Stone Donkey Canyon | Paria

Canyoneering Stone Donkey Canyon - Paria Canyoneering Stone Donkey Canyon

Paria

Overview

Mon Showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy. High near 60, with temperatures falling to around 58 in the afternoon. South southwest wind 5 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
60° | 44°
Tue A chance of rain showers before 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. West southwest wind 8 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
55° | 39°
Wed Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
59° | 32°
Thu Sunny, with a high near 63.
63° | 34°
Fri A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Sunny, with a high near 64.
64° | 37°
RATING: 3B
SEASON: Spring, Fall.
GEAR: Standard Technical Gear, Wetsuits in Spring/Fall. Bring a 60 m rope and a 15 m rope (or webbing).
RAPPELS: 1 to 60 m ( 197 ft. )
WATER: General springs for drinking along the hike, and several pools in the canyon. Wetsuit in cool conditions.
FLASHFLOOD: High in the short slot section.
Mon Showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy. High near 60, with temperatures falling to around 58 in the afternoon. South southwest wind 5 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
60° | 44°
Tue A chance of rain showers before 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. West southwest wind 8 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
55° | 39°
Wed Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
59° | 32°
Thu Sunny, with a high near 63.
63° | 34°
Fri A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Sunny, with a high near 64.
64° | 37°
Looking at the head of the canyon.
Looking at the head of the canyon.

Stone Donkey Canyon is the exquisite slot with the big approach! Though short, this slot is quite stunning and in my opinion, well worth the effort to visit. The goods start with a dramatic rappel often bathed in a shimmering glow, followed by a short but dramatic narrow slot that is likely to leave an impression on most. Magnificent!

So, with the hype in mind, what is the approach like? Well, there are several options, none of them short or easy. My strong recommendation is to make this outing into a light overnight backpack and approach via Hackberry Canyon. This approach is longer than the 2 cross country routes, but trust me, it is much more enjoyable! As my recommended route, this is what is described below. Fast/strong hikers with long days could cover the almost 18-mile round trip in a day, but most will want 2 days. Hackberry, particularly around Stone Donkey is quite pretty. Throw in an extra day's rations and make an even more leisurely 3-day trip out of it.

The narrows of Stone Donkey Canyon
The narrows of Stone Donkey Canyon
The short but sweet Stone Donkey from the top.
The short but sweet Stone Donkey from the top.

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