Sometimes an error in navigation can turn out OK and perhaps more often not So it goes with Southern Baptist Several groups over the years have inadvertently descended this canyon thinking it was Baptist Draw It is not, but it is a good canyon Southern Baptist has a short approach, short slot section, and not too bad of an exit makes it a good beginner canyon It can hold a few big pools of water, so is best in spring, summer, or fall The rappels are fairly straight forward, although the penultimate rappel can be a ...

Cottonwood, Capitol Reef seems to have a bit of everything Not knowing what to expect, Almost Grand turned out to be a true gem It is in the Navajo layer and has stunning slot sections, sculpted rappels, and even a semi-keeper pothole In addition to a stunning canyon, the approach hike offers big views of Capitol Reef and the surrounding areas The canyon has a price, though, with potentially difficult anchors The current anchors mostly deadman could easily wash out in a flood, and there is not much material to work...

Elementary my dear Watson! Watson Canyon is short, straightforward, doesn't hold water, has short rappels or challenging downclimbs, and a short approach and exit What more could you want Well, a more easily accessible trailhead would be helpful Though a short approach, reaching the trailhead will require a true high clearance 4x4 and a bit of skill Only a few miles from pavement, reaching the trailhead took us about 45 minutes No real problem for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but I doubt you would get a Subaru or the lik...

Na-gah Canyon is a short fork of Shinob Canyon that drains into Grand Wash The canyon is good, but really short A couple of down climbs, followed by a few rappels through an impressive dark and twisty section, and it is done Though tough to recommend Na-Gah on its own, it does make a pleasant 1/2 or 3/4 day when combined with hiking Ferns Nipple the map shows both the canyon and Ferns Nipple Route The scenery on the approach and Ferns Nipple make for a great day, with...

A flat water river adventure that has it all The float enjoys an impressively deep canyon, multiple hot springs along the way to soak the weary body in, plenty of side canyons to explore, and even an old gauging station from the 1920's There has to be a catch, right Sort of The Black Canyon of the Colorado is a fantastic flat water float, and is frequently done either in a single day, or even better, as a multi-day canoe or sea kayak trip So what's the catch To float from the top down requires putting in right belo...

I consider a big part of the fun and enjoyment of canyoneering to be the route finding Great Gusto Canyon is one of those rare days that I didn't lead the group to the spot where I thought we would end up, but instead to a different drainage entirely The upshot of the snafu Instead of finding and rappelling through the arch I had hoped we would be rappelling through, we found an undocumented and impressive natural bridge and rappelled through that instead! Bridge, arch, it is all good! This is an advanced canyon be...

Beaver Bay Canyon has a lot of bang for its buck A short approach leads to a short, but interesting and pretty canyon The exit Well, it's almost literally a hop skip and a jump from the end of the canyon back to your car Not a canyoneer No problem, hiking up from the bottom is a fun outing that still allows you to see most of the canyon The length makes this a great after dinner hike Warning: This route requires crossing the Fremont River In much of the year, the river is very shallow and easy to wade, but when wat...

If it weren't for the long-ish approach and exit, I would rate this canyon quite a bit higher The canyon has a bit of everything A couple of difficult natural anchors if you choose, or not if you want to bypass them Some high stemming and silo crossings, but without the significant exposure of the nearby X-rated canyon It is an excellent place to practice skills and dabble a bit with some high stemming That being said, it is not a beginner canyon There is still a bit of stemming and climbing involved Intermediates ...

This is a short tributary of Tanner Creek recommended as a good early season canyon No mandatory swims, and relatively short, it also seemed like an overall good introduction to the area when we visited in late May of 2015 The canyon didn't disappoint! A casual approach and exit, coupled with an absolutely stunning section of canyon, make for a great day out, in what feels like deep in the backcountry The final rappel over Lower Munra Falls drops you down to a wooden bridge on the trail that visits Wahclella Falls ...

The Cheesebox is a proud tower visible for a long stretch of Highway 95, near Fry canyon The tower, with it's Navajo sandstone summit block is very unique The summit block is about 5 m high, split in two, with the top being about as large as a big kitchen table Although the climbing to reach the summit is loose, and not recommended for it's own sake, the views of Cheesebox Canyon, White Canyon, and the surrounding area are the best around