Buckskin Gulch

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The Buckskin Gulch in southern Utah is one of the main tributaries of the Paria River, which is itself a major tributary of the Colorado River. It is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest United States and may very well be the longest in the world. As such it is one of the premier destinations for slot canyon hikers, and receives a high amount of foot traffic. At over 10 miles in length it is often visited in conjunction with the longer Paria Canyon, although some prefer to make a long day trip out of the hike. With a distance of 20 miles, hiking this canyon in one day is doable but not easy. Wire Pass, a short tributary to the Buckskin, is an ideal alternative for a short day hike that still takes hikers through the narrow, curving features that are the hallmark of slot canyons.

Buckskin Gulch is reached via US Highway 89, and is approximately half way between the towns of Kanab, Utah and Page, Arizona. There is a ranger station right near the bridge over the intermittently-flowing Paria River, and the dirt road to the Gulch is approximately 2 miles west of the station. You then go 10 miles down the dirt road to the jump-off point.

The Wire Pass entrance shares the same trailhead, Wire Pass Trailhead, with the equally spectacular Coyote Buttes, home to The Wave, a famous sandstone rock formation.

Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch generally do not require rappelling equipment, but there may be a few dropoffs or the necessity to wade in ankle-to-chest high water and/or mud. One point along the route there is a 15 foot dropoff that usually has rope but it is not a bad idea to bring some of your own. Also along the route, small areas of quicksand can be found. The scenery is spectacular; the one danger is the possibility of flash floods, and hikers should check conditions carefully. It lies within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area of the Bureau of Land Management.