Yellow Brick Road is one of the most beautiful areas around The area is not the place for tight, deep, dark slots, but rather open areas, big views, and an incredible bridge Unique features abound on this one Yellow Brick Road is more of a hike with a few amazing rappels If you are looking for a technically challenging slot fest, look elsewhere Be sure to bring your camera Penny Martens and I first checked out this area back one very dreary winter day in the early 2000s Having spotted Tik-Tok Bridge, we came back t...

Nestled near the Black Hole, Horse Tanks is a great canyon on Cedar Mesa The canyon is not a slot, but more open with some great scenery, and a fantastic final rappel If you are in the area, this is a good one to do and quite beginner friendly

Woody, although short in length, packs a powerful punch when it comes to potholes challenges The canyon can be done with as few as one rappel, but a rope is needed for the challenge of getting into, and out of the many potholes

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 ...

Cove Canyon, although not a destination, is a nice stop to stretch your legs if you in the area The non-technical portion of the hike provides a lovely ramble down a beautiful canyon as it deepens on its way to the Colorado River The technical section, requiring ascending, is recommended for those that are proficient in ascending and looking to get some practice in This makes a good addition to a visit to The Block or [my:linkToObject type="trip" id="546" text="Clearw...

The Tunnel is a unique geological feature in Arches National Park where the sandstone has eroded a distinct tunnel through the edge of a sandstone buttress The Tunnel is big enough crawl through Visiting just the Tunnel provides a great, short, family-friendly outing, expect to spend about an hour to hour and a half round-trip Want more From the Tunnel, a loop hike can be made with outstanding views of the park The hike requires good route finding and diligent no-trace principles The reward, however, is an improbab...

Class II in a canoe To quote Homer Simpson "Woo-hoo!" The White River has to be one of the best easy river experiences in Utah The river meanders over 90 miles from it's source to its confluence with the Green River This 34 mile section offers a great weekend trip The scenery on the river consists of a wild, deep canyon with plentiful cottonwoods and birds dotting the rivers edge This is in stark contrast with the mesa tops above On the mesa top, out of sight for the most of the float, the landscape is dotted with ...

This section of the Snake offers a beginner friendly float via canoe, raft, or drift boat The section takes about a 1/2 day, and seems substantially more popular with fisherman than recreational boaters Be aware that above 7000 or 8000 cfs, the current becomes forceful, and requires intermediate or better canoe skills Along the way, numerous large sand bars make for great lunch spots

Pine Creek has to be the most popular technical canyon in Zion It is a truly amazing canyon, and well worth the popularity it has attained The canyon has a half a dozen rappels, but all are straight forward It is a good introduction to Zion canyoneering, and suitable to all groups with competent leadership The middle section is cavern-like and sublime If you are only going to do one canyon in Zion, this is the one I would recommend It can be busy, but offers many opportunities to pass slower parties if needed Note:...

One of the heavy hitters in Zion, Imlay is as demanding as it is beautiful This is not a place for beginners All members of your group must be advanced canyoneers Imlay is famous for its potholes In tippy-top full conditions, the canyon is fun and straightforward As the water level drops, however, it becomes difficult very fast Think potholes 10+ feet deep, requiring pack tosses, ingenuity, and as a last resort hooking to surmount Now picture not just one or two of them, but a lot of them Mix in hours of cold water...