcycle Canyon has had the same response, "it's OK, I guess, especially if you go to Gold Strike Hot Springs on the way out" I, somewhat reluctantly, would probably say the same thing Motorcycle Canyon has some lovely narrows, but they are short, and require a fair bit of hiking in a boulder filled wash to reach I did still enjoy the canyon, though It fit the bill for a short outing on a winter's day that didn't require a shuttle A lovely outing if you don't mind more hiking than ...

Warning! This fork of Water Canyon is VERY NARROW Larger canyoneers may not fit At 6'2" and 185lbs, I fit with a little room to spare, but people that are much bigger may struggle Water Canyon offers the intrepid canyoneer a good day out The crux of the canyon is a very tight narrow section right as you get going Beside the crux, the canyon offers great views, and a very nice deep, dark slot section Water Canyon is a good one, beginner friendly with competent leadership and makes a nice casual day out